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Peter Katin concert pianist
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| BIOGRAPHY |
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1998 marked the 50th anniversary of PETER KATIN's London début. Born in London, his musical talent was evident at the age of four, and he was admitted to the senior department of the Royal Academy of Music when he was twelve, four years before the official age of entry. The success of his Wigmore Hall début in 1948 started him on a career that has taken him throughout the world (he was the first British artist to give a post-war solo tour of the then USSR), and in those earlier years he was greatly influenced by his meetings with Clifford Curzon, Claudio Arrau and Myra Hess, who gave him much advice for which he has always been deeply grateful. His early successes seemed centred round the classical composers; he was greatly in demand for Mozart concerto performances in particular and he also developed a rare talent for chamber music. However, a performance of Rachmaninov's D minor Concerto in 1953 changed his image almost overnight, and hailed as a virtuoso of the first order he was constantly in demand for the most taxing of romantic concertos until the late sixties, but by that time he decided that he needed to make a more in-depth study of the composers who had almost escaped him when he was immersed in the big major works. The first composer in this specialised study was Chopin, and since that time he has become regarded as one of the finest interpreters of this composer's music. He was sufficiently encouraged to make similar studies of Schubert, Schumann, Debussy and Liszt, and as a result has given a number of one-composer recitals. His repertoire now is very flexible and he is happy about performing concertos by Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms in one week, while keeping a very wide variety of styles in his recital programmes. His constant encouragement of the preserving of individuality in young artists has been one factor in the conferral during 1994 of an Honorary Doctorate by De Montfort University, and as a teacher, he has had highly successful years at the Royal Academy of Music, The University of Western Ontario, the Royal College of Music and Thames Valley University. He has now almost forty recordings, more than at any other time in his career, which have been received with critical superlatives. These include the complete Mozart Sonatas, Chopin Nocturnes and Impromptus, Grieg Lyric Pieces, Chopin Waltzes and Polonaises and the Rachmaninov Preludes. A live performance of a recital including the Liszt Sonata was released to a rave review in Classic CD. His interest in period pianos has resulted in three such recordings, as well as an all-Chopin programme on his own Collard & Collard 1836, and another on a Broadwood grand that was used by Chopin on the occasion of his last visit to London. He also formed a Trio which gave him three years of chamber music which eluded him during the "virtuoso" years, and he has rekindled his interest in Lieder. His outside interests include the theatre, literature and writing; he has been a keen photographer since childhood, and he is an ardent record collector. He writes his own programme and CD booklet notes, is the author of several articles, and is in the process of writing his autobiography. Peter gave an anniversary recital at Wigmore Hall on 13 December 1998, exactly fifty years from the date of his début, celebrated his seventieth birthday in November 2000, and his seventy-fifth birthday in 2005. |
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| NEWS | |
| NEW TEACHING PROJECT | |
| Peter Katin has developed a teaching project for advanced young pianists setting out on their careers. The idea is to address specific technical and interpretative problems as well as advising on repertoire and other aspects of making a start in the music profession. Participating students attend monthly for a course of six months, the length of each session depending on how much detailed work is needed, rather than on an hourly basis. | |
| For more information, please use the contacts shown on this website. | |
| ON-GOING RECITALS | |
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Recently moved from London to the Sussex countryside, Peter Katin is as much in demand as ever as a recitalist. He enjoys particularly successful appearances in Rome, where he has had a rapturous reception annually for the past five years. |
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At the same time, he is able to perform more locally appearing at a number of festivals and also to lend his artistry in support of charitable projects. CHERNOBYL PROJECT Peter gave a highly successful recital in Amsterdam on 30 April as part of the New Masters on Tour series. This was of particular importance as it was linked to the International Holland Music Sessions and the recently-formed International Lipatti-Haskil Foundation. It was also part of his 75th birthday celebrations and just a little more than the 50th anniversary of his European début, the same month and the same hall (Concertgebouw Recital Hall). This is the review that appeared in Trouw. |
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Pianist
Peter Katin returns to the |
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| RECORDINGS | |
| Played
on a period square piano by Collard & Collard (c1836) Tracks: Variations Brilliantes, op.12, Mazurka in G minor, op.24 no.1, Mazurka in C major, op.24 no.2, Mazurka in A flat major, op.24 no.3, Mazurka in B flat minor, op.24 no.4 Mazurka in F minor, op.68 no.4, Rondo in C minor, op.1 Souvenir de Paganini, Nocturne in C sharp minor, Waltz in D flat major, op.64 no.1, Waltz in C sharp minor, op.64 no.2 Waltz in A flat major, op.64 no.3, Sonata in C minor, op.4 (3rd mvmt), Polonaise in G minor, KK IIa, no.1, Polonaise in B flat major, KK IVa, no.1, Polonaise in A flat major, KK Iva, no.2, Berceuse, op.57 Diversions DIV24116 |
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| These
works were recorded in Peter Katin’s own studio on an 1832 Clementi
square piano, restored by
Andrew
Lancaster. Tracks: Sonata in F sharp minor, Op.25 no 5 Sonata in B flat major, Op.24 no 2 Sonata in G minor, Op. 7 no 3 Sonata in D major, Op.25 no 6 Sonata in F minor, Op.13 no 6 Diversions DIV24113 |
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| One
of the Minerva “Outstanding Concert Performance” Series, this CD is
taken from a recital given at the University of Western Ontario, Canada,
in 1983
Liszt: Sonata
in B minor Athene-Minerva ATHCD9 23009 |
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| These
works are played on a Clementi square piano of 1832 and are therefore a
genuine reconstruction of the sort of sound heard in Schubert’s day.
