Cyprien Katsaris: The Sony Recordings

Cyprien Katsaris (piano)

Another exceptional, but utterly contrasting keyboard artist is the French virtuoso Cyprien Katsaris. The authoritative Piano magazine has called him “one of the greatest and most charismatic musicians of his time”. This new 7-CD release of Katsaris’s Sony Classical recordings from the early 1990s ranges from Bach concertos and Beethoven variations to transcriptions of Wagner and Mozart operas, played “with such graceful fluency, it’s easy to take his skill for granted” (BBC Music Magazine). But the main focus is on Chopin: “thrilling” Polonaises (Penguin Guide), “challenging and thought-provoking readings” (Penguin Guide) of all three Sonatas, and performances of the complete Préludes that “benefit from this pianist’s sharp attention to detail and character” (ClassicsToday).

Price: $26.98