Grigory Sokolov

Sokolov was born in Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union{{cite web|url=http://www.kultiversum.de/Musik-Tourneen/Grigory-Sokolov-Philharmonie-Berlin-Bach-Schumann-Brahms-.html|title=Grigory Sokolov mit Bach, Brahms und Schumann in der Berliner Philharmonie.|access-date=2010-11-30}} to Jewish father Lipman Girshevich Sokolov and Russian mother Galina Nikolayevna Zelenetskaya. He began studying the piano at the age of five and entered the Leningrad Conservatory's special school for children at the age of seven to study with Leah Zelikhman.{{sfn|Deutsche Grammophon|2022}} After graduating from the children's school, he continued studying at the Conservatory with Moisey Khalfin.{{sfn|Morrison|2001}}{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/person/Grigory_Sokolov/95920.htm|title=GRIGORY SOKOLOV|website=NAXOS|access-date=27 September 2014}} At 12, he gave his first major recital in Moscow, in a concert of works by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Liszt, Debussy and Shostakovich at the Philharmonic Society.{{sfn|Zilberquit|1983|p=[https://archive.org/details/russiasgreatmode00mark/page/331/mode/2up 331]}} At age 16, he came to international attention when he was awarded the gold medal in the 1966 International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, making him the youngest ever winner.{{cite web|url=https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/grigory-sokolov-recital-2021|title=Grigory Sokolov in recital|website=Medici TV}}{{cite web|url=https://tch16.medici.tv/en/history-of-the-competition|title=Competition History|date=2019|website=Medici TV}} It seems this may have been a surprising result: "16-year old Grisha Sokolov, who finally became the winner of that competition, was not taken seriously by anyone at that time."Vladimir Krainev quoted in Russia's Great Modern Pianists, Mark Zilberquit 1983

{{quote box|width=30%|align=right|"He possesses brilliant finger and chord technique, he easily wields the piano, so easily that he performs the prestissimo of the last movement of the Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 2 with truly refined lightness. It was a startling performance. Doubtless we are going to hear much more about this young talented pianist..."{{sfn|Zilberquit|1983|p=[https://archive.org/details/russiasgreatmode00mark/page/322/mode/2up 323]}}}}

Despite his success at the Tchaikovsky Competition in his youth, Sokolov's international career only began to develop towards the end of the 1980s. It has been speculatedInternational Piano September/October 2006 that this was because of his not defecting and the limited travelling allowed under the Soviet regime, but this is refuted by the fact that Sokolov gave U.S. tours in 1969, 1971, 1975 and 1979,{{sfn|Zilberquit|1983|p=[https://archive.org/details/russiasgreatmode00mark/page/324/mode/2up 325]}} as well as numerous recitals elsewhere in the world, eg Finland and Japan. "Sokolov's life as a touring soloist is quite overcrowded. He tours a great deal in both his motherland and abroad."{{sfn|Zilberquit|1983|p=[https://archive.org/details/russiasgreatmode00mark/page/324/mode/2up 325]}}

The 1980s seem to have posed something of a stumbling block to Sokolov's career in the U.S. "In the beginning, I played a lot of single concerts in America, in 1969, '71 and, I think, 1975. After that there was a break in relationships between the U.S. and the Soviet Union — they were disconnected by the Afghanistan war. A scheduled tour in the U.S. was cancelled in 1980. Then all cultural agreements between the two countries were cancelled."Sokolov quoted in "Pianist left out by the Cold War. U.S.- Russian difficulties kept Grigory Sokolov a mystery to all but those in conservatories." Karen Schaefer, The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, 4 March 1996{{Cite web|date=2020-04-16|title=The life and recordings of legendary pianist Grigory Sokolov|url=https://www.abc.net.au/classic/programs/legends/legends/12152034|access-date=2021-10-31|website=ABC Classic|language=en-AU}} In addition, during the breakup of the former Soviet Union, Sokolov played no concerts outside Russia.

File:Grigory Sokolov.jpg

He is now a well-known figure in concert halls around Europe, but much less so in the U.S.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/arts/music/17grig.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%22Grigory%20Sokolov%22&st=cse|title=When Fame Can't Cross the Atlantic |author=Michael Kimmelman|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2008-04-17|access-date=2010-11-30}} Sokolov has released relatively few recordings to date, and released none for the 20 years between 1995 and 2015. But in 2014 he signed a contract with Deutsche Grammophon to release recordings of some of his live performances,{{cite news|title=Grigory Sokolov signs exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon|work=Gramophone|issue=December 2014}} and in 2015 he released a 2-CD live Salzburg recital featuring two sonatas by Mozart, Chopin's cycle of 24 Preludes, and encore pieces by Scriabin, Chopin, Rameau, Purcell and Bach.

In August 2022, he was granted Spanish nationality.

