EMIL GILELS
Emil Gilels - Live at the Concertgebouw 1980 - Vinyl
VINYL
EMIL GILELS
Live at the Concertgebouw 1980
52,00€
Record 1
- Beethoven: Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3
- Presto
- Largo e mesto
- Menuetto: Allegro
- Rondo: Allegro
- Beethoven: Varations and Fugue in E-flat major "Eroica", Op. 35
- Introduzione: Allegretto vivace
- Tema
- Variation No. 1
- Variation No. 2
- Variation No. 3
- Variation No. 4
- Variation No. 5
- Variation No. 6
- Variation No. 7: Canone All'ottava
- Variation No. 8
- Variation No. 9
- Variation No. 10
- Variation No. 11
- Variation No. 12
- Variation No. 13
- Variation No. 14 minore
- Variation No. 15 Maggiore - Largo
- Coda
- Finale: Alla Fuga
3000 Copies
"My grandfather was extremely fond of the Netherlands. His deep attachment to the country dated back to 1938, when he won the first Eugène Ysaÿe Competition in Brussels (today known as the Queen Elisabeth Competition of Belgium).and he was very happy when the Concertgebouw invited him immediately after that, for the first time,” says Kirill Gilels, the grandson of the great pianist, adding, “He always made sure to compile the finest piano repertoire for the sophisticated audiences of the Concertgebouw".
It was in the Dutch radio archives that we succeeded in extracting five recordings of concerts Gilels had given between 1975 and 1980 at the Concertgebouw – recordings that had fallen into oblivion. We were allotted a studio where we listened to the tapes one by one. We remained speechless, overcome by the beauty of what we heard: we were immediately struck by the dynamic tone range and the purity of Gilel’s sound, both of which are used in the service of a musicality that is as ideal as it is limpid. Gilels never seeks special effects; with him, everything is simple, profoundly sculpted and extremely elegant. We savour every detail he gives us so that we can better grasp the entirety of the work. Gilels does not simply deliver an interpretation; instead, he literally embodies each musical phrase.
On April 15, 1980, alone on stage, he gave a recital entirely devoted to Beethoven.
Sonata No. 7 was composed in 1798. It is a work of shadow and light. Beethoven did not hesitate to undertake a number of experiments that prefigured the symbiosis between composition for the keyboard and the evolution of the instruments, which was continued thanks to Chopin and Liszt. He also distanced himself from those he emulated, Mozart and Haydn, even though their influence remains palpable, as does that of Clementi.
The “Eroica” variations, composed in 1802, are built on a theme shared by several of Beethoven’s works, including the ballet he had composed one year earlier, The Creatures of Prometheus, and the Finale of his Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”, composed one year later. The theme of the introduction evokes the myth of the Titan, who, before stealing fire from heaven to give it to mankind, thereby incurring the wrath of Zeus, had initially been entrusted by the gods with the mission of breathing life into each creature. The theme builds up progressively as several elements that come to life, one after another, are patiently assembled.
There are musical performances that have such profundity, such sincerity, and are so ideal that they leave an indelible mark on their listeners. There is no doubt that what Gilels gave us at the Concertgebouw and what we are so proud to have brought back to life is of this calibre.
Emil Gilels, piano
Recorded at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam 15.IV.1980
STEREO ℗ 1980 TROS
Restored by © 2025 THE LOST RECORDINGS from the original analog tapes
Ref.: TLR-2503062V
33rpm Lacquer-cuts: Kevin Gray
New Tip-on gatefold printed in Italy
180g Single Vinyl Album
Phoenix Pressings
*A 16-bit album download card is included with the vinyl.
“I can’t find words to describe how he played. I will say one thing: if he ever comes to the United States, there will be nothing for me to do here.” Arthur Rubinstein
OUR HAPPY MUSIC LOVERS
