Emil Gilels

[Holden]

i dont think ive ever heard gilels in anything

where to start besides beethoven?

This is a great place to start, nobody plays these like Gilels and they are so interesting to listen to.

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I'd also highly recommend

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While the PCs are top drawer the Fantasias Op 116 are even better. I'm so sad that Gilels recorded so little Brahms

The 1951 Appassionata is available for a listen on Naxos Music Library. I'm trawling through their excellent trove of Gilels recordings now and will give it a go.

[Holden]

The 1951 Appassionata is certainly up there as an amazing performance and the 3rd movement had me really enjoying both the music and the astonishing technical skill that Gilels had. I then switched to the 1960 recital and this still remains my favourite recording. It was powerful and passionate right from the very first notes and this is where it easily surpasses the Florence Recital which didn't have me going until the last movement. Gilels had obviously learned a lot in the intervening 9 years and it stands out. Power, passion and also depth of musical feeling. The way that he constructs and links the phrases is what makes this an incredible listening experience.

If you can get your hands on the 1960 Moscow version the do so. It is one of my desert island discs

[George]

If you can get your hands on the 1960 Moscow version the do so. It is one of my desert island discs

Do you mean the 1961 one in the green Brilliant Box?

[Mandryka]

The 1951 Appassionata is certainly up there as an amazing performance and the 3rd movement had me really enjoying both the music and the astonishing technical skill that Gilels had. I then switched to the 1960 recital and this still remains my favourite recording. It was powerful and passionate right from the very first notes and this is where it easily surpasses the Florence Recital which didn't have me going until the last movement. Gilels had obviously learned a lot in the intervening 9 years and it stands out. Power, passion and also depth of musical feeling. The way that he constructs and links the phrases is what makes this an incredible listening experience.

If you can get your hands on the 1960 Moscow version the do so. It is one of my desert island discs

What do you think of the DG Appassionata?

With Gilels, as you say, his view of the music changed a lot over time. With Richter too.

[Holden]

Do you mean the 1961 one in the green Brilliant Box?

Yes, Richter's famous Moscow recording was 1960 and I sometimes confuse the dates (but not the performances).

What do you think of the DG Appassionata?

Tame in comparison to either '51 or '61. A good performance but it didn't have me reaching for the accolades book. Kempff plays in a similar style to Gilels' DG and I prefer that.

[George]

Tame in comparison to either '51 or '61. A good performance but it didn't have me reaching for the accolades book. Kempff plays in a similar style to Gilels' DG and I prefer that.

Yeah, the DG Appassionata by Gilels doesn't do it for me. The Kempff Mono is good, but I like a lot of pianists more for this work (Annie Fischer, Richter and the live 1961 Gilels are all superb, to name a few.)

[Mandryka]

Tame in comparison to either '51 or '61. A good performance but it didn't have me reaching for the accolades book. Kempff plays in a similar style to Gilels' DG and I prefer that.

I think tame is unfairly pejorative for Gilels' DG Op 57. It's maybe  not as Promethean, as heroic, as the 1961. But it's not metaphysically, morally,  tame. Here's an example. There's a moment in the first movement central climax where EG drills right down into the harmonies of the music, exposing dissonances, like moments of uncertainty or bitterness in the midst of the struggle. For me this is a transcendent moment, it transforms that music into something very great.

I agree that the central movement of the 1961 is particularly successful. Wonderful in fact.


I sometimes wonder if Gilels was just exploring Promethean-style Beethoven at this time, in the 1960s and 1970s, and later just rejected the philosophy. Richter maybe went through a very similar development of ideas.

I recall Kempff's Apassionata, the mono, as being more nervous than Gilels on DG, but you could be right.

[Brahmsian]

While the PCs are top drawer the Fantasias Op 116 are even better. I'm so sad that Gilels recorded so little Brahms

I just listened last night to a Youtube video link that a friend of mine forwared to me, of Gilels performing Brahms' Op. 10 Ballades.  Fantastic! 

[George]

I just listened last night to a Youtube video link that a friend of mine forwared to me, of Gilels performing Brahms' Op. 10 Ballades.  Fantastic! 

indeed!!

[George]

I just read about an upcoming Melodiya release dedicated to the anniversary of Emil Gilels.  The recordings will be from 1935-1984. And there will be a total of 87 recordings of works not previously published commercially! In addition to the above link, more info is listed here, but it is not in English. Here is the (albeit flawed) translation:

Russian label Melodiya prepares 50-disc anthology of recordings Emil Gilels, piano one of the giants of the twentieth century. Publisher appears in the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian pianist.

In 1933, 17-year-old young man with odesskiego Conservatory took part in the All Music Competition in Moscow.His performance had the force of the explosion - room rewarded him with a standing ovation, and unknown people congratulated themselves on the birth of a genius.Five years later, Gilels equally undisputed style has won an international piano competition in Brussels.

After World War II, when the greatest tension between Russia and the West, Gilels broke the Iron Curtain and conquered foreign audiences.Its filled with incessant successful concert career lasted half a century.The artist constantly developing their skills - expanded repertoire deepened interpretations, could in a fresh way to look at the tracks ripped to the core.

The jubilee edition of Melodiya, made up of 50 panels, covers virtually the entire period of creativity Gilels - the first studio recording in 1935 (fantasy Liszt on the theme of "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart, which brought him fame in the first contest in Moscow) to the last show in Moscow in 1984 (sonata "Hammerklavier" Beethoven - one of the most difficult works in the history of piano literature).

A large part of these recordings are from concerts, during which performed songs from the repertoire of Domenico Scarlatti, Bach, Shostakovich and Stravinsky.Among those registered are those that have never been published - "Hungarian Dance No. 1" by Brahms, "Ciaccona" Handel's "Scherzo" Borodin, the second "Arabesque" Debussy etude "Night harmonies" by Liszt, Scriabin sonata first and many others.On a separate noteworthy recordings Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante Chopin, Rachmaninoff IV concert and symphonic variations Franck.

Gilels was also an excellent chamber musician, as evidenced by joint performances with the biggest champions of Russia - Leonid Kogan, Mstislav Rostropovich and Rudolf Barszaj.Exceptional value are recorded with his sister Elizaveta Gilels, an outstanding violinist, student of Peter Solomonowicza Stolarski.This part of the document including a pianistdisc Faure piano quartet, trio Alexander Alabjewa or Caesar Cui sonata for violin and piano.It's true rarities.

The Russian has performed with major orchestras of the world, but in the anniversary anthology melody publishes recordings with orchestras led by prominent Russian conductors - Konstantin Ivanov, Kiril Kondrashin, Rudolf Barszaj and Yevgeny Swietłanowa.Gilels was one of the few virtuosos performing all three piano concertos by Tchaikovsky, whose recordings are a real pride of the set melody.It is worth a closer look to the little-known provisions and a concert from 1949 and 1951 and in the registration trials III concert with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra under the baton Swietłanowa.

This exclusive edition is supplemented by a booklet in four languages (Russian, English, German, French) with texts by two famous pianists - Valery Afanasyev and Yevgeny Kissin - and a poster with a portrait of Gilels.Each copy of the anthology bears his own signature collector's number.

[Kontrapunctus]

I'm looking forward to this (comes out in the US on August 19th):

[KenL]

I'm curious about the contents of that Melodiya 50 CD set - and how much overlaps with existing content.  Inquiring minds would like to know.  Hopefully, the quality control is a bit better with printing than it was with the Richter set.

[Mandryka]

The quality of the sound in the Mozart/Busoni with Zak is perfectly listenable, better than I have heard in these performances before.

[B_cereus]

The 1951 Appassionata is certainly up there as an amazing performance and the 3rd movement had me really enjoying both the music and the astonishing technical skill that Gilels had. I then switched to the 1960 recital and this still remains my favourite recording. It was powerful and passionate right from the very first notes and this is where it easily surpasses the Florence Recital which didn't have me going until the last movement. Gilels had obviously learned a lot in the intervening 9 years and it stands out. Power, passion and also depth of musical feeling. The way that he constructs and links the phrases is what makes this an incredible listening experience.

