This double CD features both studio and concert recordings made in the 70s. This is the inaugural volume of the “Cyprien Katsaris Archives”, including among...

This double CD features both studio and concert recordings made in the 70s. This is the inaugural volume of the “Cyprien Katsaris Archives”, including among other 19th and 20th century masterpieces, two landmark concertos: Rachmaninov’s Third and Tchaikovsky’s First. These were recorded respectively with the Leipzig Grosses Rundfunkorchester conducted by Horst Neumann and the Orchestre Radio-Symphonique de Lille under Maurice Suzan. Cyprien Katsaris gives expression to his clear affinity with the Slav soul in three of Rachmaninov’s Preludes, a Scriabin Etude and Tchaikovsky’s Song of Autumn. Revel in the scathing humour of Rodion Shchedrine’s Humoresque and the soaring grace of Prokofiev’s Prelude op. 12, no. 7 before abandoning yourself to the giddy whirlwind of Cziffra’s unbelievable transcription of The Flight of the Bumble Bee by Rimsky-Korsakov. Here, as again in the Toccata op. 11 and Precipitato of Prokofiev’s 7th Sonata and the finale to Rachmaninov’s 3rd Piano Concerto, Cyprien Katsaris’ phenomenal virtuosity finds its highest expression. This issue displays the at once personal and audacious nature of his playing, the hallmark of a unique performer. Sometimes – as consistently throughput his career – taking politically incorrect decisions, Cyprien Katsaris remains as exciting a musician as ever.