Gilels, Szell: Beethoven – The Five Piano Concertos (SACD ISO)

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Emil Gilels
Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra
Conductor: George Szell
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 3
Format: DSD64 (iso)
Label: Warner
Size: 7.1 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
Piano Concerto No.1 in C Op.15
01. I. Allegro con brio
02. II. Largo
03. III. Rondo (Allegro scherzando)

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat Op. 19
04. I. Allegro moderato
05. II. Adagio
06. III. Rondo (molto allegro)

Disc: 2
Piano Concerto No.3 in C Minor Op.37
01. Allegro con brio
02. Largo
03. Rondo (Allegro – Presto)

Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
04. I. Allegro moderato
05. II. Andante con moto
06. III. Rondo (Vivace)

Disc: 3
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73, “Emperor”
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Adagio un poco mosso
03. III. Rondo (Allegro)

“Emil Gilels stands out as giant among giants,” wrote Gramophone when the Odessa-born pianist died in 1985. “In terms of virtuosity he was second to none, yet his leonine power was tempered by a delicacy and poetry that few have matched and none has surpassed.” Beethoven was at the heart of Gilels’ repertoire and in 1968 he recorded this complete cycle of the composer’s piano concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra and its long-standing maestro, another musical titan of the era, George Szell.