He is for me my number one interpreter of BEETHOVEN. He is my number one pianist beautiful technical quality, clarity and expression his music lingers even today.May his soul rest in peace, Amen.
I came across this video accidentally and I must say it was the best thing that happened to me today. Finally, I found THE interpretation of Waldstein. Such clarity! And the brilliance of Maestro Emil´s sound is just overwhelming! It seems to come from another dimension. I think Ludwig van must have been with him somehow during that recording sessions.
Everybody talks a lot about octaves glissando, or about the stretta...But, damn it, listen to 8:32 - 8:54... It's incredible how Gilels plays this part, it's like God and all the nature around are whispering to my hear that they love me, and that the world is beautiful, and such beauty is conveyed through the sweetness of the notes falling over my head like a delightful novembrine rain.I feel at ease with all the elements around me when I listen to that part, and to this 3rd movement in general.
The Teaching company DVD of Beethoven Sonata's got me hooked on the Waldstein. I then heard a BBC lecture by Andreas Schiff on the Waldstein. That was two years ago. Since then I have heard many interpretations and I am smitten. I like the Barenboim video because I see his hands while playing some of the most difficult passages; however for clarity of performance, this one stands out.
This sonata is really the start of the most glorious production of the magical and powerful genius of Beethoven though his deafness, in a true miracle of divinity
This guy is my hero! Classic Gilels power and the double octave glissandos are amazing! The recording has his signature sound. Such a privilege to hear!
Thank you for discovering the real Gilels to me. Never will know why but I had constantly mistaken him for a Horowitz-like clockwork machine. Whereas here I could discover intimate emotion instead of the phantom I had created for myself under this precious name Gilels. I was expecting a desert or dry cliffs and was happy to find a blossoming garden of emotive inspiration.
OMG that octave glissando.... its so perfectly done.... no stop point from 1st not to last. usually people pause a while at sol,, then glides it down to sol octave below.... but this.....
Sorry, but my English is too wrong to praise this monumental recording. Especially, this last movement is pianism par excellence period It is sheer impossibility to surpass this level of mastery. If someone claims there exists something that does surpass, I surely would like to hear it. A true virtuoso, and he was not circus man at the piano like some others. His habit of playing wrong notes is really insignificant, and more, to talk of his slow performance velocity as a bad thing is nonsense.
We can speak extensively and endlessly about the perfect mastery of dynamics, ideal tempi, incredible fluidity, etc of this wonderful recording. But what is at stake here is beyond mastery. It's a kind of perfect disappearance of the performer's ego to serve a pure musical intention. As if Beethoven was just here. One must not be only a genius to do this, but something like a compassional human being of the deepest happy few.
Sonata No.21 in C Major, OP.53 " Waldstein " : Beethoven composed this spaciously work in 1804, dedicated to Count Waldstein. Gilels absolutely perfect !
(cont'd) What a genius Beethoven has been. Nobody will ever write something like this sonata, which is a prophet that announces: "Perfection in music is possible. Here it is."
I think you should listen to a very hard stretta (between 6:25 and 7:00) in both interpretations. There is no possibility to play it better than Gilels (In My Opinion of course :)
I am currently studying this sonata (currently working on the first two movements with hope to learn the entire sonata as well). The clarity is flawless: every note is heard in this movement. This is one of my favorite Beethoven sonatas and I wish that this kind of music would be more appreciated these days compared to rap or hip-hop music. Those types of music do not completely fit my definition of music; they are called "noise" compared to this.
Wow! this interpretation is simply unique!!! I have heard so many..but I guess that now this is my favorite!! Thanks for posting these... does someone have a video of this??
There's a more kind of subtlety and pretty flow in Gilel's rendition of this compared to the other pianists including even kempff, though the latter does a splendid job as well.
Wow, ZioStronzo. Now THAT is a rave review...for a human being to write music that can create that kind of emotion with someone else is pretty amazing. Beethoven was certainly a genius. For me, I get that feeling around 6:40-6:50 and 4:35-4:48. Both very passionate passages. I like Gilels' interpretation...but I think I still prefer Arrau's. Although Gilels certainly does own the glissandi in this recording.
Beethoven's really outdone himself in this piece, I think. This is just extremely amazing. Every time I listen to it, I feel like something is exploding inside me. I must say, though, I somewhat prefer Argerich's interpretation. This one is very good too, though.
