Emil Gilels played a sonata by Scarlatti at his first public concert in 1929 and included them in his tours to the West in the 1950s. These recordings present a splendid group of the composer’s widely contrasting moods.

Gilels was a true virtuoso in the Lisztian tradition, combining musical integrity with rarely equalled technique. The Fantasia was one of the works with which he won the First Soviet All-Union Competition in 1933, while his recordings of the Hungarian Rhapsodies and three works by Chopin are full of character and personality.

A recently discovered notebook in which Gilels logged some of his recording sessions has made the dating of these recordings more accurate in this edition.

Volumes one and two of this series (8.111350 and 8.112051) have been warmly received, with compliments as being “excellently transferred [and] well curated” (MusicWeb International). These are, of course, largely known recordings, but with our specialist mastering, the new discovery of Gilels’ own notebook to help with the dating of many “takes” and an alternative version of Chopin’s Ballade Op.23, this new release will be an instantly attractive and highly rewarding purchase for numerous collectors.