Search - Edvard Grieg, Emil Gilels :: Grieg: Lyric Pieces / Emil Gilels

A top 10 piano recording of all time.

Todd Ebert | Long Beach California | 03/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Edvard Grieg's lyric pieces easily ranks in my top 5 or 10 collections of piano works. Moreover, I've listened to this particular recording by Gilels at least 50-100 times and seem to always find something new in each listening. In some sense this recording is a hidden treasure, in that whenever a piano composition finds its way into the mainstream, via movies, commercials, etc., one will often hear Bach, Beethoven, or Chopin (especially Chopin!), but rarely anything from this wonderful collection of pieces. All the better, since one does not need to lose the extra mental baggage that comes with the often unfortunate commercialized associations.For me what makes this recording very special is the sensitivity and patience Gilels brings to each note of each piece. He has the rare ability to play soft, yet maintain the lyrical quality of each piece. It should be noted that Leif Ove Andsnes has recently recorded for Angel Classics (57296) a collection of Grieg's lyric pieces which overlaps with this recording by about 10 pieces. This recording is also highly recommended, in that their styles are different enough to make them both independently interesting to listen to."

Musicianship defined

J. Anderson | Monterey, CA USA | 04/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The surpassing piano art of Emil Gilels keeps these Grieg miniatures free of sentimentality. Relying on lustrous tone, humor and breathtaking musical intelligence, Gilels sets an imcomparable standard wisely highlighted by chronological programming of his choices. The quizzical beauty of small music requires urgent musicianship of both composer and performer, something that defines this CD. I play it every chance I get. Gilels' playing is one of the wonders of the world; I'll always wish he'd recorded more repertory than he did. Thankfully we have this, his Mozart and especially his Ravel. Hard to be disappointed with a CD this fine.



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Love at first listening

Konstantinos | 08/13/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard this recording on LP about a decade ago and I had a crash on this recording. Before I heard this recording, I did not have a very good impression on Gilels. Only other recording of him I heard till then was a brittle-sounding Beethoven's "appasionata" sonata, recorded in Russia back in the 1950s. In that, he sounded as if he was trying to "outbang" Horowitz, so when I found this recording, I was more interested in the pieces than their performer. But when I put the needle on the LP, I was absolutely shocked. "My God", I thought, "is this the same Gilels???" In these pieces, Gilels became a poet of piano, a gorgeous minituarist. Since then, I listened to this recording countless times, bought a CD transfer, and managed to even learn some of the pieces myself. This CD is really a jewel. Gilels is at his best. Never I heard him play with such an intimacy of feeling and conviction. This is an absolute "must" for anyone who loves romantic piano music."