I have a video with Gilels playing this sonata and I will upload it soon ;] However, that is not the same recording (in my opinion slightly worse) but you will see and judge... ;]
Yes, it's true, it's very well performed and its reproduction by a man who is not Gilels is undoubtedly most unlikely to happen. What I meant is that there is not only Gilels here, here is Beethoven, maybe the greatest musical genius in our entire history, we shouldn't forget about it ;) That's all, I didn't mean to be critical towards other people at all :)
I don't understand why he speeds up the tempo in that way when the G trillo comes. On the sheet I have, there is just the crescendo, but there is no "più allegro", "accelerando" or "più mosso".
@joaofelixalves Well, everybody has personal preferences... I think Gilels is pretty good in Beethoven, but Arrau is apart... 'Arrau set the standard' as said Marta Argerich... even and above all in Waldstein!
@sercerch Yes, I meant that. "he hardly speeds up" doesn't exclude that he speeds up, even for 2-4 bars. Anyway, I like it! Not really "classical", but I don't like purists...
Alfred Brendel does better at the part here that starts at 1:13. Brendel's is more,staccato, and well, for lack of a better word, German. But, really, I can't decide who's opening I like better. This one might have to win out for the beggining. Brendel's wins at the techincally difficult parts, not for technique, but the stylistic approach.
dear jpianod, do not be so humble in the name of art and spiritual values, and be bold enough to affirm from onset that rap and the like do fall out of one's concept of music. Those pieces are instances of rhythmical, even melodical N-O-I-S-E.
Well dont curve your pinky too much. make it about 45* slant. then it depends on the piano, sometimes there are pianos which are not responsive to this technique,,,, some quite easy.
I really don't have anything against rap or pop music but not all kinds of music have the same value. Ok every kind of music is art acting but my singing in the bathroom is not equal with any pop or rap hit. And any pop or rap song will never be equal to a piece of Mozart or Beethoven or Bach.
Ok there's the problem of interpretation, but these notes that are so beautiful were written by the Maestro... Even if Gilels doesn't play EXACTLY like Beethoven intended, it must be close to what was the author's intent, just because he plays the score and the indications provided by Beethoven. And, after all, as Gadamer used to say, intepreting a piece of art is "renewing" its character through the sensations of the interpreter, and there should be nothing "bad" about it ;)
And I'm probably better than you[at the piano]. The point is I like both of them, and which one I like is an opinion. I prefer Brendel's to this one, except for the opening, which Gilels does with a considerable amount of color. I like the sound of the piano in this one better than Brendel's as well.
Видеоклипы
He is for me my number one interpreter of BEETHOVEN. He is my number one pianist beautiful technical quality, clarity and expression his music lingers even today.May his soul rest in peace, Amen.
Probably the best Beethoven piano music interpreter ever. Regret he passed away before recording the whole sonatas by Beethoven.
I came across this video accidentally and I must say it was the best thing that happened to me today. Finally, I found THE interpretation of Waldstein. Such clarity! And the brilliance of Maestro Emil´s sound is just overwhelming! It seems to come from another dimension. I think Ludwig van must have been with him somehow during that recording sessions.
Everybody talks a lot about octaves glissando, or about the stretta...But, damn it, listen to 8:32 - 8:54... It's incredible how Gilels plays this part, it's like God and all the nature around are whispering to my hear that they love me, and that the world is beautiful, and such beauty is conveyed through the sweetness of the notes falling over my head like a delightful novembrine rain.I feel at ease with all the elements around me when I listen to that part, and to this 3rd movement in general.
All these years later... THIS RUclips video made me fall in love with classical music, and want to take playing the piano seriously.
The Teaching company DVD of Beethoven Sonata's got me hooked on the Waldstein. I then heard a BBC lecture by Andreas Schiff on the Waldstein. That was two years ago. Since then I have heard many interpretations and I am smitten. I like the Barenboim video because I see his hands while playing some of the most difficult passages; however for clarity of performance, this one stands out.
This sonata is really the start of the most glorious production of the magical and powerful genius of Beethoven though his deafness, in a true miracle of divinity
Amazing! What a pianist, what an artist! I LOVE him
This guy is my hero! Classic Gilels power and the double octave glissandos are amazing! The recording has his signature sound. Such a privilege to hear!
