Transcriptions By Karol A. Penson – Cyprien Katsaris

   in Piano International (Sep, 2018)
Karol Penson (b 1946), a professor of theoretical physics, started writing music at the age of 51. He describes the act of transcription as an ‘act of love’. Katsaris presents these works as a Lieder recital for piano.

The recording is excellent, Katsaris’ burnished bass register well conveyed, adding to the nobility of the Bach Chorale ‘Ruht wohl’ (this together with a movement from a Grieg Violin Sonata are the only pieces not originally songs). There are intriguing discoveries: the transcription of a song by Noskowski (very Chopinesque); two Kar?owicz songs (beautiful, both); and a lovely outpouring by Shaporin. A couple of miscalculations (the end of Strauss’ Zueignung is stabbed at, …