Comparison Recordings:
Liszt Concerti: Farnadi, Scherchen,
VSOO Westminster LP WL 5168
Liszt Concerti: Davis, Downes
RPO Decca 421 629-2
Liszt Funerailles: Horowitz RCA
Grieg Concerto: Rubenstein, Previn,
LSO LD
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition:
Richter Philips
Balakirev Islamey: Vladimir Feltsman
CBS LP
My admiration for Katchen
has been built upon his Brahms cycle
and romantic concerto recordings, one
of which, the Tchaikovsky Concerto
#1 with Pierino Gamba, always one
of my favourites, is regrettably not
included here. This anthology surely
demonstrates Katchen’s ability to play
about anything he chooses, but with
varying levels of success.
In the Liszt Concerti,
the sound is so clear that when the
triangle sounded my dog ran over to
bark at the telephone. The brass is
perhaps a little too sharp so I would
turn down the gain on the brass section
highlight microphone and while I’m at
it turn up the gain on the cymbals mic,
but quibbling aside these are exceptional
recordings, among the very finest these
works have received, played as well
but sounding better than the comparison
recordings noted above.
The Grieg Concerto
is as distinguished as the Liszt, a
dramatic, nay bravura, virtuoso performance.
There is brashness here and there, and
the sound is equally brilliant, in fact
one of the best sounding CDs I’ve ever
heard, and one of the most aggressive
performances of any concerto.
Some might think me
unfair to compare Katchen with the Richter,
whose Pictures is one of the
best recordings of anything ever done.
But Katchen is well within comparison
range. He doesn’t get quite so many
notes right but shows some interesting
tricks Richter didn’t think of. The
sound is unfortunately somewhat astringent,
but bearable, for an altogether worthwhile
musical experience.
The orchestra must
have kept him honest during the Liszt
Concertos because in the solo
Liszt pieces we see he doesn’t respect
this music. These are glib, lurching,
performances by someone who only wants
to throw out all the notes and get to
the end and doesn’t care how he does
it. Sometimes he sounds like he’s trying
to beat the piano’s repeat mechanism.
Neither does he respect the Balakirev,
but what’s there to respect? I used
to have the legendary Simon Barere recording
of this music, but gave it away some
time ago, as I never wanted to listen
to it again. This hash, this frantic,
clangorous pileup of notes is hardly
pleasant. I think you’ll not listen
to these tracks again after your first
curious run-through.
Paul Shoemaker
Julius Katchen, piano 
