Album

Freckled and red haired? Emil Gilels, the Soviet titan of the keyboard, was freckled and red haired? Yes, but only in his youth: by the time he attained his maturity, most of Gilels' freckles had faded. But while the red hair and the fiery temperament that went with it stayed with Gilels even in his more poised and balanced later years, his fire was at its hottest when he was younger. This is manifestly and magnificently obvious in these recordings from the '30s through '50s. From his breathtakingly brilliant 1935 recording of Schumann's Toccata to his awe-inspiringly passionate 1947 recording of Chopin's G minor Ballade and his jaw-droppingly convincing 1952 recording of Medtner's G minor Sonata, Gilels' super-virtuoso performances are almost unbearably thrilling. Tempering this excitement, however, are hints of the poised Gilels to come in his exquisitely controlled 1951 recording of Rameau's Le Rappel des oiseaux, his brightly colored 1955 recording of five Scarlatti sonatas, and especially his masterful 1952 recording of Beethoven's Sonata in C major, Op. 2/3. Taken altogether, this collection will be a must for Gilels collectors that also will be enjoyable to anyone who reveres great piano playing. Considering when and where these recordings were made, the sound is, except for some cracking in the climaxes, incredibly clean.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Leopold Godowsky Composer Gigue in E- (Book II, No.12) Allegro vivace, ma non troppo for piano (after Loeillet) Work Recorded 1935 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
1	Gigue in E- (Book II, No.12) Allegro vivace, ma non troppo for piano (after Loeillet)	2:03			$0.99
Jean-Philippe Rameau Composer Pièces de clavecin...Suite in E- Work Recorded 1951 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
2	5.Le Rappel des Oiseaux	2:36			$0.99
Carl Tausig Composer Der Kontrabandiste, for piano (after Schumann) Work Recorded 1935 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
3	Der Kontrabandiste, for piano (after Schumann)	1:44			$0.49
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Toccata in C, Op.7 Work Recorded 1935 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
4	Toccata in C, Op.7	4:43			$0.99
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Composer Songs without Words, Book 3, Op.38 Work Recorded 1947 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
5	6.Duetto: Andante con moto in Ab	3:09			$0.99
Robert Alexander Schumann Composer Fantasiestücke, Op.12 Work Recorded 1937 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
6	7.Traumes Wirren: Äußerst lebhaft	2:17			$0.99
Sergey Prokofiev Composer The Love for Three Oranges (suite), Op.33 bis...The Love for Three Oranges (suite), Op.33 bis (arr. piano) Work Recorded 1947 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
7	3.March	1:30			$0.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.1 in G-, Op.23 Work Recorded 1949 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
8	Ballade No.1 in G-, Op.23	8:19			$1.49
Franz Liszt Composer Grand Paganini Étude, S.141 Work Recorded 1940 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
9	5.Allegretto in E	2:33			$0.99
Franz Liszt Composer 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, S.244, R.106 Work Recorded 1951 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
10	No.9 in Eb	10:24			$1.99
Domenico Scarlatti Composer Sonata in C, K.159, L.104 ('La caccia') Work Recorded 1955 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
11	Sonata in C, K.159, L.104 ('La caccia')	1:58			$0.49
Domenico Scarlatti Composer Sonata in B-, K.27, L.449 Work Recorded 1955 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
12	Sonata in B-, K.27, L.449	4:14			$0.99
Domenico Scarlatti Composer Sonata in G, K.125, L.487 Work Recorded 1955 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
13	Sonata in G, K.125, L.487	2:10			$0.99
Domenico Scarlatti Composer Sonata in E, K.380, L.23 ('Cortège') Work Recorded 1955 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
14	Sonata in E, K.380, L.23 ('Cortège')	5:03			$0.99
Domenico Scarlatti Composer Sonata in A, K.113, L.345 Work Recorded 1955 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
15	Sonata in A, K.113, L.345	3:46			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2, No.3 Work Recorded 1952 25:10 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
1	1.Allegro con brio	9:18			$1.49
2	2.Adagio	8:04			$1.49
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro	2:49			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Allegro assai	4:59			$0.99
Nikolai Karlovich Medtner Composer Piano Sonata No.3 in G-, Op.22 Work Recorded 1952 16:37 Emil Grigoryevich Gilels Piano
5	1.Tenebroso, sempre affettando	7:07			$1.49
6	2.Andante lugubre	3:52			$0.99
7	3.Allegro assai	5:38			$0.99