A piano maestro and an English maestro

Grigory Sokolov is among the world’s most esteemed pianists.

Now 74, he gave his first major recital at the age of 12 and was awarded the gold medal at the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition four years later; the youngest ever winner. Born in Saint Petersburg (then Leningrad), he now holds Spanish citizenship, it having been said that his early career was held back by relations with the former USSR.

His recordings have been of works by the best-known composers, e.g. Beethoven and Chopin. Brahms is another, and in Palma he will be performing works by the German composer. More unusually perhaps, the first half of the programme will be of works by the English Renaissance composer, William Byrd. Hugely influential in his time, Byrd is too often overlooked as one of the greats.