Our Review
Labor Day Weekend is in the rear-view mirror, and the holidays lie just beyond the bend. Peter Kater's brand new, aptly-named Piano Christmas opens my music reviewing season with a lushly-developed new-age rhapsody; his solo piano arrangements of well-known carols and classical fare present powerful beauty.
The "new age" genre sometimes suggests music that casts a sweet hush, leaving frustrated listeners straining to hear and lulling fretful babies to sleep. Kater's renditions present more muscle and authority than that. His rich arrangements have strength, grace, and presence.
Piano Christmas starts very well. Both Coventry Carol and Blake's Walking in the Air are personal favorites; Kater lights up both entries with confident, complex arrangements that make their gentle souls gleam. I also particularly enjoyed the classical turns, including Pachelbel's Canon in D Variations, which shows inspired, jazzy inflections as the long track (just over six minutes) winds down. And the intelligent mix of hard-core holiday offerings with pleasing classical alternatives gives this release great replay value somewhat beyond the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas slot.
Thank you, Peter Kater, for such a fine start to my holiday music reviewing this fall. Your Piano Christmas is an easy choice for those who favor the lovely intonations of well-executed, creatively-arranged holiday fare on solo piano. May every offering I review this season be as finely constructed as yours!
--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2009)
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From the liner notes:
Peter Kater: Piano
All Songs arranged by Peter Kater and published by Kater Music/BMI.
Recorded, Engineered and Mixed at Point of Light Studios by Peter Kater.
These all new variations on beautiful Holiday and Classical themes convey the peace, joy and mystery of The Season in a way that only 5-Time Grammy Award Nominated pianist/composer Peter Kater can. His eloquent solo piano arrangements capture the wonderment and awe of this most auspicious time of year with grace and reverence.
Peter Kater
Piano Christmas
Artist link
Label: Point of Light Records
Length: 53 minutes
Genre: New Age
Release: 2009
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Coventry Carol |
| Walking in the Air |
| Gymnopedie No. 1 Variations |
| Angels We Have Heard on High |
| What Child Is This? |
| Pavane Variations |
| O Tannenbaum |
| Do You Hear What I Hear? |
| Canon in D Variations |
| Let There Be Peace on Earth |
| O Holy Night |
| Prelude in G Minor Variations |