Satie: Gymnopédies No1-3; Gnossiennes No1-6

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Aldo Ciccolini's late-1960s survey devoted to Erik Satie's piano music helped spawn new interest in the idiosyncratic French composer. The pianist rerecorded the cycle digitally, and it is from these remakes that the present reissue stems. While the performances are refreshingly pert, stylish, and perceptive, the rather glassy, treble-heavy engineering can't hold a candle to EMI's warmer analog sound for the earlier recordings. Be that as it may, this disc covers a spectrum of Satie's creative moods (to say nothing of his bizarre titles), from the pensive Gymnopédies, Gnossiennes, and Nocturnes to the upbeat irony inherent in the character pieces. Gabriel Tacchino joins Ciccolini for a balletic romp through La belle excentrique. Happily, this duo will have none of the fussy rubato with which a handful of world-class pianists distort Trois Morceaux en forme de poire. If warm, rounded piano sound is not an issue, then this disc will do just fine as your basic Satie starter kit. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

Trois Gymnopedies: I. Lent Et Douloureux
Trois Gymnopedies: II. Lent Et Triste
Trois Gymnopedies: II. Lent Et Grave
I. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: II. Avec Etonnement
Six Gnossiennes: III. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: IV. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: V. Modere
Six Gnossiennes: VI. Avec Conviction Et Avec Une Tristesse Rigoureuse
Croquis Et Agaceries D'un Gros Bonhomme En Bois: I. Tyrolienne Turque (Avec Precaution Et Lent)
Croquis Et Agaceries D'un Gros Bonhomme En Bois: II. Danse Maigre (A La Maniere De Ces Messieurs) (Assez Lent Si Vous Le Voulez Bien)
Croquis Et Agaceries D'un Gros Bonhomme En Bois: III. Espanana (Sorte De Valse)
Embryons Desseches: I. - D'Holothurie (Allez Un Peu)
Embryons Desseches: II. - D'Edriophtalma (Sonore)
Embryons Desseches: III. - De Podophtalma (Un Peu Vif)
Sonatine Bureaucratique: Allegro - Andante - Vivace
Avant-dernieres Pensees: I. Idylle, (A Debussy) (Modere, Je Vous Prie)
Avant-dernieres Pensees: II. Aubade (A Paul Dukas) (Pa Vite)
Avant-dernieres Pensees: III. Meditations (A Albert Roussel) (Un Peu Vif)
Veritables Preludes Flasques (Pour Un Chien): I. Severe Reprimande (Vif [Sans Trop])
Veritables Preludes Flasques (Pour Un Chien): II. Seul A La Maison (Pas Vite)
Veritables Preludes Flasques (Pour Un Chien): III. On Joue (Aller)
Cinq Nocturnes: I. Doux Et Calme
Cinq Nocturnes: II. Simplement
Cinq Nocturnes: III. Un Peu Mouvemente
Cinq Nocturnes: IV. Mysterieux et tendre
Cinq Nocturnes: V.
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: I. Maniere De Commencement (Allez Moderement) - Gabriel Tacchino
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: II. Prolongation Du Meme (Au Pas) - Gabriel Tacchino
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: 1. Lentement - Gabriel Tacchino
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: 2. Enleve - Gabriel Tacchino
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: 3. Brutal - Gabriel Tacchino
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: III. En Plus (Calme) - Gabriel Tacchino
Trois Morceaux En Forme De Poire: IV. Redite (Dans Le Lent) - Gabriel Tacchino
La Belle Excentrique: I. Grand Ritournelle - Gabriel Tacchino
La Belle Excentrique: II. Marche 'Franco-Lunaire' - Gabriel Tacchino
La Belle Excentrique: III. Valse Du 'Mysterieux Baiser Dans L'oeil' (Mouvement De Valse) - Gabriel Tacchino
La Belle Excentrique: IV. Cancan Grand-Mondain (Galop) - Gabriel Tacchino

Amazon.com

Aldo Ciccolini's late-1960s survey devoted to Erik Satie's piano music helped spawn new interest in the idiosyncratic French composer. The pianist rerecorded the cycle digitally, and it is from these remakes that the present reissue stems. While the performances are refreshingly pert, stylish, and perceptive, the rather glassy, treble-heavy engineering can't hold a candle to EMI's warmer analog sound for the earlier recordings. Be that as it may, this disc covers a spectrum of Satie's creative moods (to say nothing of his bizarre titles), from the pensive Gymnopédies, Gnossiennes, and Nocturnes to the upbeat irony inherent in the character pieces. Gabriel Tacchino joins Ciccolini for a balletic romp through La belle excentrique. Happily, this duo will have none of the fussy rubato with which a handful of world-class pianists distort Trois Morceaux en forme de poire. If warm, rounded piano sound is not an issue, then this disc will do just fine as your basic Satie starter kit. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Great Performance, disappointing listening experience.......2007-05-06

The performance of all of the pieces on this disk are exceptional, and the recording of the piano itself is well done. Unfortunately, both are almost irreparably marred by a loud recording hiss throughout the performances. The fact that this hiss fades to zero between sets only serves to highlight the hiss and make it distracting again. I am stunned that this disk advertises itself as a DDD recording, the engineers and producers should be ashamed. If you know how to process hiss out of a recording, go for it. Otherwise, be warned, you may be disappointed.

Great Performance, not so great quality recording.......2006-01-19

I think that the interpretation of Satie's work here is really good, but my complain is that the recording has a lot of noise in it, is not just the noise of a life performance (which I don't mind), but there is a clear white noise in the background that spoils the overall effect. Still, as I said the interpretation is just great, but the noise issue forces me to give a 3 start rating.