If you can get your hands on the 1960 Moscow version the do so. It is one of my desert island discs

I think Gilels was at the height of his powers in the late 1950s-early 1960s. This is also the period of his recordings of the Beethoven 4th with Ludwig, and the Brahms 2nd with Reiner.

There's a black & white video clip on YouTube of Gilels playing the Beethoven Emperor in the 1950s, which is incredibly heroic and powerful, and the look of triumph on his face as he nails the tonic chords at the end of the first movement.

[George]

I just read about an upcoming Melodiya release dedicated to the anniversary of Emil Gilels.  The recordings will be from 1935-1984. And there will be a total of 87 recordings of works not previously published commercially! In addition to the above link, more info is listed here, but it is not in English. Here is the (albeit flawed) translation:

Russian label Melodiya prepares 50-disc anthology of recordings Emil Gilels, piano one of the giants of the twentieth century. Publisher appears in the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Russian pianist.

In 1933, 17-year-old young man with odesskiego Conservatory took part in the All Music Competition in Moscow.His performance had the force of the explosion - room rewarded him with a standing ovation, and unknown people congratulated themselves on the birth of a genius.Five years later, Gilels equally undisputed style has won an international piano competition in Brussels.

After World War II, when the greatest tension between Russia and the West, Gilels broke the Iron Curtain and conquered foreign audiences.Its filled with incessant successful concert career lasted half a century.The artist constantly developing their skills - expanded repertoire deepened interpretations, could in a fresh way to look at the tracks ripped to the core.

The jubilee edition of Melodiya, made up of 50 panels, covers virtually the entire period of creativity Gilels - the first studio recording in 1935 (fantasy Liszt on the theme of "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart, which brought him fame in the first contest in Moscow) to the last show in Moscow in 1984 (sonata "Hammerklavier" Beethoven - one of the most difficult works in the history of piano literature).

A large part of these recordings are from concerts, during which performed songs from the repertoire of Domenico Scarlatti, Bach, Shostakovich and Stravinsky.Among those registered are those that have never been published - "Hungarian Dance No. 1" by Brahms, "Ciaccona" Handel's "Scherzo" Borodin, the second "Arabesque" Debussy etude "Night harmonies" by Liszt, Scriabin sonata first and many others.On a separate noteworthy recordings Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante Chopin, Rachmaninoff IV concert and symphonic variations Franck.

Gilels was also an excellent chamber musician, as evidenced by joint performances with the biggest champions of Russia - Leonid Kogan, Mstislav Rostropovich and Rudolf Barszaj.Exceptional value are recorded with his sister Elizaveta Gilels, an outstanding violinist, student of Peter Solomonowicza Stolarski.This part of the document including a pianistdisc Faure piano quartet, trio Alexander Alabjewa or Caesar Cui sonata for violin and piano.It's true rarities.

The Russian has performed with major orchestras of the world, but in the anniversary anthology melody publishes recordings with orchestras led by prominent Russian conductors - Konstantin Ivanov, Kiril Kondrashin, Rudolf Barszaj and Yevgeny Swietłanowa.Gilels was one of the few virtuosos performing all three piano concertos by Tchaikovsky, whose recordings are a real pride of the set melody.It is worth a closer look to the little-known provisions and a concert from 1949 and 1951 and in the registration trials III concert with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra under the baton Swietłanowa.

This exclusive edition is supplemented by a booklet in four languages (Russian, English, German, French) with texts by two famous pianists - Valery Afanasyev and Yevgeny Kissin - and a poster with a portrait of Gilels.Each copy of the anthology bears his own signature collector's number.

Just ordered this for $362 shipped! It will be here on Friday!

[George]

I'm curious about the contents of that Melodiya 50 CD set - and how much overlaps with existing content.  Inquiring minds would like to know.  Hopefully, the quality control is a bit better with printing than it was with the Richter set.

I can let you know soon. The sound on the Richter set was impressive, so I expect the same for the Gilels set.

[Todd]

Now that is a lot of Gilels.  I'm interested in reading about your impressions.

[George]

Now that is a lot of Gilels.  I'm interested in reading about your impressions.

Will do.