Erik Satie - Solo and Duos (Alexandre Tharaud)

Information

Composer: Erik Satie

CD1:

• (01) Gnossienne n° 1
• (02) Petite Ouverture à danser
• (03) Première Gymnopédie
• (04-06) Véritables Préludes flasques (pour un chien)
• (07) Gnossienne n° 2
• (08-10) Les Trois Valses distinguées du précieux dégoûté
• (11) Gnossienne No. 3
• (12) Le Piccadilly
• (13-15) Descriptions automatiques
• (16) Gnossienne n° 4
• (17) Les pantins dansent
• (18-24) Le Piège de Méduse, sept pièces pour piano
• (25-27) Pièces froides
• (28-30) Avant-dernières pensées
• (31) Gambades
• (32-34) Embryons desséchés
• (35) Gnossienne n° 5
• (36) Valse-Ballet
• (37-39) Heures séculaires et instantanées
• (40) Première Pensée Rose+Croix
• (41) Poudre d'or
• (42) Gnossienne n° 6

CD2:

• (01-07) Trois Morceaux en forme de poire, pour piano à quatre mains
• (08) Je te veux, valse chantée
• (09) Chez le docteur
• (10) J'avais un ami
• (11) La Diva de l'Empire
• (12-16) La Belle Excentrique, fantaisie sérieuse pour piano à quatre mains
• (17-19) Choses vues à droite et à gauche (sans lunetttes)
• (20) Cinéma
• (21) Daphénéo
• (22-26) Ludions
• (27) La Statue retrouvée, divertissement pour trompette en Ut et piano
• (28) Embarquement pour Cythère
• (29) Allons-y Chochotte

Alexandre Tharaud, piano
Eric Le Sage, piano (CD2 1-7, 12-16, 20)
Juliette, voice (CD2 8-11)
Isabelle Faust, violin (CD2 17-19, 28)
Jean Delescluse, tenor (CD2 21-26, 29)
David Guerrier, trumpet (CD2 27)

Date: 2009
Label: Harmonia Mundi
http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/albums/1348

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 10 / SOUND QUALITY: 10

There’s far too much music here to discuss the performances in detail–more than 30 works in all, many containing multiple pieces–so I’m going to have to ask that you take on faith the fact that there are no finer Satie performances in the catalog. Whether it’s the characterful simplicity of Alexandre Tharaud’s readings of the Gnossiennes (which frame the other pieces in the solo recital that comprises the first disc in this two-disc set), or his light, witty touch in Le Piccadilly, the Valse-ballet, Les pantins dansent, or the Petit Ouverture à danser, it’s all just delightful. But it’s the intelligence of this program, the thoughtfulness that went into making it, that gives you the best indication of how splendid the performances must be.

As just mentioned, the first disc consists of solo piano works, both the very familiar and some comparative rarities, programmed for maximum contrast and variety. The second disc contains duets for piano with, respectively, another pianist, cabaret singer (the wonderful Juliette), tenor, violin, and trumpet (La Statue retrouvée). Once again the programing allows for maximum variety, even in these often very brief pieces. As with the first disc, specific piano works (those for four hands in this case: Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear, La Belle Excentrique, and Cinéma) frame the other selections, creating a program rich in variety, ideal for continuous listening.

The fact that Satie’s music, with its wacky titles and lack of pretension, often isn’t “serious” doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be taken seriously. As a composer his range may be limited, but he’s not lacking in content, and most Satie recitals either collect all the most popular stuff, monotony be damned, or take a “library” approach and simply play everything in chronological or some other sequence that pays scant attention to why one piece should follow another, musically speaking. In assembling this program based entirely on musical values, thanks to Tharaud and his colleagues, Satie’s stature as a unique musical voice emerges all the more impressively. Magnificently engineered, with an extensive booklet that’s a model of its kind, there is simply no better or more entertaining way to get to know him. [3/30/2009]

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:
BBC Music Magazine  PERFORMANCE: ***** / SOUND: ****
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/05/satie-tharaud-le-sage-juliette-clements-classical-review
https://www.amazon.com/Satie-Avant-Dernieres-Pensees-Penultimate-Thoughts/dp/B001L15C8C
https://www.amazon.fr/Satie-Avant-Dernieres-Pensees-Penultimate-Thoughts/dp/B001L15C8C

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Erik Satie (17 May 1866 – 1 July 1925) was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde. His work was a precursor to later artistic movements such as minimalism, Surrealism, repetitive music, and the Theatre of the Absurd. In addition to his body of music, Satie was "a thinker with a gift of eloquence" who left a remarkable set of writings, having contributed work for a range of publications, from the dadaist 391 to the American culture chronicle Vanity Fair.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Satie

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Alexandre Tharaud (born 9 December 1968 in Paris) is a French pianist. He is active on the concert stage and has released a large and diverse discography. He entered the Conservatoire de Paris at the age of 14 where he won first prize for piano in the class of Germaine Mounier when he was 17 years old. With Theodor Paraskivesco, he mastered the piano, and he sought and received advice from Claude Helffer, Leon Fleisher and Nikita Magaloff. In 2012, Tharaud took part in the French film Amour by Michael Haneke where he played himself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Tharaud

https://www.alexandretharaud.com/

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