The more I learn about Richter, the more I admire and love him. Admittedly, there are some early recordings that are difficult for me to listen to as he is butchering the piece, but at his finer moments there is no better pianist. Take his interpretation of Schubert's Piano Sonata in B flat D.960. It's pure magic. He's become my favorite pianist next to Gould.
My favorite recording of D960 is the Horowitz 25th anniversary recital performance. It’s at once light, powerful, and swift, seemingly abstracting away the specifics of instrumentation in its phrasing and singing.