Peter Katin 1930-2015

[french frank]

A great and in recent years, a woefully neglected pianist.

Possibly one whose delicate light was obliterated by the later generation ... Not only modest, but generous to others in his profession - another quality not always found.

[Ferretfancy]

I listened yesterday to some of his Grieg recital recorded in Norway, including Solveig's song. As near to perfection as you could wish.

Many of us would have got to know the two Mendelssohn concertos from his Decca recording. It still stands up well, and his set of the Rachmaninov Preludes is superb.

He and Solomon could just let the music speak.

[Barbirollians]

Possibly one whose delicate light was obliterated by the later generation ... Not only modest, but generous to others in his profession - another quality not always found.

Indeed , as his request to find out about those Hanssler Classics Ida H recordings showed . I recall many moons ago him writing a letter to one of the classical music magazines in the 1980s about having a horrible car journey and stopping at a motorway service station to have his mood completely changed by discovering the Decca Ovation cassette of Clifford Curzon playing Mozart concertos and being amazed where one could pick up recordings of great music making .

[gradus]

I think FF puts it well. RIP.

[subcontrabass]

There is a further obituary here: http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituar...nist-1-3729030

[french frank]

S/h CD of Vol I of his Mzt piano sonatas arrived this morning. Not only some of my favourite pieces - I hadn't noticed that it included the C minor Fantasie K 475, for which I have a particular fondness. 77 minutes of riveting technical clarity and poetic sensitivity. (And with his own notes on the pieces). Sheer joy. Thank you, Peter

[Barbirollians]

Picked up his Tchaikovsky 1 on CfP for a song - a lovely direct and musical account . No wonder so many people have such fond memories of it .

[Conchis]

Farewell to a forum member:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/29/peter-katin

[french frank]

That adds a bit more to the picture.

[Barbirollians]

Sad that one is so often prompted to explore an artist's work by their death .

I have taken delivery of his Rachmaninov preludes today and they are enchanting .

His playing seems to have much in common with a similarly sensitive excellent pianist from a slightly earlier generation in Moura Lympany .

[Roslynmuse]

I have just been listening to Peter Katin's Unicorn recordings of the Chopin Nocturnes - as far as I am aware never issued on CD - really beautiful playing, gentle, controlled, expressive without fussiness or excess. There are other pianists who perhaps accentuate the darker side of these pieces more, but for me this afternoon this was just right.

[Gordon]

I have just been listening to Peter Katin's Unicorn recordings of the Chopin Nocturnes - as far as I am aware never issued on CD - really beautiful playing, gentle, controlled, expressive without fussiness or excess. There are other pianists who perhaps accentuate the darker side of these pieces more, but for me this afternoon this was just right.

What a co-incidence, I have just been listening to a Decca stereo LP [an ECS but real stereo, re-pressed SXL] made complete in mid July 1958 at Kingsway. Mixed programme of Bach, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Rachmaninov and Scarlatti. Beautifully played in each case and a decent Wilkinson recording. I have not found a CD issue for this either, hoping that Oz Decca would do an Eloquence on it.

I don't have all these pieces and the only selection of Nocturnes is by Ashkenazy and I would not say they seek out the dark side. Katin recorded for many labels over a long period and had a wide repertoire. It is possible that he recorded these Chopin pieces more than once, eg Olympia. There is a CD from Pickwick of all the Nocturnes in 2 volumes released in 2011 [see also Amazon] and its artwork suggests it's a re-release from much earlier [looks 60s ish] but I could be wrong. Do we know if the Unicorn discs are licensed recordings from someone else?

http://www.pickwickgroup.com/catalogue/details/782192

As to finding a dark interpretation similar to it the field is so wide!!

[french frank]

What a co-incidence,

And what a coincidence - I'm just listening to one of his Mzt sonata CDs (K330 atm).

[Barbirollians]

Snapped up cheaply a copy on Eloquence of his Rachmaninov 1 and 2 from the late 1950s .

Lovely performances plenty of virtuosity if not barnstorming but they do not sound at all underpowered .