by James Leonard The Genius of Pogorelich. The Genius of Pogorelich? The Genius of Pogorelich! Isn't the appellation "genius" just a bit over the top? After all, how many piano players -- how many musicians, for that matter -- truly deserve the description "genius?" Darned few because darned few have the combination of supernatural technical ability, supreme interpretive insight, and that indefinable, ineffable quality of inspiration that transcends brilliance and enters the exalted realm of genius. But whatever that ineffable quality is, Ivo Pogorelich has it -- and has it in spades. Sure, as this two-disc collection demonstrates, he has supernatural technical ability -- listen to him tear through Chopin's fiendishly difficult C sharp minor Scherzo or soar through Schumann's agonizingly difficult C major Toccata or roar through Ravel's excruciatingly difficult Gaspard de la nuit -- and sure, he has the supreme interpretive insight -- listen to him control the extravagant lyricism of Chopin's achingly beautiful F minor Piano Concerto or command the enormous structure of Tchaikovsky's gargantuan B flat minor Piano Concerto -- but there have been plenty of pianists in the past who've done the same things. But very, very few have ever done what Pogorelich does: that is, transform the music through the power of inspiration into something above and beyond what even the most talented pianists can do -- listen to his breathtakingly luminous colors in Chopin's sensual E flat major Nocturne, listen to his awesomely deliberate tempos in Brahms' soulful A major Intermezzo, listen to his insouciantly coy rhythms in Scarlatti's playful E major Sonata. Although Deutsche Grammophon's early digital sound isn't always as warm and deep as it ought to be, this disc deserves to be heard by anyone who loves great piano playing, great music, or great art.