Yundi Li: Chopin
Deutsche Grammophon, 2002
“>www.deccaclassics.com
Life for a Rossini tenor 100 years ago meant certain extinction. With its repertoire of diverse and highly demanding roles written for the superstars of his day, Rossini nearly guaranteed that future generations of opera-goers would hear only a handful of his 39 operas. Over the last few decades, however, a steady stream of performers have risen to the challenge, particularly, Peruvian Juan Diego Florez, who has proven himself one of the brightest stars.
While many of his contemporaries still sidestep some of Rossini’s most bewildering and difficult roles, Florez, with his brilliant technique, seems to revel in them, holding nothing back, creating the characteristic Rossini excitement and tossing off high Cs and Ds with abandon.
Songs of Angels
Gautier de Coincy, Decca 2002
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Largely ignored untill recorded for the first time by his friend Poulenc in 1950, Erik Satie was considered somewhat of an eccentric by his overstuffed “old school” contemporaries, an oddball who sought to create a more simple and direct musical experience free from the grandiose concepts of other composers.
He was a born rebel, collaborating with key players of the avant-garde like Picasso, Cocteau and Diaghilev, to bring both classic and contemporary facets of music together. Uninhibited by conservatory training, Satie broke any rule that didn’t suit his needs omitting even bar lines if necessary and providing the most intriguing and esoteric performance instructions: “in yellowed velvet”, “without pride”, “with the tips of the back teeth”.
He earned his living giving private lessons and by playing in Le Chat Noir, a Montmarte café where the influences of music-hall and ragtime made their way into many of his compositions. The result is very personal music which leaves lots of room for interpretation by pianists who have slowly come around to appreciating his esoteric virtuosity.
Fellow Frenchman Jean-Yves Thiboudet is one of the latest and The Magic of Satie is a selection of new recordings that will eventually encompass all of Satie’s piano work into a boxed set for release in Spring 2003. Highlights include the popular Gymnopédies and the phlegmatic, atmospheric Gnossienne works.
