Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Gymnopedie I
2. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Gymnopedie II
3. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Gymnopedie III
4. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Les Trois Valses distinguées du précieux dégoûté I: Sa taille
5. Oeuvres Pour Piano: II: Son binocle
6. Oeuvres Pour Piano: III: Ses jambes
7. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Gnossiennes: I Lent
8. Oeuvres Pour Piano: II Avec étonnement
9. Oeuvres Pour Piano: III Lent
10. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Gnossiennes: IV Lent
11. Oeuvres Pour Piano: V Modéré
12. Oeuvres Pour Piano: VI Avec conviction et avec une tristesse rigoureuse
13. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Mouvements en forme de poire, à quatre mains: Manière de commencement
14. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Prolongation du même
15. Oeuvres Pour Piano: I
16. Oeuvres Pour Piano: II
17. Oeuvres Pour Piano: III
18. Oeuvres Pour Piano: En plus
19. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Redite
20. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Croquis et agaceries d'un gros bonhomme en bois: I Tyrolienne turque
21. Oeuvres Pour Piano: II Danse maigre (à la manière de ces messieurs)
22. Oeuvres Pour Piano: III Españaña (Sorte de valse)
23. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Sonatine bureaucratique
24. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Trois Nocturnes: I Doux et calme
25. Oeuvres Pour Piano: II Simplement
26. Oeuvres Pour Piano: III Un peu mouvementé
27. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Première pensée et sonneries de la Rose Croix: Air de lÓrdre
28. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Air du Grand Maitre
29. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Air du Grand Prieur
30. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Le Fils des Étoiles: Prélude du 1er acte: la Vocation
31. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Prélude du IIe acte: l'Initiation
32. Oeuvres Pour Piano: Prélude du IIIe acte: l'Incantation

Disc 2:

1. Jack In The Box: Prelude
2. Jack In The Box: Entracte
3. Jack In The Box: Final
4. Sports et Divertissements: Choral inappetissant
5. Sports et Divertissements: La Balançoire
6. Sports et Divertissements: La Chasse
7. Sports et Divertissements: La Comédie italienne
8. Sports et Divertissements: Le Réveil de la Mariée
9. Sports et Divertissements: Colin-Maillard
10. Sports et Divertissements: La Pêche
11. Sports et Divertissements: Le Yachting
12. Sports et Divertissements: Le Bain de mer
13. Sports et Divertissements: Le Carnaval
14. Sports et Divertissements: Le Golf
15. Sports et Divertissements: La Pieuvre
16. Sports et Divertissements: Les Courses
17. Sports et Divertissements: Les Quatre-Coins
18. Sports et Divertissements: Le pique-nique
19. Sports et Divertissements: Le Water-chute
20. Sports et Divertissements: Le Tango
21. Sports et Divertissements: Le Traîneau
22. Sports et Divertissements: Le Flirt
23. Sports et Divertissements: Le Feu d'artifice
24. Sports et Divertissements: Le Tennis
25. Oeuvres Pour Piano: I D'Holothurie
26. Embryons desseches: II D'Edriophtalma
27. Embryons desseches: III De Podophtalma
28. Preludes flasques (pour un chien): I Voix d'interieur
29. Preludes flasques (pour un chien): II. Idylle cynique
30. Preludes flasques (pour un chien): III. Chanson canine
31. Preludes flasques (pour un chien): IV. Avec camaraderie
32. En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): I Choral
33. En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): II Fugue litanique
34. En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): III Autre chose
35. En habit de cheval (a 4 mains): IV Fugue de papier
36. Apercus desagreables: I Pastorale
37. Apercus desagreables: II Choral
38. Apercus desagreables: III Fugue
39. Descriptions automatiques: I Sur un vaisseau
40. Descriptions automatiques: II Sur une lanterne
41. Descriptions automatiques: III Sur un casque
42. 3 Petites pieces montees (a 4 mains): De l'enfance de Pantagruel (Reverie)
43. 3 Petites pieces montees (a 4 mains): Marche de Cocagne (Demarche)
44. 3 Petites pieces montees (a 4 mains): Jeux de Gargantua (Coin de Polka)
45. Peccadilles importunes: Etre jaloux de son camarade qui a une grosse tete
46. Peccadilles importunes: Lui manger sa tartine
47. Peccadilles importunes: Profiter de ce qu'il a des cors aux pieds pour lui voler son cerceau
48. Pieces froides - No. 1 Airs a faire fuir: I D'une maniere particuliere
49. Pieces froides - No. 1 Airs a faire fuir: II Modestement
50. Pieces froides - No. 1 Airs a faire fuir: III S'inviter
51. Pieces froides - No. 2 Danses de travers: I En y regardant par deux fois
52. Pieces froides - No. 2 Danses de travers: II Passer
53. Pieces froides - No. 2 Danses de travers: III Encore
54. La Belle Excentrique: I Grande ritournelle
55. La Belle Excentrique: II Marche franco-lunaire
56. La Belle Excentrique: III Valse du 'Mysterieux baiser dans l'oeil'
57. La Belle Excentrique: IV Can-can grand-mondain
58. 3 Sarabandes: No. 1
59. 3 Sarabandes: No. 2
60. 3 Sarabandes: No. 3

