Search - Sergey Rachmaninov, Camille Saint-Saens, Dmitry Shostakovich :: Emil Gilels plays Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich

A disc to treasure!

J. Anderson | Monterey, CA USA | 10/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here is a Rachmaninov Third to treasure. More daring than Rubinstein's, forget Horowitz! and Argerich? Argerich is extraordinary and Gilels is deep; Argerich eats the soul of the piece, and Gilels leaves the soul of it ripened and burnished -ready for eating. This is a superb rendition of the Rachmaninov, out-classing all the others that come to mind. And Saint-Saens' marvelous G Minor- Gilels sets the third movement rockin and rollin, infusing those propulsive splashes with an imperial regard, and rescuing by elegance music that seems always to verge on an unsatisfying gallic curtsey. Is there nothing that escapes this pianist's understanding? The Paris Conservatory Society orchestra acquits itself as a perfect partner in everything they do here; I don't know Cluyten's work well, but one gets the feeling this superb orchestra could play by its own internal mechanics, so naturally do the players cohere. I have recordings of the Shostakovich by Ashkenazy, Postnikova, Richter- THIS rendition is written in language of the heart. This is supernatural playing of a colossal intelligence and sensibility. The seemingly infinite gifts of Gilels leave his great countryman's Prelude more beautiful than before, reeling in fire after spinning it round our heads! What an exceptional artist this man is! You cannot imagine the satisfaction given by the Rachmaninov; fail to purchase this disc at the risk of remaining merely enamoured - you could be all of beguiled!"

Monumental recording of Rakhmaninov's 3rd concerto

L. A. LAI | Oberlin, OH USA | 10/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Emil Gilels' historical recording of the concerto. The Orchestra is a little bit weak when compared with the Soloist and the sound is sometimes hollow.In a musical sense, this achieved the very top of the concerto despite some wrong notes and finger-slips(really bad one in the climax of 2nd movement). Unfortunately we can't listen to Emil Gilels' performance in USSR."