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Chopin: The Complete Preludes | 
 enlarge | Creators: Frederic Chopin, Cyprien Katsaris
Label: Sony
Category: Music
Buy New: $16.99
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 278141
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
UPC: 074645335520
EAN: 0074645335520
ASIN: B0000028YT
Release Date: June 1, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | No. 1 in C major: Agitato | | • | No. 2 in A minor: Lento | | • | No. 3 in G major: Vivace | | • | No. 4 in E minor: Largo | | • | No. 5 in D major: Allegro molto | | • | No. 6 in B minor: Lento assai | | • | No. 7 in A major: Andantino | | • | No. 8 in F sharp minor: Molto agitato | | • | No. 9 in E major: Largo | | • | No. 10 in C sharp minor: Allegro molto | | • | No. 11 in B major: Vivace | | • | No. 12 in G sharp minor: Presto | | • | No. 13 in F sharp major: Lento | | • | No. 14 in E flat minor: Allegro | | • | No. 15 in D flat major: Sostenuto | | • | No. 16 in B flat minor: Presto con fuoco | | • | No. 17 in A flat major: Allegretto | | • | No. 18 in F minor: Allegro molto | | • | No. 19 in E flat major: Vivace | | • | No. 20 in C minor: Largo | | • | No. 21 in B flat major: Cantabile | | • | No. 22 in G minor: Molto agitato | | • | No. 23 in F major: Moderato | | • | No. 24 in D minor: Allegro appassionato | | • | Allegretto & Mazur | | • | No. 1 in G major: Vivace / No. 2 in A major | | • | No. 1 in D major: Vivace / No. 2 in G major / No. 3 in D flat major | | • | No. 1 in G major / No. 2 in D flat major / No. 3 in D major | | • | Allegretto in F sharp major |
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| Customer Reviews:
 Virtuoso but no depth September 21, 2007
Scriabinmahler (Cambridge UK)
Katsaris made brilliant recordings of Complete Chopin sonatas and Polonaises also by Sony (sadly out of print), but this recording of Chopin Preludes is one of the worst of his entire discography. His playing has verve and virtuosity, but has no depth or subtlety required for playing these highly poetic pieces. It sounds more like Prokofiev than Chopin at time! Only 3 stars for his quick fingers.
 Sheer pianism! July 18, 2007
Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela)
Among the reduced list of talented pianists around the world, the figure of Cyprien Katsaris always generates extreme interest. These set of Preludes Op. 28 finds him in plian domain of musical powers, sheer comittment and absolute lyricism.
His astonishing technique is just a part of his monumental vision. You may include this set among the most interesting ever made.
And believe me; I am talking about of pianists of the artistic height of Cortot, Francois, Rubinstein or Perahia; so don' t miss this CD, under any circumstance.
PRELUDES OF ASTONISHING DEPTH AND PERSONALITY June 29, 2001
Melvyn M. Sobel (Freeport (Long Island), New York)
22 out of 23 found this review helpful
By no stretch of the imagination could Cyprien Katsaris ever be considered a conventional interpreter of Chopin. Quite the opposite: His "vision" is, well, different: off-center, controversial to be sure, but "skewed" in the most innovative, unique, emotionally penetrating, humbling, and technically astonishing ways conceivable. However, because Katsaris maintains such a distinctive "profile," a recording such as the Op. 28 Preludes, here, may be just a tad too "over-the-edge" for those listeners used to more middle-of-the-road pianists whose renditions get lost in the wallpaper or, at best, seek not to offend, not take chances, not garner--- heaven forbid!--- any type of criticism.
Personally, I would prefer the eccentric to the standard or, worse, the dull.
For me, the Katsaris performance of the Preludes was a revelation from the outset. No. Perhaps revelation is too weak a word. Listening to Katsaris play Chopin's twenty-four Preludes, Op. 28 was an epiphany. Struck dumb, I listened, mouth agape. Never had I heard such daring manipulation of inner voicing, such agogic accents, such idiosyncratic virtuosity as was manifest here; never notes doubled like this, or slightly delayed, or suspended; never such incredible rubati, harmonies drawn out, uncluttered, melodic lines raised, like Lazarus--- all of which could be considered either heresy or lunacy, or both, if I was unwilling to accept and embrace Katsaris's "vision."
Unwilling? Hardly! I became an immediate convert, casting off the yoke of endless "proper" renditions of the Preludes that I had allowed myself to be lulled into accepting as valid. Until Katsaris, I had never really heard the Preludes. Now, I champion his playing; I'm relentless. All other "performances" seem vapid, routine. Indeed, these Preludes, quite literally, altered my concept of these works... and of Chopin.
But more surprises await on this well-packed CD, some never recorded before (e.g. Allegretto and Mazur, the Fontana/Ekier manuscript version of the 3 Ecossaises, and the Allegretto in F#), some vaguely familiar (e.g. Contredanse in G-flat, Cantabile in B-flat, and the Feuille d'Album in E), some completely unfamiliar (e.g. the 2 Bourees, the Galop Marquis in A-flat, the Largo in E-flat and Fugue in Am). And then, of course, the Bolero in C, Op. 19 made popular by Rubinstein, which, in the hands of Katsaris, sounds like an entirely different piece (another "resurrection"!). Included as well, of course, are the Prelude, Op. 45 and the A-flat, Op. Posth.
Without a doubt, this CD is a treasure trove, the playing spectacular, outrageous, touching, gorgeous, wistful, unnerving--- and entirely unforgettable. The Preludes, alone, would motivate one to purchase this disc; but with the addition of new and esoteric Chopin, the motivation runs to something more like an imperative.
The sound is entirely real, with an especially fabulous spread between the bass and treble that enables the middle register to jump out untarnished. It is an incredible treat.
[Running time: 68:41]
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