Customer Reviews

Piano Concertos 4 & 5

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The legendary Emil Gilels was an awesome pianist, and if you have not heard him before, then prepare to be impressed by his midas touch. His astonishing tone, clarity, expression, tempo, the way he shapes the music...listen and find out for yourself.

This (his first) studio recording of the Beethoven piano concertos #4 and #5 was made when he was 40, and it is interesting to compare them with his recordings 11 years later with Szell/Cleveland. Although they're are all superb, for me, I prefer these earlier versions with Ludwig/Philharmonia. The playing here shows the sparkle and passionate energy of the younger Gilels, compared to the equally marvelous but more introspective and 'mature' style of his later years.

Despite its age, this recording is happily in stereo and the digital re-mastering and transfer is excellent; it's hard to tell that it dates from the 1950s.

The accompanying booklet is nice too, with a well-written essay, and best of all, has three (2 large, 1 medium-size) photos of a youthful looking Emil Gilels, which were taken during these recording sessions; two show him in discussion with conductor Ludwig, and the other is the well-known shot of him sitting pensively at the piano.

This CD can be bought with confidence in the knowledge you won't likely find any better by another pianist. Gramophone called this recording of the #4 concerto as perhaps the best ever - the Penguin Guide said it was tempted to delete the word 'perhaps' - and it's hard to disagree. Judge for yourself.

As ever, these performance "compete" with the later performances where Gilel was partnered by the formidable George Szell, something of the classic martinet. Those performances are predictably fine although rather severe and sometimes unyielding.

These performances, and particularly that of number 4, are anything but severe or unyielding. They are in fact evidence of an almost unique fusion of musical intellect, technical mastery and an honesty and musicianship that spills effortlessly into the realms of the spiritual.

Sounds nonsensical? Perhaps, but the evidence is a performance in number 4, and perhaps marginally less so in the "Emperor", that has rarely been matched and never surpassed.

Right from the opening simple but so difficult G major chord, we are in the presence of a master musician who recreates the work in every note that has been carefully weighted and placed within a aural and musical perspective that is entirely Gilels' own.

Passage after passage is delivered with a wonderful sense of inevitability and poetic rightness that makes it so satisfying. This playing grabs and holds your attention leading to the belief that these are first and foremost works of sublime genius. In no way is this playing by pianist or orchestra that seeks to draw attention to itself. In that sense it is up there with Solomon and Schnabel, and, for me, endlessly more satisfying than more modern masters like Brendel or Ashkenazy, good though they undoubtedly are.

If you want modern sound and superb performances, you can turn with ease of mind to the Perahia/Haitink partnership on Sony. However, with recorded sound that casts a rather beautiful aura over the performances and fine support from orchstra and under appreciated conductor, these are probably as good as any any performances of these you will come across.

I have all the versions of Gilels playing Beethoven's 4th in addition to several others. Listening to Gilels here is almost a religious experience! Those of you who want to taste the pure lyricisim of Beethoven's 4th will do well in acquiring this along with Maria Grinberg/Neeme Jarvi. Odd that the Penguin guide makes no mention of these.

I simply have to say bravo to all three previous reviewers! Gilels whom ive always been very prejudiced towards was both mature at an early age and warmly clean and brilliant! And lets talk teamwork which is so important! In the Brahms 2nd and the Chicago Symphony Gilels teamed up with Reiner and Richter with Leinsdorf. The result was two recordings of a lifetime! The conductors knew their maestros and vice versa. And so my good friends it is here! Ludwig and Gilels and as one reviewer said, "the very first G Major chord let anyone who knows the players know that we were in for the recording of a lifetime and yes out it came. It's certainly the finest recording i've ever heard of this! (at 63 yrs young i've performed the Op.58 4 times with Chicago community Symphonies. I play the same cadenza as Gilels simply because he inspired me to take it.} Enjoy it folks!

Two of the greatest performances ever--not just of Beethoven but of ANYTHING. There's no shortage of Beethoven 4's that are the soul of poetry (Kempff, Arrau, Rubinstein); or that muscle up and leave you breathless by the end (Ashkenazy/Solti). This one does both. It is utterly unrushed in I, with plenty of opportunities taken to smell the roses. But the power of it all never lets up, and by the time it's over, you've been taken to a deeply spiritual, emotionally affirming place. Likewise, there are many powerful "Emperors" out there (Serkin/Bernstein; Kovacevich/Davis; Fleisher/Szell); but none as heartbreakingly lyrical in II or as imperiously powerful (at a slower, more emphatic gait than usual) in III. EMI remastered this for use in its Recordings of the Century series, but this one --though a bit hissier--retains more juice to its sound. A must.