Emil Gilels (1916-85), unlike his friend and compatriot Sviatoslav Richter, enjoyed playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.
2, Op. 44 just as much as the celebrated Concerto No. 1, Op. 23. Their playing style was very different. Both equally virtuoso,
Richter's flashes of emotion and virtuosity contrast with Gilels' natural restraint and impressive legato. The two scores here,
which met with surprisingly contrasting acclaim, appear only rarely together.
"turn to his 1959 live recording with the USSR Symphony under Kyrill Kondrashin and you might as well be listening to a
completely different pianist....the solo playing has a headstrong, easy virtuosity that provides maximum contrast with the later
account's equally arresting but rather more affected personality [Melodiya, Svetlanov]. In fact the two Gilels performances are
about as different from each other as both are (in overall style) from Richter's classically integrated performance of the First
Concerto." Gramophone
1-3 Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor Op. 23
Czech Philharmonic, Karl Ancerl, Prague Spring Festival 1954
4 Original theme and variations Op. 19 No. 6 for piano
Moscow June 1950
5-7 Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Op. 44
USSR State Symphony, Kirill Kondrashin, Radio Moscow, live recording December 23 1959 |
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