The instrument was restored by
Andrew
Lancaster.
Drei Klavierstücke,
D. 946 Diversions DIV23007 |
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These works are played on a Clementi square piano of 1832 and are therefore a genuine reconstruction of the sort of sound heard in Schubert’s day. The instrument was restored by Andrew Lancaster. Four
Impromptus, D. 899 Diversions
CD24112 |
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| Bach:
Prelude & Fugue in B flat minor (from the “48” - book 1)
-recorded 1948 Mozart: Rondo in A minor - recorded 1968 Beethoven: Piano Sonata, op.27, no.2 (“moonlight”) - recorded 1976 Schubert: Impromptus in G flat and E flat, from D.899 - recorded late 1950s Debussy: Suite Bergamasque - recorded mid 1960s Chopin: Polonaise-Fantaisie,op.61 - recorded 1987 RP Music RP001 |
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| "Peter Katin
plays Chopin" Featuring performance from 1976 to 2006 Sonatina in B minor, Op.58 (Peter Katin's studio, 1976) Three Waltzes, Op.64 & Nocturne in D flat, Op.27 No.2 (Wigmore Hall, November 1993) Fantaisie in F minor, Op.49 (Queen Elizabeth Hall, January 1994) Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise, Op.22 & Waltz in A flat, Op.69 (St. Augustine's Church, Bexhill, October 2006 RP Music RP002 |
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| PRISTINE
AUDIO - available to buy and download from www.pristineaudiodirect.com |
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| Liszt Recital (1) - Dante Sonata, Two Polonaises, Six Consolations (His first recording from 1953. PAKM024) | |
| Liszt Recital (2) - Three Liebesträume, Three Hungarian Rhapsodies (PAKM025) | |
| Peter Katin's acclaimed recording for Olympia, of the complete Mozart Sonatas will be re-issued by Altara as a boxed set in March 2008, catalogue number ALT 1026. It is also hoped that his recent recording of four Haydn Sonatas will also be issued during the spring. | |
| Find Peter Katin's CDs at www.divine-art.com | |
| Buy Peter Katin's CDs online at www.tutti.co.uk | |
| Click here to view a complete list of CDs. | |
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| CONCERTS | |
| Peter Katin's next London recitals are as follows: | |
| 16 December | Chopin Society, St Gabriel's Church, London SW1V 2AD, Sunday 16 December at 3.30pm. Tickets: 020 8960 4027 |
| 24-26 December | Savill Court Hotel, Egham, TW20 0XN, as part of three recitals in Saga's musical break, 24-26 December. Please contact SAGA for further information on 0800 414444 |
| 14 February 2008 | Wigmore Hall, London W1H 0BP, Thursday 14 February 2008 at 7.30. Tickets: 020 7935 2141 www.wigmore-hall.org.uk |
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| CHERNOBYL PROJECT |
| Chernobyl Children’s Project
(UK) was launched in Manchester in 1995. The charity now includes around
30 groups in England, Scotland and Wales. Each summer it provides
recuperative holidays in the UK for about 400 children from Belarus. The
project also organises holidays in clean parts of Belarus for children
who cannot come to the UK. CCP (UK) delivers medical supplies and other humanitarian aid to Belarus. It supports a children’s hospice, trains orphanage staff to prepare children for fostering, and works with partners in Belarus to establish better care for children and young people with disabilities. Peter Katin has given no less than eleven recitals in aid of the charity, organised by Carol West, co-ordinator for the London SW group. His last recital in support of the Chernobyl Children’s Project was on 8 October 2006 at St Margaret’s Church in Rottingdean where he played to a packed audience and received a standing ovation; the next will be at St Peter's Church, Croydon CRO 1HG, on Saturday 1 March at 3.00pm. Tickets from 020 8654 9446. |
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| CONTACT |
| For Peter Katin's engagements and availability, please contact - |
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Arthur Boyd |