Peter Katin
Although his early career seemed centered on Mozart and Beethoven, pianist Peter Katin became known as a great interpreter of Romantic keyboard literature, which he played with a serene warmth and big tone. He started playing when he was four years old. He had been studying privately with Harold Craxton before he was granted early admission to study with Craxton at the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 12, rather than the normal age of 16. He also credits Clifford Curzon, Claudio Arrau, and Myra Hess as being great influences in his musical life: "...I learned more in three long afternoons than I ever learned anywhere else." He gave his debut recital, a program that ranged from Scarlatti to Scriabin, at Wigmore Hall in 1948. His first concerto performance was Beethoven's Concerto No. 4 with the London Symphony in 1951. Enthusiastic critical response led to many more orchestral engagements, most featuring Romantic concertos, beginning with the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 for his first appearance at the Proms in 1952 and Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 3 for his second the next year. Christopher Seaman, Paavo Berglund, George Cleve, and Owain Arwel Hughes are just a few of the conductors he worked with in his career. In the late '60s, Katin undertook more comprehensive study of certain composers, such as Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Liszt, and Grieg, often presenting recitals comprising a single composer's works. His diligent study also led to his writing his own program notes and recording performances on historical instruments, such as one Chopin used on his last visit to London. Most of his recordings are of the solo piano works of those composers he studied. His career as a soloist gave him few opportunities to perform with others, although in the 1970s he did accompany Victoria de Los Angeles in three recitals, and he did form a piano trio in 1997. He taught privately in addition to holding positions at the Royal Academy of Music (1956-1959), the University of Western Ontario (1978-1984), and the Royal Conservatory of Music since 1992. His students included Gordon Fergus-Thompson, Howard Shelley, and Philip Fowke. In 1998 he was able to relive his debut recital, 50 years later to the day, at Wigmore with a very simliar program.
© TiVo
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Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 1; Tchaikovsky: Concert Fantasy (Adrian Boult – The Decca Legacy III, Vol. 9)
Peter Katin, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Classical - Released by Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. on 1/01/1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3
Alicia de Larrocha, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn, Peter Katin, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1/01/1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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20 Classical Masterpieces
Peter Katin, London Symphony Orchestra, David Cripps
Classical - Released by Pickwick on 1/01/1978
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin & Schubert: Sonata No. 3, Three Waltzes, Impromptus Op. 90 - Op. 142
Classical - Released by ArnebAudio on 25/10/2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Piano Pieces
Classical - Released by SOMM Recordings on 1/02/2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Waltzes
Classical - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1/01/1972
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Khatchaturian: Piano Concerto in D-Flat Major
London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Katin
Classical - Released by Everest Records on 1/08/1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 of Mendelssohn
Peter Katin, Bruno Walter, New York Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Anthony Collins
Classical - Released by OperaPrima-Carillon on 23/04/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peter Katin in Recital
Classical - Released by Athene on 1/04/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert, F.: 3 Klavierstucke / 12 Valses Nobles / 6 Moments musicaux
Classical - Released by Athene on 1/04/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Piano Concerto - Franck: Variations Symphoniques
London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Katin
Classical - Released by Everest Records on 9/07/1965
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: Nocturnes
Classical - Released by Editions Audiovisuel Beulah on 15/11/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Concerto pour piano, Op. 54 - Franck: Variations symphoniques (Mono Version)
Peter Katin, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Eugene Goossens
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on 1/01/1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn Piano Concertos 1 and 2 played by Peter Katin
London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Antony Collins, Bruno Walter, Peter Katin
Classical - Released by Archipel on 5/01/2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schumann: Piano Concerto & Franck: Variations Symphoniques (Transferred from the Original Everest Records Master Tapes)
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Eugene Goossens, Peter Katin
Classical - Released by Everest on 6/10/2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: Piano works
Classical - Released by Diversions on 1/04/2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin, F.: First and Last
Classical - Released by Diversions on 4/04/2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Peter Katin Plays Mendelssohn and Rachmaninov Concertos
Classical - Released by Editions Audiovisuel Beulah on 7/08/2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninov & Litolff: Piano Concertos No. 1 & 2 - Concerto Symphonique No. 4
Peter Katin, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Colin Davis, London Philharmonic Orchestra, The New Symphony Orchestra of London
Classical - Released by Infinity on 23/09/2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo