Inner Ear – Inner Emigration I

The Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, the rising star of the piano world, combines relentless energy with boundless creativity – exactly what it takes to master the tidal waves of notes before him. Works like Beethoven’s Opus 109 break free from the constraints of the “traditional” sonata form, following that unmistakable “inner voice” that defines the composer’s late masterpieces and makes them profoundly visionary. Then, in early February, the moment finally arrived: In Los Angeles, he won his first Grammy for the monumental recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations, released by Deutsche Grammophon. “I’ve dreamed of recording this masterpiece for 25 years”, said the Icelandic pianist.