These are 'keyboard' (which to Bach meant 'harpsichord') concertos, here played on the piano They are in fact transcriptions and as such should express the content, style and spirit of the originals in terms of the receiving instrument, the piano, with neither stylistic anachronisms nor attempts to ape the harpsichord; both Steuerman and Katsaris approach them in this way, the latter the more satisfyingly. They (and their orchestras) make reasonable crescendos when the musical tension justifies them, though this is not open to the harpsichord it is hard to believe that it was not done in the music's time on instruments that were capable of it. Harpsichordists must use relative duration and 'air' to create the illusion of dynamic range in shaping phrases but, though they may, pianists do not need to do so; a softer touch can, for instance, differentiate the resolution from the appoggiatura, and Katsaris does this very well indeed—notably in the slow movements, where Steuerman sounds more wooden and is not helped by the harder tone of his instrument. In the Andante of the G minor Concerto Steuerman's way of spreading the notes of his chords, like a doorstep salesman laying out his wares, is mannered and irritating. There is no lack of technical brilliance from either player in the faster movements, but even in these I find Katsaris the more sensitive to the shape of his phrases, and the less percussive in sound.
The Franz Liszt CO is commendably precise, and lighter in touch than the CO of Europe, whose massed strings sound over-weight and are less clearly recorded. In his LP review, RG was very impressed by Katsaris, as I am also, and I agree with his comment regarding performances of these works on the piano: ''and why not?''—providing they are as good as these by Katsaris. With the Teldec disc you get both quality and quantity (an extra concerto) and no one can complain that the playing time is extended by an unrelated, make-weight work. The Philips booklet sings Steuerman's praises in four languages but offers no comment on the music, the medium is the message.'