#gilels

[clavierissimo]

[rodneyhargrove]

#tchaikovski #gilels #reiner #chicagosymphonyorchestra (at Rodney Hargrove the sanitized barber 2035728035)

[clavierissimo]

On December 24th, 1854 Joseph Joachim visited Schumann in Endenich and presented to him, among other things, a manuscript (now lost) of Brahms’ Balladen. Schumann was very taken with the pieces, writing on January 6th, 1855:

“how wonderful the first is, absolutely new; the doppio movimento, as in the second, is the only thing I don’t understand – will it not be too fast? The ending is beautiful – strange! The second how different, how varied, richly exciting the imagination; enchanted passages occur within it. The concluding bass Fk seems to introduce the third Ballade. How shall we describe it? Demonic – absolutely superb, and how increasingly mysterious it becomes after the pp of the Trio, which itself is completely transfigured; then the return to the main movement, and the conclusion. In the fourth Ballade, how beautiful that the strange opening melody note sways, to the end, between minor and major, and stays wistfully in the major.” 

On January 11th Brahms himself finally had the opportunity to perform the Ballades to Schumann in Endenich, at which time the ailing composer expressed “his enthusiasm through continuous exclamations”, as Clara Schumann informed Joachim the following day – surely passing on Brahms’s own report.

Source: Preface to the Henle Edition of op. 10

[clavierissimo]

[pianoclassicalmusic]

Gilels plays Rachmaninoff Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 in G minor.

This is one of my favorite Rachmaninoff’s prelude, and Gilel’s performance is the best interpretation that i found, in my opinion.

The prelude is structured in a ABA’ form, i love it because of the power of section A, marked as Alla marcia, it’s like a russian march, very strong, almost obsessive, and in contrast, section B is a beautiful lyrical passage.  

Emil Gilels played this prelude at a front in World War II, in support for the Soviet military forces fighting in the war. The narrator says (in Russian): "Gilels is playing at the front, to remind us what the war is worth fighting for: Immortal music!" (via Wikipedia)

I’m studying this prelude. I have a lot of work ahead...

[clavierissimo]

A rare 1945 film of piano lessons with Heinrich Neuhaus and Alexander Goldenweiser.

[clavierissimo]

Gilels & Rachmaninov with their dogs

[wecappiam]

New Post has been published on Beethoven

New Post has been published on http://beethoven.information-about-music.com/beethoven-piano-sonata-21-23-26-gilels-w-germany-f35g-502348/

BEETHOVEN PIANO SONATA 21 23 26 GILELS W.GERMANY F35G 502348

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COVER ART Barenboim, Beethoven Concerto #3, Vienna (1970, Westminster WGS-8112)

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