Gilels, Emil

Performer

Emil Gilels (October 19, 1916 – October 14, 1985) was a Soviet pianist. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century. His last name is sometimes transliterated as "Hilels". Gilels was born in Odessa, Russian Empire (now part of Ukraine) to a Jewish family with no direct musical background that nevertheless owned a piano. He began studying the piano at the age of five under Yakov Tkach, who was a student of the French pianists Raoul Pugno and Alexander Villoing. Thus, through Tkach, Gilels had a pedagogical genealogy stretching back to Frédéric Chopin, via Pugno, and to Muzio Clementi, via Villoing. Tkach was a stern disciplinarian who emphasized scales and studies. Gilels later credited this strict training for establishing the foundation of his technique. Gilels made his public debut at the age of 12 in June 1929 with a well-received program of Beethoven, Scarlatti, Chopin, andSchumann. In 1930, Gilels entered the Odessa Conservatory where he was coached by Berta Reingbald, whom Gilels credited as a formative influence. Also in Odessa Conservatory Gilels studied special harmony and polyphony with professor Mykola Vilinsky. [source from Wikipedia]

Work

• Piano Sonata No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 11
• Piano Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 14
• Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2 No. 3
• Piano Sonata in G minor, Op. 22
• Keyboard Sonata in G major, K. 125
• Keyboard Sonata in C major, K. 159
• Keyboard Sonata in E major, K. 380
• Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63
• Piano Trio No. 7 in B flat major, Op. 97 - Archduke
• Piano Trio No. 9 in E flat major, WoO 38
• Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 36 No. 2
• Piano Trio in D major, Op. 67 No. 2
• 12 Etudes for piano, L. 136
• 6 Transcendental Studies after Paganini, S. 140
• 8 Fantasy Pieces, Op. 12
• Islamey, Op. 18
• 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87
• Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
• Moments musicaux, Op. 16
• 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, S. 244
• Ballad No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
• Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15
• Spanish Love Songs, Op. 74
• Toccata in C major, Op. 7
• Songs without Words, Book 3, Op. 38