[…] one can well attest of Katz that he has helped give tonally sumptuous, nuanced expression to the “potential of the cantabile” in Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words Op. 19, 30, 38, 53, 62, 67, 85, and 102 on this double CD.
It is indeed impressive to hear how Katz fights for the greatest possible inner penetration, never once falling prey to empty pathos, to outer gesture – how he shapes with feeling without drifting into sentimentality. This honest, work-centered attitude is moving and captivating, even if Katz does tread here on what is, overall, well-worn interpretive terrain. With these recordings he has succeeded in making an enriching contribution for Mendelssohn’s 200th birthday.
