Between the ages of 18 and 24, he suffered severe pain from injuries caused by a skating accident. During this period he spent much of his time listening to recordings of other pianists.
He was a prominent classical pianist who made many recordings but relatively few concert appearances. He was especially noted for his interpretations of Chopin.
He studied piano in Prague, and attended master classes in Italy given by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. A concert with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra in 1964 brought him to international attention.