Album

After any major war, civilization changes. And that includes music. Think of the difference between the music of the pre-French Revolutionary War—Mozart—and of post-French Revolutionary War—Rossini—or the difference between the music of the pre-Great European War—Mahler—and of the post-Great European War—Stravinsky. And so it was before and after the Second World War: think of the pre-war pianists—Hoffmann, say, or Cortot—and the postwar pianists—Leon Fleisher in America or Julius Katchen in England. Out were less than polished technique and ruminative interpretations, and in were super-virtuoso technique and streamlined interpretations. Take for example this four-disc collection of Julius Katchen's recordings of Beethoven's piano concertos, Choral Fantasy, Diabelli Variations, and Opus 111 Piano Sonata. Katchen's technique is flawless, his tone is brilliant, his rhythms are clipped, his tempos are fast, and, compared with pre-war performances, inflexible. For some, Katchen's touch may be too staccato, his virtuosity may be too facile—as if such a thing were possible—and his interpretations may be too objective. For others, his lucidity and intensity may be just the thing to correct what might be characterized as the sloppy sentimentality of the pre-war era. But whichever side one takes, listening to these clear, warm, and only slightly faded Decca recordings taped in the '50s and '60s with Piero Gamba leading the London Symphony Orchestra will be a bracing, perhaps even exhilarating, experience.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Concerto No.1 in C, Op.15 Work Recorded 1965 37:45 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Allegro con brio	16:32			$2.99
2	2.Largo	12:21			$1.99
3	3.Rondo: Allegro scherzando	8:52			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Concerto No.2 in Bb, Op.19 Work Recorded 1963 27:55 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
4	1.Allegro con brio	12:50			$1.99
5	2.Adagio	9:30			$1.49
6	3.Rondo: Allegro molto	5:35			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Rondo in Bb for Piano and Orchestra, WoO6 Work Recorded 1958 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
7	Rondo in Bb for Piano and Orchestra, WoO6	9:09			$1.49
CD 2 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Concerto No.3 in C-, Op.37 Work Recorded 1958 36:55 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Allegro con brio	16:52			$2.99
2	2.Largo	11:14			$1.99
3	3.Rondo: Allegro	8:49			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Concerto No.5 in Eb, Op.73 ('Emperor') Work Recorded 1963 37:22 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
4	1.Allegro	19:34			$3.49
5	2.Adagio un poco mosso	8:06			$1.49
6	3.Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo	9:42			$1.49
CD 3 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Concerto No.4 in G, Op.58 Work Recorded 1963 31:40 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Allegro moderato	17:09			$2.99
2	2.Andante con moto	5:01			$0.99
3	3.Rondo: Vivace	9:30			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Choral Fantasy in C-, for piano, chorus, and orchestra, Op.80 Work Recorded 1965 Julius Katchen Piano, Piero Gamba Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir
4	Choral Fantasy in C-, for piano, chorus, and orchestra, Op.80	19:04			$3.49
CD 4 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer 33 Variations in C on a Waltz by Diabelli ('Diabelli Variations'), Op.120 Work Recorded 1953 46:23 Julius Katchen Piano
1	Theme: Vivace	0:50			$0.49
2	Variation 1: Alla marcia maestoso	1:16			$0.49
3	Variation 2: Poco allegro	0:44			$0.49
4	Variation 3: L'istesso tempo	1:12			$0.49
5	Variation 4: Un poco più vivace	1:03			$0.49
6	Variation 5: Allegro vivace	0:50			$0.49
7	Variation 6: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso	1:23			$0.49
8	Variation 7: Un poco più allegro	0:57			$0.49
9	Variation 8: Poco vivace	1:11			$0.49
10	Variation 9: Allegro pesante e risoluto	1:29			$0.49
11	Variation 10: Presto	0:33			$0.49
12	Variation 11: Allegretto	0:50			$0.49
13	Variation 12: Un poco più moto	0:46			$0.49
14	Variation 13: Vivace	0:51			$0.49
15	Variation 14: Grave e maestoso	4:35			$0.99
16	Variation 15: Presto scherzando	0:34			$0.49
17	Variation 16: Allegro	0:56			$0.49
18	Variation 17: L'istesso tempo	0:58			$0.49
19	Variation 18: Poco moderato	1:30			$0.49
20	Variation 19: Presto	0:42			$0.49
21	Variation 20: Andante	1:45			$0.49
22	Variation 21: Allegro con brio	1:11			$0.49
23	Variation 22: Allegro molto alla 'Notte e giorno faticar' di Mozart	0:46			$0.49
24	Variation 23: Allegro assai	0:50			$0.49
25	Variation 24: Fughetta	1:49			$0.49
26	Variation 25: Allegro	0:46			$0.49
27	Variation 26: Allegretto	0:46			$0.49
28	Variation 27: L'istesso tempo	0:54			$0.49
29	Variation 28: Allegro	0:47			$0.49
30	Variation 29: Adagio ma non troppo	1:08			$0.49
31	Variation 30: Andante, sempre cantabile	1:39			$0.49
32	Variation 31: Largo, molto espressivo	4:54			$0.99
33	Variation 32: Fuga	2:47			$0.99
34	Variation 33: Tempo di minuetto	3:11			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Polonaise in C, Op.89 Work Recorded 1968 Julius Katchen Piano
35	Polonaise in C, Op.89	5:04			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.32 in C-, Op.111 Work Recorded 1955 25:24 Julius Katchen Piano
36	1.Maestoso: Allegro con brio ed appassionato	8:41			$1.49
37	2.Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile (Theme and Variations)	16:43			$2.99