Julius Katchen was born at Long Beach, New Jersey, on 15 August 1926 and by the age of 11 he had performed Mozart's Piano Concerto in D minor, K466, with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Due to the intervention of his parents and their insistence on him receiving a proper education Katchen was not part of the musical prodify circuit and this was something he later acknowledged as having been of great benefit. In 1946 Katchen moved to France where he remained for the rest of his short life; he died at the age of 42 on 29 April 1969.

Katchen’s repertory was immense and ranged from the Viennese classics to 20th century works such as Britten’s Diversions and Ned Rorem’s Second Sonata. These are part of his recorded legacy for Decca which includes many of the important piano concertos and much 19th century literature. His first recordings for Decca, made in 1947, include a version of Brahms’ Handel Variations, and this composer featured regularly in Katchen’s concerts and recording schedule; his last recordings, made in 1968, included what are now regarded as reference recordings of the 3 Piano Trios with Josef Suk and János Starker. Katchen is the only pianist of truly international stature to have recorded all of Brahms’ important solo keyboard literature as well as those chamber works which include piano.

Beethoven was an important part of Katchen’s repertory and for Decca he recorded a cycle of the Piano Concertos and Choral Fantasia (with the London Symphony Orchestra and Piero Gamba), as well as the Diabelli Variations and the last piano sonata. Katchen’s complete Beethoven recordings for Decca are now available for the first time as a Collector Edition.