Erik Satie for me.

May 14, 2013 11:57 AM

I need some guidance on how to pick a classical music recording to buy. Specifically I'm looking for the work of Erik Satie.

I don't really know anything about classical music recordings as far as performers, labels, etc and it's difficult to sort through everything available. Are there any gold standard labels or performers for this kind of thing? I welcome recomendations for both digital downloads and physical media (CDs of vinyl).

posted by WeekendJen to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Response by poster: CDs OR vinyl
posted by WeekendJen at 11:58 AM on May 14, 2013

Aldo Ciccolini does some renditions of the Gynmopedies and Gnossiennes that I believe are considered definitive. When I played them they were recommended in the intro spiel of the sheet music. I also have a recording by Roland Pontinen. I prefer the Ciccolini version though.

If you download a random version from Sony or EMI or something it's a safe bet that the pianist someone good if they managed to get a recording contract. It's not really very difficult/virtuosic music so I can't really imagine listening to a record and thinking, "This gnossienne sucks!" In other words, you can probably just download something :-)
posted by mermily at 12:06 PM on May 14, 2013

Ciccolini was one of the first to record a whole bunch of Satie. So that's the 'classic' version, if you will, but the sound may seem a little dated.

Reinbert de Leeuw later recorded a lot of Satie on Philips. The recordings I've heard have a very luxurious sound. Here's a sound example.

As mermily said this repertoire isn't hard to play, so you don't need a super virtuoso, but rather someone who pays attention to character, style and sound.
posted by Namlit at 12:19 PM on May 14, 2013

I grew up listening to the recording of Satie played by Daniel Varsano and Phillippe Entremont, and I would highly recommend that recording. They both have a really light touch with the quiet lovely parts, and they can also bang away joyfully. I think some of their versions are slower than a lot of people's, but I find that just gives the music an even more beautiful, languid feel.
posted by colfax at 12:23 PM on May 14, 2013

a good introduction to Satie would be Pascal Rogé's recordings. if you want to give him a listen first before buying you can find his album After the Rain on itunes and spotify.
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 12:36 PM on May 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

I picked up a CD of Gnossien played by Hakon Austbo. I don't know the Gnossien very well and I was looking for a good, neutral rendition, which I think it is.
posted by From Bklyn at 12:52 PM on May 14, 2013

Reinbert de Leeuw later recorded a lot of Satie on Philips. The recordings I've heard have a very luxurious sound.

Yes, de Leeuw really takes his time, which works very well for a lot of Satie. His recordings of the Sarabandes are my absolute favorites.

The production on Ciccolini does sound a little dated, but the performances are very good. Also his "complete" series is grouped thematically rather than chronologically, which works very well, particularly the disc with the Ogives and other mystic pieces.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet has a pretty nice complete set that goes in chronological order through the pieces. Though that said, completeness is tricky on Satie: Ciccolini includes the piano duets like the "Pieces in the Shape of a Pear" which Thibaudet doesn't. On the other hand, Thibaudet had access to scores that were found after Ciccolini recorded (some additional Ogives, a slightly reworked "pieces Froides", Milhaud's transcription of the entre'acte from Relache, and some other bits if memory serves). I jump between both of these sets pretty often, and some of the de Leeuw recordings (the aforementioned Sarabandes especially).

I kind of have a thing for Satie.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:07 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]