Nicolas Horvath - Satie: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 2 (2018)

This is the second volume of a momentous new recording of Erik Satie’s complete solo piano music using Satie scholar Robert Orledge’s new and entirely revised Salabert Edition. Composed as incidental music to the pastoral drama set in Chaldea in 3000 BC by French novelist Josephine Péladan, Le Fils des étoiles is one of Satie’s longest scores and rarely heard in its entirety. Fête donnée par des chevaliers normands en l'honneur d'une jeune demoiselle (XIe siècle) invokes the spirit of medieval plainsong. This landmark edition is played on Cosima Wagner's own 1881 Erard piano, Satie’s instrument maker of choice. Recognized at once as a great interpreter of Liszt’s music, Nicolas Horvath became in recent years one of the most sought after pianists of his generation. Holder of a number of awards, like the First Prize of the Scriabin and the Luigi Nono International Competitions, he frequently organizes events and concerts of unusual length, sometimes over twelve hours, such as Philip Glass complete piano music or Erik Satie’s Vexations.

“This recording is really unique and special because for the very first time Le Fils des étoiles has been performed on a piano from Satie's time and his own instrument maker of choice. Therefore, you could say that this album reconstructs what Satie must have had in mind when he composed this piece – that eerie sound quality, so uncommon and removed from a modern Steinway that somehow flattens the sounds of this weird and wonderful music. In addition, this recording presents the new Salabert corrected version, so double novelty, a double treat! Finally, the liner notes, thanks to Robert Orledge, are simply fantastic, full of unknown information and trivia about Satie!” (Nicolas Horvath)

Tracklist:
01. Le fils des étoiles: Prélude du premier acte (La vocation)
02. Le fils des étoiles: Autre musique pour le premier acte
03. Le fils des étoiles: Prélude due deuxième acte (L'initiation)
04. Le fils des étoiles: Autre musique pour le deuxième acte
05. Le fils des étoiles: Prélude du troisième acte (L'incantation)
06. Le fils des étoiles: Autre musique pour le troisième acte
07. Fête donnée par des chevaliers normands en l'honneur d'une jeune demoiselle