Hard to say… the things I think of as more refined with doc’s penism have richter at a major disadvantage because soviets didn’t have access to the highest quality pianos, parts and technicians and recording tech nowhere near same as 90s 00s era doc stuffs.
I’ve conciously passed on live doc playing shonberg, grieg and both brahms concertos before but can’t say I’d pass on richter for anything if I could see him in.
If you want tonal refinement from the Rectum, listen to his late stuff…for example, his Grieg lyric pieces from 1993 in, I believe, Italy has some of the most gorgeous piano tone I’ve ever heard.
Also, all of this has nothing to do with Richter, but, mostly, the condition of Soviet 88s and recording technology, that his recording are almost all live made with low-tech recording equipment by 90’s-2000’s standards.