Grigory Sokolov

There is something elusive, almost sacred about Grigory Sokolov’s performances. It is not without reason that he is sometimes described as God at the keyboard - although the pianist himself would be a sight more modest on the subject. His sublime technique and pared-down directness make every concert a special experience. The fact that he did not release any recordings for years, and that you had to experience his engaging playing live, certainly helped with his legendary status. But despite the fact that Sokolov signed with Deutsche Grammophon several years ago and you can now also hear him at work in the comfort of your own living room, we cannot emphasise enough how essential it is to see him live, bent over the keyboard. What he will be plucking from his immense repertoire list - from the Renaissance of William Byrd to 20th-cenutry composers such as Stravinsky and Prokofjev - he’s still keeping a secret for now. But with Sokolov at the keyboard, the score on the music stand makes little difference.