Gilels Plays Brahms Piano Concert No. 2

Gilels had immense physical power and impeccable control, but he was also capable of exquisitely refined poetry and had an acute perception of the lyrical impulse lying behind even the most assertive of Brahms's writing. The firmness of attack and the depth of sound that make his (and the Berlin Philharmonic's) playing so thrillingly dynamic can be offset by the most poignant of delicate gestures. There is undeniable grandeur to these readings, but with those additional qualities of wise thinking, generous expression and artistry of great subtlety, these performances are in a class of their own.

Johannes Brahms: Piano Concertos No. 1 and No. 2; Works for Piano Solo –
Stephen Kovacevich, piano; London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Colin Davis
Classical | 4 CDs | EAC Rip | 942 MB, 3% recovery | FLAC+LOG+Cue | Full scans | Fson & RS links
Publisher: Philips | Recorded: between 1968 - 1983 | Published: 2005

Let me say straight away that the performance is extremely fine; indeed, such is its eloquence that I put aside the score and notepad and just listened for pleasure the first time round. – On Concerto No. 1 – Gramophone
This new version of Piano Concerto no. 2 from Stephen Kovacevich and the LSO under Sir Cohn Davis must be numbered among the very finest of recent years… The performance combines poetic feeling and intellectual strength in no small measure, and it is one to which I am sure I will want to returnGramophone