Splendid Introduction to Satie's Piano Music.......2004-05-29

I must confess my ignorance with respect to Satie and his music, so this fine CD was a revelation. Satie clearly falls in the same group of "Impressionist" composers such as Debussy, but still remains an enigmatic figure, in part because of the satirical content of his music, as well as his personality. In Aldo Ciccolini, Satie had one of his foremost champions. This CD is replete with graceful, lyrical playing of Satie's works. I am truly surprised that Satie was neglected until the 1960's, when Ciccolini began championing his music. The sound quality isn't nearly as warm as earlier EMI analogue recordings, but this isn't a major disappointment in what is otherwise a splendid introduction to Satie's music.

Satie: Gymnopédies No1-3; Petite ouverture à danser

Average customer rating:

Worth it for Gnossiennes
Misinterpretation of Satie's music
Near Perfection
Haunting and Beautiful at the same time!
Spiritual Satie

Satie: Gymnopédies No1-3; Petite ouverture à danser

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Satie: The Early Piano Works

ASIN: B0000041DE
Release Date: 1996-06-11

Tracks:

Gnossiennes: No. 1
Gnossiennes: No. 2
Gnossiennes: No. 3
Gnossiennes: No. 4
Gnossiennes: No. 5
Gnossiennes: No. 6
Ogives: I
Ogives: II
Ogives: III
Ogives: IV
Petite ouverture a danser
Sarabandes: No. 1
Sarabandes: No. 2
Sarabandes: No. 3
Gymnopedies: No. 1
Gymnopedies: No. 2
Gymnopedies: No. 3

Customer Reviews:

Worth it for Gnossiennes.......2004-11-21

The interpretation of Gnossiennes is worth the price of this CD. The slow, soulful rendition of that piece is the best anywhere. However, I agree with a previous reviewer that the downtempo approach does not work for other Satie favorites. The slow motion, low energy rendition of other pieces can be maddening.

Misinterpretation of Satie's music.......2002-07-31

The poetry, subtle energy and elasticity of Satie's music is entirely lost in De Leeuw's interpretations. The pieces are drawn out to an extent where each note becomes a fragment that does not add up to a whole. The music of Satie thus becomes as unengaging as elevator music.

Eric Satie was a restless and discontented innovator who barely had finished with one musical style until he moved on to the next. This tireless energy can be found in other recordings of Satie's music - most notably by Anne Queffelec - where even the most famous of Satie's composition, the slow Gymnopedies 1-3, reflect Satie's dynamic persona.

In order to profoundly understand music and see it from the inside, it is necessary for the interpretor to understand its composer. This is not the case with De Leeuw.

Near Perfection.......2001-10-20

There are some pieces of music that need to be played fast and flashy, and others which must be played slow and compelling. These are of the second nature. And De Leeuw captures the essence of this music. Early Fusion - dreams of Hashish and Opium and the Desert - melancholy - wistful - mysterious - meandering - wandering -- full of the fine textured Algerian and Turkish colored patterns that overlay all visions, views and vistas which we might conjure of our world. An exceptional rendering - an artist who resonates to what must have been the true intent of the composer - slow, forceful, pulling, compelling mystery of Mystery. I am glad I read, and believed, the other reviews - much more elegant than this - and which, each and every one, pointed out the true genius of this performance. Those reviews simply reflect the truth that few words can hold. Perhaps, those truths might be further mirrored in these long remembered words:

Wandering, Dreaming --
Dreaming that Dreams
Forever Wander
-- Basho --

Haunting and Beautiful at the same time!.......2001-04-14

I heard "Gymnopedies" no. 1 & 2 about 10 years ago and since then I have never forgotten the soul stirring force of this composition. Even after the passing of this time I still feel enough of its effects to finally buy this piece of artistic beauty on cd; I can now enjoy with my ears too (my memory and soul have been "hearing" it since that first time).

Spiritual Satie.......2000-06-15

As a spectator watching the judging of a musical contest we sometimes notice that one of the performers quite simply possesses that `inner music.' All of the contestants may possess very good technical ability, may present themselves well, and may also construct a very good programme. Ye that one stands out from the other performers by an innate musicality that distinguishes them from among their peers. This is the case here with Reinbert de Leeuw. He possesses that extra something, which transforms the notes from off of the page into living music. His elasticity of timing and phrasing seems to suggest that he has carefully weighed and considered every note and its significance within the total piece alongside of its unique contribution towards this larger picture. It is as if he's lived with this music for so many years that it has become an integral part of his psyche. He quite simply is the music. Like a wonderful dance between the three, he brings so much to the music and yet allows Satie's music to breathe through him also. Yet more than this, he has fused with the spirit of this music. Nonetheless, he seems to have found the right balance, for he is not subservient to the spirit of the music neither is he too dominating in his own approach but rather has released something that was inherent in the individual music right from the start. Such a tremendous sensitivity towards interpreting what Satie intended really brings this music alive. It breathes and in that breathing communicates so much. It is also extremely relaxing and nurturing. A fantastic CD to put on when feeling stressed and looking to chill out to beautiful music. There is a very real sense of this music being truly beautiful; altogether approaching something of a mystical experience - for those able to so resonate. I am forced to say that it offers a transcendent approach to Satie's wonderful music. Previously, I'd heard Satie's music and found it `interesting,' but very cold, distant and cerebral. However, with de Leeuw I entered into the life of Satie and any sense of empty, abstract noises was left behind and the landscape of the music of life opened up before me. The space between the notes, the piano, and me - the listener - melted into a rare intimacy such as I would expect from Mompou playing Mompou or De Hartmann playing his Gurdjieff piano music. I can't recommend de Leeuw's playing of Satie too much. I'd say that every house should have a copy of this one!

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