Haydn, Piano Sonata in A flat major, Hob.XVI:46

Ivo Pogorelich was born in Belgrade on 20 October 1958. After his classical training at the Moscow Conservatory, he took master classes from Aliza Kezeradze, whom he married in 1980. In 1978 he won the Casagrande Competition in Italy and in 1980 the International Music Competition in Montreal. At the International Chopin Competition in 1980, his spectacular failure to win the first prize made him famous overnight. Martha Argerich, member of the jury, protested: "Pogorelich is a genius!" Since then, Pogorelich has been pursuing a brilliant international career. His often controversial and always stunning interpretations confirm the originality of his talent and intellect. The artist founded the "Ivo Pogorelich Festival" in Bad Wörishofen in 1989, an event dedicated to the promotion of young artists. In 1993 he launched the Ivo Pogorelich Piano Competition in California. Our program was recorded at the Castello Reale in Racconigi near Turin, one of the residences of the Italian royal family.