In March 2009, Sokolov cancelled a planned concert in London because of British visa requirements demanding that all non-E.U. workers provide fingerprints and eye prints with every visa application (he also cancelled his 2008 concert on seemingly similar grounds). Sokolov protested that such requirements had echoes of Soviet oppression.{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturecritics/ismenebrown/4939085/Grigory-Sokolovs-visa-woes.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310150355/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturecritics/ismenebrown/4939085/Grigory-Sokolovs-visa-woes.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=2009-03-10 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Grigory Sokolov's visa woes | first=Ismene | last=Brown | date=2009-03-04 | access-date=2010-05-04}}

After British music journalist Norman Lebrecht received the Cremona Music Award 2014, Sokolov, upon learning of his being awarded the Cremona Music Award 2015, refused to accept the honour, making this statement on his website: "According to my ideas about elementary decency, it is shame to be in the same award-winners list with Lebrecht."{{cite news | author=Martin Bernheimer | title=Grigory Sokolov refuses award because it has previously been won by Norman Lebrecht | url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/grigory-sokolov-refuses-award-previously-been-won-by-norman-lebrecht | work=Los Angeles Times | date=2015-09-28 | access-date=2017-09-13}} Sokolov's statement appeared to refer to personal remarks Lebrecht had made about Sokolov's family.{{cite web|url=http://orpheuscomplex.blogspot.com/2015/09/lebrecht-sokolovand-sokolovs-wife.html|title=Orpheus Complex: Lebrecht, Sokolov…and Sokolov's wife |date=30 September 2015 }}

Sokolov cited the following pianists as having inspired him in his years of studies:

"Of those whom I heard on the stage I'd like to name first of all Emil Gilels. Judging by the records, it was Rachmaninoff, Sofronitsky, Glenn Gould, Solomon [and] Lipatti. As to aesthetics, I feel most close to Anton Rubinstein."{{sfn|Zilberquit|1983|p=[https://archive.org/details/russiasgreatmode00mark/page/330/mode/2up 330]}}

In 2006, Sokolov explained his decision to give fewer concerto performances. Among the adverse factors he cited were inadequate rehearsal time and that one can rarely pair with a conductor whose approach fits his own. He also said that by repeating his solo programs in many venues over time, he deepens his interpretations, whereas a concerto performance starts over at the first rehearsal in each engagement.{{sfn|Duchen|2006|p=[https://www.jessicaduchen.co.uk/pdfs/other_pdfs/sokolov-oct06.pdf#page=3 17]}}

{{Expand section|date=February 2025}}

Sokolov originally published on the "Opus 111" label, later acquired by Naïve Records. Since 2015 he has been represented by Deutsche Grammophon.

• Chopin: 24 Préludes Op. 28 (1990, live)
• Beethoven: Diabelli Variations (1991)
• Prokofiev, Rachmaninov, Scriabin (1991)
• Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 4 & 28; 2 Rondos Op. 51; Alla Ingharese (1992)
• Chopin: Sonata No. 2 Op 35 "Marche Funebre"; 12 Études Op 25 (1993)
• Brahms: Vier Balladen; Sonata in F minor (1994)
• Schubert: Sonata in G major; Sonata in B flat major (1996)
• Chopin: France (1999)
• Chopin & George Sand (1999)
• Bach: The Art of Fugue (2000)
• Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Scriabin, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov (Opus 111/Naive, 5 CDs, 2003)
• Last CD also released separately

• Live in Paris (2004)
• Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms (5 CDs, 2005)
• Beethoven: Sonatas Nos. 4 & 28; Rondos (2005)
• Chopin: Préludes, Op. 28; Sonata No. 2, Op. 35; Études, Op. 25 (2009)
• Grigory Sokolov & Janusz Olejniczak play Chopin (2010)

• Bach: Goldberg Variations (2 CDs, 2012)
• Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns (4 CDs, 2013)
• Ludwig van Beethoven, Alexander Sciabin, Boris Arapov (2 CDs, 2014)
• Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Prokofiev (2 CDs, 2015)
• "Limited Edition": Bach: Partita No. 2 in C minor BWV 826; English Suite No. 2 in A minor, BWV 807 (2015, recorded 1982/1988)

• The Salzburg Recital (2015)
• Schubert & Beethoven (2016)
• Mozart, Rachmaninov: Concertos (released 2017, recorded 2005 and 1995)
• Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart (2020)
• Grigory Sokolov at Esterházy Palace (2022)
• Purcell & Mozart (2024)

• Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Denon, 2006, recorded 27 November 1977 in Munich)
• Beethoven: Sonata No. 29 "Hammerklavier" (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, 1993)

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/artists/grigory-sokolov/biography|title=Grigory Sokolov: Biography|date=March 2022|website=Deutsche Grammophon|ref={{harvid|Deutsche Grammophon|2022}}}}
• {{cite magazine|last=Duchen|first=Jessica|author-link=Jessica Duchen | title=Last of the Titans|year=2006|magazine=International Piano|pages=14–8|url=http://www.jessicaduchen.co.uk/pdfs/other_pdfs/sokolov-oct06.pdf}}
• {{cite Grove|last1=Morrison|first1=Bryce|title=Sokolov, Grigory|date=2001|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.41691|url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite book|last=Zilberquit|first=Mark|year=1983|title=Russia's Great Modern Pianists|publisher=Paganiniana Publications|isbn=978-0-876-66796-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/russiasgreatmode00mark/page/n3/mode/2up|url-access=registration}}

• [https://www.amcmusic.com/artists/grigory-sokolov/ Grigory Sokolov General Management]
• [https://www.grigory-sokolov.net Site dedicated to Grigory Sokolov]

{{Gramophone Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Portal bar|Classical music|Biography}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sokolov, Grigory}}

Category:Russian male classical pianists

Category:Deutsche Grammophon artists

Category:Jewish classical pianists

Category:1950 births

Category:Living people

Category:Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni

Category:Prize-winners of the International Tchaikovsky Competition

Category:20th-century Russian classical pianists

Category:21st-century Russian classical pianists