Satie: Popular Piano Works

Erik Satie (Composer), Aldo Ciccolini (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Aldo Ciccolini
• Composer: Erik Satie
• Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000040OCH
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,249 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Gymnopédies (3), for piano (also orchestrated by Debussy): No 1, Lent et douloureux

2. Gymnopédies (3), for piano (also orchestrated by Debussy): No 2, Lent et triste

3. Gymnopédies (3), for piano (also orchestrated by Debussy): No 3, Lent et grave

4. Gnossiennes (6), for piano: No 01, Lent

5. Gnossiennes (6), for piano: No 02, Avec Etonnement

6. Gnossiennes (6), for piano: No 03, Lent

7. Gnossiennes (6), for piano: No 04, Lent

8. Gnossiennes (6), for piano: No 05, Modere

9. Gnossiennes (6), for piano: No 06, Avec Conviction et avec une Tristesse Rigoureuse

10. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: Manière De Commencement

11. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: Prolongation Du Même

12. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: Lentement

13. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: En Leve

14. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: Brutal

15. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: En Plus

16. Morceaux (3) en forme de poire (3 pieces in the form of a pear), for piano, 4 hands or orchestra: Redite

17. Jack-in-the-Box, pantomime ballet for piano (orchestrated by Milhaud): No. 1, 'Prelude'

18. Jack-in-the-Box, pantomime ballet for piano (orchestrated by Milhaud): No. 2, 'Entr'acte'

19. Jack-in-the-Box, pantomime ballet for piano (orchestrated by Milhaud): No. 3, 'Final'

20. La belle excentrique, 'serious fantasy' for orchestra (or piano, 4 hands): No. 1, 'Grande ritournelle' (Grand Ritornello)

See all 54 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satie's Best Interpretation, December 21, 2008

By 

M. Parker "mediamarv" (Sebastopol, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Satie: Popular Piano Works (Audio CD)

There are several CDs available covering Saties music and I have heard most of them, if not all.

This version has always been my favorite. I bought, and still have, the vinyl version of this. In fact I bought it twice since I once carelessly scratched an album.

No fireworks or false colorations, just pure Satie channeled thru Signore Ciccolini. Bravo!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to Satie's piano music, August 1, 2009

By 

moviemusicbuff (Walnut, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Satie: Popular Piano Works (Audio CD)

I have several versions of Satie's piano music and this one is one of my favorites. Aldo Ciccolini is an outstanding interpreter and performer of Satie's piano works and he plays with the right tempo, balance, and touch. The most well-known of Satie's piano works are the 3 Trois Gymnopedies, and Ciccolini plays these pieces with the right tempo and delicate touch.

The other works are worth listening to. I really enjoy the Six Gnossiennes and the Trois Nocturnes as well. This recording is very generous, offering the following pieces: (I've included the total time for each work)

Trois Gymnopedies (7'38)
Six Gnossienes (13'01)
Trois Morceaux en Forme du Poire (11'00)
Jack in Box (6'36)
La Balle Excentrique (6'09)
Sports Et Divertissements (12'33)
Embryons Desseches (5'12)
En Habit De Cheval (6'31)
Trois Nocturnes (8'35)

Total (78'26)

The piano performance is superb and the sound quality is excellent. I can find no better introduction to Satie's popular piano works than this CD. Enjoy this music for a nice relaxing, or romantic evening.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Introduction to Satie, August 25, 2002

By 

David Dennis "David Dennis" (San Mateo, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Satie: Popular Piano Works (Audio CD)

It takes a very fine sense of balance to play Satie correctly, to avoid ruining the score by being either overly sonorous or overly energetic. Aldo Ciccolini cuts just the right line, picking a well-balanced middle ground.

Aside from delivering one of the better performances of 'Trois Gymnopedies', Ciccolini offers both an invigorating version of 'Jack in the Box', as well as a suitably loopy rendition of 'Le Balle Excentrique'. All in all, a great introduction to Satie, and one that may be enough for most.