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Post by MartinT on Mar 17, 2021 20:35:07 GMT
Satie - Entremont Plays SatieA change of scale for me and music that I have loved ever since my teenage years. Satie's music is at the opposite end of the scale from piano pyrotechnics from the likes of Liszt and Rachmaninov. His music sounds deceptively simple, but I believe that it's all in the timing, which is critical to long term enjoyment. Indeed, in searching for a suitable recording I have dismissed such legends as Pascale Roge because they push and pull the timing to impose their character onto the music and end up ruining it. I have gone back to the CD I have had for many years, a recording of Entremont playing many of the most popular pieces. Entremont plays it straighter than most, his timing is good and the piano sounds reasonable, if a little closely mic'd. The Gymnopedies are perhaps the most popular but do try the Gnossiennes, too (the No. 3 is simply sublime). This can be background music as it gets under your skin and forces attention after a while. Very much mood music, in that regard, but don't dismiss Satie's inventiveness.  open.qobuz.com/track/44569425
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 17, 2021 20:48:31 GMT
Interesting choice thank you Martin.
Presumably we are to listen to the whole album, not just the linked track.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 17, 2021 21:09:40 GMT
I totally agree that Satie should be played "straight", imposing the pianist's interpretation on it ruins it for me.
Listening now to Entremont in Gymnopedie #1 - yup, that will do nicely.
Perfect music.
5/5.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 17, 2021 21:11:41 GMT
Hang on, he's French. I may have to revise my score.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 17, 2021 21:21:00 GMT
Presumably we are to listen to the whole album, not just the linked track. Yes, I always link a track in Spotify to get the album artwork. |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 17, 2021 21:24:04 GMT
Hang on, he's French. I may have to revise my score.  |
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Post by Slinger on Mar 17, 2021 23:08:20 GMT
I'm looking forward to this.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 18, 2021 7:57:23 GMT
Pondering on it, I think Satie's piano music is unique for me in that I just want the notes; played cleanly, and paced moderately and steadily.
All other classical music I prefer "interpreted" by the performer or conductor. In fact I usually positively dislike musicians who don't put anything of themselves into a performance (conductor Osmo Vanska comes to mind).
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Post by MartinT on Mar 18, 2021 10:16:36 GMT
I would also add Bach piano music (e.g the Goldberg Variations) where I don't want too much of the pianist's character to come through. Messing with the timing messes with the music.
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Post by jandl100 on Mar 18, 2021 10:33:38 GMT
Yes, I meant to add JSB.
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Post by John on Mar 18, 2021 17:17:50 GMT
I tried to get into this but not for me.
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Post by Slinger on Mar 18, 2021 17:23:09 GMT
Very nice indeed, 4/5. I thought that the first two tracks were take a tiny bit too slowly, but from Gymnopédie #1 on the pacing was just about right for me. I've actually got a version of Gymnopédie #1 that runs 4m55s and it's a toss up whether the listener or the pianist is going to fall asleep first.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 18, 2021 18:59:40 GMT
I tried to get into this but not for me. I'm sure Martin will be after your score John! |
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 18, 2021 19:00:00 GMT
I'm spinning this now.
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Post by John on Mar 18, 2021 19:09:45 GMT
A few tracks I like but some of it reminded me as something you hear at a very posh café. I think as I am not really a classical fan so unfair for me to vote as I would be giving it a 1
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Post by MartinT on Mar 18, 2021 19:25:04 GMT
some of it reminded me as something you hear at a very posh café LOL! I'd love to be in any cafe playing this  |
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 18, 2021 19:49:52 GMT
The first half of the album is a bit meh but I would happily enjoy it as background music, as I did whilst sat at the Mac. I wouldn’t sit down in front of the main system and fire it up; not so much of it would hold my fleeting attention. However, I’m adding this album to my library as the second half is a different matter and holds my attention 110%. The Gnossiennes are on a whole different level of beauty, just so haunting and idiosyncratic. There is a ‘simplicity’ to much of the music but that masks how difficult a job the pianist has to communicate the essence of the music in the way that Entremont does - a superb performance throughout. I really must check out his Ravel recordings. The first half of the album I would rate 3/5 and the second half 5/5, so 4/5 overall! |
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Post by Slinger on Mar 18, 2021 20:36:18 GMT
I've got quite a lot of Satie, including many of his orchestrated works, which I think are well worth investigating. So many people seem to " stop" after his Gnossiennes and Gymnopédies. He even wrote a Mass. Check out his catalogue en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Erik_SatieThis is a great example of his delightfully off-kilter style. The pianist's fingers seem to wander off on occasion, seeking their own path as opposed to the direction you might have been expecting. And there's always the (in)famous "Parade." The percussi9onist's time to shine, shoot, type, tinkle, hoot, and many other things besides. |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 18, 2021 20:50:04 GMT
Danses de Travers are wonderful.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 19, 2021 10:45:17 GMT
I've been sampling Jean-Yves Thibaudet's Satie as an alternative to this recording.
It's the best I have found so far amongst a myriad of underwhelming contenders but I can see why Martin has settled on Entremont.
Of course Satie wrote loads more piano music one might like to explore. J-Y T for example has recorded the lot - 7 hrs 25m of music, yikes!!
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