Listen to the articulation of each and every note in the very difficult stretta of 6:25 to 7:00. Masterful!
The progression from 4:49 to about 5:07 is especially eerie and beautiful.
Amazing...incredible...gilels...
Thank you for discovering the real Gilels to me. Never will know why but I had constantly mistaken him for a Horowitz-like clockwork machine. Whereas here I could discover intimate emotion instead of the phantom I had created for myself under this precious name Gilels. I was expecting a desert or dry cliffs and was happy to find a blossoming garden of emotive inspiration.
OMG that octave glissando.... its so perfectly done.... no stop point from 1st not to last. usually people pause a while at sol,, then glides it down to sol octave below.... but this.....
@ jaaroosh Absolutely perfect playing. I agree with your appreciation. He´s an absolute superb interpreter.
Oh my God, I love this movement so much.
Sorry, but my English is too wrong to praise this monumental recording. Especially, this last movement is pianism par excellence period It is sheer impossibility to surpass this level of mastery. If someone claims there exists something that does surpass, I surely would like to hear it. A true virtuoso, and he was not circus man at the piano like some others. His habit of playing wrong notes is really insignificant, and more, to talk of his slow performance velocity as a bad thing is nonsense.
This must be the best thing I've heard!
Agree with: Gilels is really The Best.
Still the Best ♥Gilels♥
We can speak extensively and endlessly about the perfect mastery of dynamics, ideal tempi, incredible fluidity, etc of this wonderful recording. But what is at stake here is beyond mastery. It's a kind of perfect disappearance of the performer's ego to serve a pure musical intention. As if Beethoven was just here. One must not be only a genius to do this, but something like a compassional human being of the deepest happy few.
Sonata No.21 in C Major, OP.53 " Waldstein " : Beethoven composed this spaciously
work in 1804, dedicated to Count Waldstein.
Gilels absolutely perfect !
(cont'd)
What a genius Beethoven has been. Nobody will ever write something like this sonata, which is a prophet that announces:
"Perfection in music is possible. Here it is."
great tempo, marvellous gilels...
Adore Emil♥️♥️♥️Perfectly playing!!!
Magnificent!!
INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Profoundly soothing
Wonderful!
the right stuff all the way.......just greatness, what a player. Beethoven - thank you.
absolutely astonishingª
Great Pianist and great video !
I think Arrau in general is the best beethoven player but in this sonata Gilels really goes far beyond...
The Sound of happy laughter.
this is monumental playing.
because its totally selfness.
Gilels is the Beethoven!
It’s up to Beethoven to say that! But Gilels is an extraordinary interpreter of his music!
I think you should listen to a very hard stretta (between 6:25 and 7:00) in both interpretations. There is no possibility to play it better than Gilels (In My Opinion of course :)
I am currently studying this sonata (currently working on the first two movements with hope to learn the entire sonata as well). The clarity is flawless: every note is heard in this movement. This is one of my favorite Beethoven sonatas and I wish that this kind of music would be more appreciated these days compared to rap or hip-hop music. Those types of music do not completely fit my definition of music; they are called "noise" compared to this.
Tremendous
best Beethovan player;;;;hand down!!!
Wow! this interpretation is simply unique!!!
I have heard so many..but I guess that now this is my favorite!! Thanks for posting these...
does someone have a video of this??
thanks :)
Anche per me questa è la migliore Walstein in assoluto
There's a more kind of subtlety and pretty flow in Gilel's rendition of this compared to the other pianists including even kempff, though the latter does a splendid job as well.
Wow, ZioStronzo. Now THAT is a rave review...for a human being to write music that can create that kind of emotion with someone else is pretty amazing. Beethoven was certainly a genius.
For me, I get that feeling around 6:40-6:50 and 4:35-4:48. Both very passionate passages. I like Gilels' interpretation...but I think I still prefer Arrau's. Although Gilels certainly does own the glissandi in this recording.
my favorite part comes at 4:49
i like the part from 1.00 to 1.13, it's nice!
doesn't anyone have a videclip by gilels and this sonata? iv'e heard so much about it..
His tone is like bells ringing.
@jaaroosh Totally agree, Gilels interpretation/technique is unsurpassed
Beethoven's really outdone himself in this piece, I think. This is just extremely amazing. Every time I listen to it, I feel like something is exploding inside me.
