Brahms - Emil Gilels, Ballade No. 2 in D major

(Moscow, 27 december 1977) Emil Grigoryevich Gilels (Ukrainian: Емі́ль Григо́рович Гі́лельс, Russian: Эми́ль Григо́рьевич Ги́лельс, Emi’li Grego’rievič Gi’lelis; October 19, 1916 October 14, 1985) was a Soviet pianist, widely considered to be one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. His last name is sometimes transliterated Hilels. Gilels was born in Odessa (now part of Ukraine). He began studying the piano at the age of five[3] under Yakov Tkach, who was a student of the French pianists Rao