Katin was born in London; his father was sign-painter Jerrold Katin (who was born in Lithuania) and mother Gertrude.[1] Katin was educated at private schools in Balham, Caterham, and East Grinstead and the Henry Thornton School (then known as the South West London Emergency Secondary School) in Clapham,[2] and was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 12, four years younger than the official entry age, where he studied under Harold Craxton. Katin made his debut at the Wigmore Hall on 13 December 1948 where the programme included works by Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin and Chopin. He went on to give concerts in England, Europe, Africa, the US, and Japan.
In 1952, Katin debuted at The Proms and in 1953 was acclaimed for his performance there of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. In 1958, he became the first British pianist to make a post-war solo tour of the Soviet Union. In 1961, the composer Bryan Kelly wrote Tango especially for Katin.
Katin specialised in Romantic music, particularly Chopin, and Impressionist music. He was acclaimed for his technical command of the piano. He also directed concertos by Mozart and Beethoven from the keyboard. His final Wigmore Hall recital was in January 2004.[3]
In 1954, Katin married fellow pianist, Ewa Zweig, with whom he had two sons, Nicholas and Andrew. After a long separation, they divorced in 1988. He lived in Bexhill-on-Sea. His two sons survive him.[4]
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
Athene ATHCD11 / Diversions DIV24116
Ballade in F minor, Op. 52; 3 Mazurkas, Op. 59; Sonata in B minor, Op. 58; Barcarolle, Op. 60; Polonaise-Fantasie Op. 61 Olympia OCD 186
Variations, Op. 12; 4 Mazurkas, Op. 24; Sonata in B flat minor, Op. 35; Ballade in A flat, Op. 47; Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise, Op. 22 Olympia OCD 193
Complete Polonaises and Waltzes Olympia OCD 289A/B
4 Scherzos; Fantasy, Op. 49 Unicorn UKCD 2008*
Complete Nocturnes and Impromptus Olympia OCD 254A/B
4 Waltzes (part of compilation album) Belart 450 000-2
Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op. 24; Sonata in B minor, Op. 58; Nocturne in D flat, Op. 27, No. 2; Fantasy, Op. 49 (live recording from the Snape Maltings Hallmark 350142
Complete Nocturnes (different version to the Olympia issue) Hallmark IMP 30367 02357 (2CD)
Peter Katin: A Chopin Recital
Four Songs from Seventeen Polish Songs (transcribed by Liszt), Op. posth. 74; Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58; Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54; Mazurka No. 14 in G minor, Op. 24 No. 1; Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante in E flat major, Op. 22; Nocturne in F sharp major, Op. 15 No. 2; Waltz in C sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2
(Recording issued in 2010 to mark Katin's 80th birthday and Chopin's 200th anniversary) Orchestral Concert CDs CD11/2010
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
Fantasia on the Old 104th (LPO/LPC/Boult) (with other works) EMI CDM 769962-2
Others
Portrait of a pianist: Bach: Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue; Beethoven: 6 Variations, Op. 34; Haydn: Sonata in G, HobXVI/39; Debussy: Estampes; Liszt: Vallée d’Obermann Olympia OCD 189
^"Peter Katin, pianist – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^Tom Service (12 January 2004). "Peter Katin (Wigmore Hall, London)". Retrieved 12 April 2015.
^ abBarry Millington (29 March 2015). "Peter Katin obituary". Retrieved 12 April 2015.
^This recording is of the last time Katin played this work in public. He vowed never to play it again after this performance, per this audio recollection by Peter Katin.
External linksedit
Peter Katin Scarlatti Review & Track listing
Peter Katin
Peter Katin (Impulse)
David Wright interviews Peter Katin (includes a fairly comprehensive discography)
New York Times concert review
David Dubal interview with Peter Katin on YouTube, WNCN-FM, 24 September 1982