Beethoven, Schumann & Brahms: Piano Works (Live)

Featuring

Emil Gilels
Ludwig van Beethoven
Robert Schumann
Johannes Brahms

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Performer Biography

Emil Gilels impressed Artur Rubinstein at age 14 and won the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels in his early 20s.

Interpretation

A critic described Emil Gilels's playing as a 'search for a balance of the forces at play in a work of art,' characterized by calm and contemplation.

Recording & Production

This album is part of the Salzburg Festival's initiative, started in 1992, to open its archives and make historical acoustic documents available to the public after technical restoration.

Historical Context

The Salzburg Festival, where this recording was made, was founded in 1920 and has since become a global meeting point for artists and audiences.

Critical Reception

Emil Gilels's debut at the Salzburg Festival in 1969 with Beethoven's c-minor Piano Concerto and a solo program was considered a sensation.

Recording & Production

The Salzburg Festival's archive contains a unique body of acoustic documents, prioritizing the preservation of live events over 'perfect' studio recordings.

Performer Biography

Emil Gilels, the pianist on this recording, only became known outside his home country of Russia in the late 1950s, similar to other artists of his generation like Sviatoslav Richter and David Oistrakh.