Grigory Sokolov is the kind of artist to whom the description "one of the greatest living pianists" is often applied. Such rankings do nothing but stir up controversy of limited utility, but they do make one ask what is so special about the artists involved. This release gives an idea of what's happening in Sokolov's case. He combines, as few other artists do, tremendous technical facility, expressed more in articulation than in speed although he is capable of that too, great beauty of tone, and deep musical insight. It is ...
Read More
Grigory Sokolov is the kind of artist to whom the description "one of the greatest living pianists" is often applied. Such rankings do nothing but stir up controversy of limited utility, but they do make one ask what is so special about the artists involved. This release gives an idea of what's happening in Sokolov's case. He combines, as few other artists do, tremendous technical facility, expressed more in articulation than in speed although he is capable of that too, great beauty of tone, and deep musical insight. It is the left hand that often compels here, bringing out so much previously unheard detail that one has the feeling of entering into the composer's mind. This album was assembled from various 2019 recitals that took place in different venues but shared a common program; there's plenty of crowd noise, but each performance can be justified in terms of its especially poetic quality. Sokolov does especially well with Beethoven here. The Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2, No. 3, has a...
Read Less
