Perfection!
Edward Park | Dallas, TX United States | 02/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I sought after this album because I am a huge fan of Emil Gilels. It is worth noting that Eugene Ormandy at this time took over one of the finest string sections in orchestral history from predecessor Leopold Stokowski. This is important in that the E minor concerto showcases the strings as much as it does the piano. The E minor concerto was played as expected; Gilels is a rare balance of technique and interpretation. At first I was disappointed that the CD did not have Gilels' playing the F minor concerto. I had never heard of the conductor Thomas Schippers before and was a little skeptical on how the performance would be. What I love about the Chopin concertos is how important the orchestra and piano interact with each other. Schipper exhibited masterful control over the orchestra and struck an amazing balance with Watt's performance. This was an inspiring performance of the concerto. Both recordings are historic, the first showcasing a legendary pianist coupled with one of the finest string sections of the 20th century. The next showcasing the short lived career of Thomas Schippers, who at one point in his life was considered one of the "100 most influential men in America." Both recordings were digitally remastered in pristine stereo sound with very little hiss and no scratches."
Ecstasy
Musicus | Oslo, Norway | 06/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What can I add? I even don't know the Watts/Schippers 2nd concerto, but the Gilels/Ormandy 1st alone is enough to carry my five stars. Ormandy had a rare ability to let his soloists be carried away with the music and around middle of the first movement Gilels reaches ecstasy! How perfectly boring the much praised Argerich/Dutoit sounds, compared to this performance!"
Gilels is amazing
Ray | USA | 08/29/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have heard it said that Gilels does not do Chopin correctly. I really couldn't disagree more. His phrasing and timing is excellent, and his fingering is so even that it's hard to believe how good he really was. He's also sensational on the Brahms concertos (another recording on DG). This review applies only to Chopin concerto #1. I don't like #2, don't listen to it, and can't comment on it. But the Gileles #1 is worth five stars by itself."