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Aldo Ciccolini - Satie: Popular Piano Works
- Erik Satie is one the most significant impressionist-era composers to today’s musical landscape. He is often credited as an early innovator of ambient music, which he referred to as “furniture music.” He is most famous for his solo piano compositions, many of which appear on “Piano Works.” His work is some the most subtle and technically simple of all music under the banner of “classical.” At the same time, it is evocative in a way that no other pianist has yet to achieve.
This collection is an excellent interpretation of Satie’s most famous works. The piano was clearly recorded in a large, reverberant space, which blurs the notes together without making them sound muddled or indistinct. Given that all of the many pieces included in this set are for solo piano, and so the speed and style are at least somewhat subject to the individual player. Ciccolini’s interpretations bring out the many faces of Satie’s music: the absurdity, the melancholy, and the joy all seep through, often simultaneously. Ciccolini also excels at changing the tempo mid-piece in such a way that reflects or at least creates an impression of Satie’s erratic nature (he was famous for a number of very bizarre mannerisms and behaviors).
Overall, this collection is a special interpretation of Satie’s piano catalog. The sound of the album is perfect and reflects Satie’s influences, the early 20th century avant-garde as well the Impressionists Ravel and Debussy, simultaneously. For anyone looking for exposure to Satie’s work, Ciccolini’s versions are an excellent place to start.
Reviewer: Kris Lorenz
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Reviewer's Rating: 9.5
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Added: 4-Jul-2009
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