Jan Panenka (8 July 192212 July 1999) was a Czech pianist. He recorded many of Beethoven's works, and he played for many years with the Suk Trio.
Jan Panenka began his concert career in 1944, as a pupil of Frantià ¡ek Maxián at the Prague Conservatory. In 1951 he was awarded the 2nd prize at the Prague Spring International Music Competition. He attracted attention in 1959, on a concert tour to Australia and Japan with the Czech Philharmonic. Panenka interrupted his career in 1979, due to hand problems. He worked as a conductor, but later returned to the piano and made recordings with the Smetana Quartet. He worked also as a teacher at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.
As a soloist with the Czech Philharmonic he made also a number of gramophone recordings, including the complete piano concertos of Ludwig van Beethoven (1964âÂÂ71). He was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for the recording of violin sonatas by Leoà ¡ JanáÃÂek and Claude Debussy, with Josef Suk.
His recordings include works by:
He performed with the following musicians: