The Sokolov experience

There are prodigious virtuosos of the piano. There are soloists who touch us. And then, there is… Sokolov: charismatic, colossal, magnetic. Growing up at the keyboard, the Russian Grigory Sokolov amazed the jury of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1966 when he won First Prize at the age of 16. The first in his favour, as President of that jury was none other than another legendary of the Russian school: Emil Gilels.

Sokolov only interprets music he loves, always on the stage and rarely in a recording studio. He usually does not announce his programmes much in advance to the theatres or concert halls that contract him. As a result, more often than not, concert goers buy their tickets as adventurers travelling to an unknown destination, so that the musical expectations of his recitals take on a sort of mystical nature. Apart from his powerful technical precision, Sokolov extracts a spiritual dimension and unprecedented XXX in his recitals which he performs with extraordinary devotion, the duration extending to a generous six encores. His keyboard touch, which is more than soberly perfect, vibrates in a surprisingly organic or cellular manner. Yet this is never so muscular so as not to perceive the steady stream of notes and intervals of silence which hides behind them.

The Russian’s “sacerdotal” devotion to music, his refusal to spend time in recording studios and a rejection of interviews -in the documentary (Nadezhda Zhdanova) with the illustrative title: Sokolov: A conversation that never was, the protagonist never appears on camera- have made him an unique figure.

The most sought-after pianist on stage returns to Sevilla. Although you may have seen him perform before, you also know that one recital by Grigory Sokolov is never the same as another. The generous round of encores, alone, almost constitute an extra and unpredictable concert. Few musicians share such a love and passion for music on the stage. Let yourself succumb to this experience.