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Emil Gilels Box
Emil Gilels
Emil Gilels Box
Genres: Special Interest, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (14) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (6) - Disc #2
  •  Track Listings (9) - Disc #3
  •  Track Listings (11) - Disc #4
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #5

This wonderful five-disc set presents Emil Gilels in previously unpublished stereo recordings from live performances. One disc is devoted to concertos by Chopin (wonderful!) and Poulenc. The others are all solo piano, incl...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Emil Gilels
Title: Emil Gilels Box
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Melodiya
Release Date: 2/11/1997
Genres: Special Interest, Classical
Styles: Marches, Opera & Classical Vocal, Forms & Genres, Ballads, Concertos, Fantasies, Sonatas, Historical Periods, Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, Romantic (c.1820-1910)
Number of Discs: 5
SwapaCD Credits: 5
UPC: 743214011621

Synopsis

Amazon.com
This wonderful five-disc set presents Emil Gilels in previously unpublished stereo recordings from live performances. One disc is devoted to concertos by Chopin (wonderful!) and Poulenc. The others are all solo piano, including a full disc of Mozart, three Beethoven sonatas (including the mighty Hammerklavier), major works of Scriabin, Schubert, and Shostakovich, and other shorter works. Gilels was one of the major pianists of our century. He played all of this music with great integrity and plenty of color. Melodiya's editors have selected well; there isn't a dud in the series, and some of the performances are truly magnificent. Highly recommended to pianophiles! -- Leslie Gerber

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CD Reviews

A Rarified Talent
M. Fisher | 03/22/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the better box sets I've seen lately. The choice of repetoire is wonderful, covering the classics, (Mozart, Beethoven) to the Romantics, (Schubert, Schumann, Chopin), to twentieth century masterpieces by Ravel, Shostakovich and Scriabin. The surprises of the set are the Medtner Sonata (Lovely!) and the Poulenc concerto. Absolute stunners both. My main hitch is with Gilels himself. While every performance is near definitive, it's Gilels who can't seem to see much difference between Mozart and Scriabin. He colors and shades everything almost exactly the same way and while it is fascinating, it just gets old sometimes. I'm just hard to convince that one mans personality can so ruthlessly crush that of the composers and be RIGHT everytime. It's not possible, especially in light of the great composers portrayed within. But it is fascinating to hear Gilels battle with the material in such a way, even if you just end up feeling sorry for the futility of it all. A fantastic buy at a little over $30."
A must-have for any piano lover!
M. Fisher | San Diego, CA | 07/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gilels publicly performed a limited number of pieces (he only played those with which he felt a "personal relationship," this set demonstrates the wide range Gilels had as a pianist. From the transcendent Mozart to the earthly 20th century Medtner, Gilels is always in total control of how he presents the music.

A previous reviewer claimed that Gilels "shaded" all of his playing the same way regardless of the composer or piece being performed. I emphatically disagree with this statement; if you listen to a lot of piano recordings, you become aware of the subtle nuances different performers have and how they present different pieces. Gilels very clearly differentiates the clarity of Mozart's classicism with the distinctly "Russian" music of Prokofiev. If you are interested in understanding the art of pianism, you will not be disappointed by this set."