I must say, though, I somewhat prefer Argerich's interpretation. This one is very good too, though.
yes, it has. 8:18
stretto (or stretta) is simply a temporary accelerando or hastening forward - just like in some parts of this sonata
happy valentine's day
anyone know what "stretta" is? i hear a lot about this term...
I have a video with Gilels playing this sonata and I will upload it soon ;] However, that is not the same recording (in my opinion slightly worse) but you will see and judge... ;]
Yes, it's true, it's very well performed and its reproduction by a man who is not Gilels is undoubtedly most unlikely to happen.
What I meant is that there is not only Gilels here, here is Beethoven, maybe the greatest musical genius in our entire history, we shouldn't forget about it ;)
That's all, I didn't mean to be critical towards other people at all :)
Thank you for your insight. I see what you mean. It is just my opinion and I did not mean to offend people who appreciate rap music.
Foda truta. Seus frufru
@mindwa I don't know for sure here, but most pianists don't do it glissando. This sounded fingered to me.
That may also be the piano's tone but I agree.
i was told this piece has octave glissando. does it?
a bit too fast for me - although in terms of clarity gilels beats kempff s waldstein ... flawless technique - gilels was a genius
I think Arrau in general is the best beethoven player but in this sonata gilels really goes far beyond..
Als Interpreten der Waldstein-Sonate bis heute unübertroffen und ewig unübertrefflich: Wilhelm Backhaus und Emil Gilels.
@joaofelixalves Arrau was REALLY old when he played this wasn't he? Like it was his 80th birthday or something...
Real glissando at 8:18.
I don't understand why he speeds up the tempo in that way when the G trillo comes.
On the sheet I have, there is just the crescendo, but there is no "più allegro", "accelerando" or "più mosso".
Beethoven maybe wouldn't. But I did.
@joaofelixalves Well, everybody has personal preferences... I think Gilels is pretty good in Beethoven, but Arrau is apart... 'Arrau set the standard' as said Marta Argerich... even and above all in Waldstein!
5 deaf people dislike this video - let us be kind to the physically challenged ;-)
penso ke questa sia la perfezione.........mi sento male!!!!!!!
@sercerch Yes, I meant that. "he hardly speeds up" doesn't exclude that he speeds up, even for 2-4 bars. Anyway, I like it! Not really "classical", but I don't like purists...
Alfred Brendel does better at the part here that starts at 1:13.
Brendel's is more,staccato, and well, for lack of a better word, German.
But, really, I can't decide who's opening I like better. This one might have to win out for the beggining. Brendel's wins at the techincally difficult parts, not for technique, but the stylistic approach.
Beethoven wouldn't wet his pants. He might turn up his nose at this interpretation just because, well, he's Beethoven the tyrannical composer.
dear jpianod, do not be so humble in the name of art and spiritual values, and be bold enough to affirm from onset that rap and the like do fall out of one's concept of music. Those pieces are instances of rhythmical, even melodical N-O-I-S-E.
Well dont curve your pinky too much. make it about 45* slant. then it depends on the piano, sometimes there are pianos which are not responsive to this technique,,,, some quite easy.
I really don't have anything against rap or pop music but not all kinds of music have the same value. Ok every kind of music is art acting but my singing in the bathroom is not equal with any pop or rap hit. And any pop or rap song will never be equal to a piece of Mozart or Beethoven or Bach.
Ok there's the problem of interpretation, but these notes that are so beautiful were written by the Maestro... Even if Gilels doesn't play EXACTLY like Beethoven intended, it must be close to what was the author's intent, just because he plays the score and the indications provided by Beethoven.
And, after all, as Gadamer used to say, intepreting a piece of art is "renewing" its character through the sensations of the interpreter, and there should be nothing "bad" about it ;)
And I'm probably better than you[at the piano].
The point is I like both of them, and which one I like is an opinion.
I prefer Brendel's to this one, except for the opening, which Gilels does with a considerable amount of color.
I like the sound of the piano in this one better than Brendel's as well.
glissando my ass, you read it on wikipedia...
Pedal & Echo
I still prefer Schnabel's interpretation.
Beethoven was deaf...
Alamos04 yeah. So?
i'm sure they're both better than U
Peerless. That's the way it's meant to be played.
very, very, very well! But Pollini and especially Wilhelm Backhaus much better.