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7433 in Music
• Released on: 1992-01-23
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.com
It's simple: in his various realizations of the piano music of Erik Satie, Aldo Ciccolini set a standard that has yet to be bettered. This compilation, drawn from recordings made between 1966 and 1971, is consequently the best of the best. Ciccolini always played Satie's music as though it had been written by Claude Debussy, not by some cheap charlatan or uneducated primitive (which, to an extent that is still debatable, Satie was). The result is that these seemingly simple piano pieces acquire a tonal allure that is as surprising as it is undeniable. They possess an understated sophistication that points directly toward Ravel and Poulenc, at the same time providing an opening to the minimalist aesthetic of the later 20th century. Ciccolini's playing is pliant and graceful, and under his fingers the music seems to breathe and come alive. What more could a composer or a listener want? --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

And now for something different
Erik Satie was a bit of a rebel and his influence is probably more noticed today than during his life. His composition often sound more like jazz of the 1990s than classical music of the late 1800s. Even in his titles he rebeled against the trend to give compositions sweet titles and chose instead such things as "Jack in the Box," or "dried fetuses." His intent was not, in my opinion, to shock, as his music is not at all shocking, but to jar the musical establishment away for from "traditional" thinking.

This recording is, to my knowledge, one of the few with all of the sixty piano pieces. Usually a few are left out. Aldo Ciccolini does a marvelous job on this music. There is no attempt to doll it up with unnecessary flourishes, all of the pieces are played straight ahead.

This music is not for everyone. However, if you have an interest in very good piano music and an appreciation for the roots of modern music, you will love these CDs.

pure magic
For my taste, no one comes close to interpreting Satie as superbly as Aldo Ciccolini. He plays with such purity, delicacy and feeling, and strength and power when the music calls for it. My favorite Satie compositions are the "Gnossiennes" and here you get all 6 of these exquisite pieces (most CDs only have the first 3) played to perfection. The enclosed booklet says that "Satie escapes all definition and classification". He was truly one of a kind, inimitable, inspiring...there is a corner of my soul that only Satie can satisfy. On the practical side, this CD set has nearly 2 1/2 hours of music at a great price on amazon.com, and the case has 2 separate sections, not one of those annoying flaps to lift in order to get out the 2nd disc. This is a terrific package from every angle, and if you like Satie, this one's a must to own.

There's only one.
If you're reading this, you've already heard Satie's music, so I needn't to go into that. I do want to say that this is the only recording of Satie that is worth hearing. Ciccolini is the only foot that will fit the Satie glass slipper. Don't waste your money on the ugly step-sisters.