Satie's Orchestral Music might not hold as much importance as his contributions into solo piano music, but they do give a solid look into the composer's knack for the audacious and eccentricities.
But I would only come to this recording if you can't get your hands on the 2-disc recording on Vanguard with Maurice Abravanel.
The Utah Symphony Orchestra is more secure, although having this French ensemble gives the music a different texture, and Abravanel's connections with Les Six is an interesting historical aside.
Otherwise, aspart from some loose ensemble moments, this recording will do for those on a budget, or want Satie heard slightly underplayed.
Satie's orchestral music is definitely music to be heard though, if not music to live with. I can only take so much of Satie's music at one time, so perhaps I am not the viewpoint of the Satie lover.
A review from 2021French composer Erik Satie is a cheeky composer. He has all the quirky wit of Poulenc, and the fluffy lightness of Offenbach, but none of the modernism of Milhaud or Honegger. Satie doesn’t perhaps have the inherent tunefulness of the former two, but he does tend toward the audacious and unexpected, alongside some dance-hall sensibilities, that you hear from many of these 20th Century French composers.
And that is what is missing from these particular performances on Naxos. The wonderful liner notes set up Satie’s eccentric character and his offbeat music, but the Lyric Symphony Orchestra of Nancy doesn’t revel in the rough edges of his personality. Kaltenbach does have the French ensemble giving full measure to Satie's many, and very specific, articulations; just none of the eye-twinkling that goes with it.
Parade has all of the strange effects: sirens, typewriters, tugboat horns (here recorded), an odd synthesizer (which sounds out of place in this recording). Plus, the circus gymnastics inherent in the oft-returning waltz is a lot of fun, but the orchestra never lives on the edge, as this music wonts to do.
The orchestrated GymnopĂ©dies are hushed and atmospheric, perhaps Satie’s living legacy in melodiousness and French style. Here we have the Debussy orchestrations of the 1st and 3rd, plus another of the 2nd that usually gets left off of recordings with orchestra. It is particularly interesting to hear the percussion choices each make in adapting these piano miniatures to symphonic voices.
The ballets Relâche and Mercure have the same endless frothiness of Parade, and it all becomes rather wearying to listen to in one sitting. Luckily, each portion of these ballets only last around 1-minute each, so nothing overstays its welcome; but neither does it hook me as a listener either.
This is an OK introduction to the orchestral music of Satie, but one should really start with Maurice Abravanel. Abravanel had a special relationship with the composers of Les Six, and lends an air of authority to these works. In addition to having the Utah Symphony diving head first into this music, the liner notes there are written by Darius Milhaud, a member of this 20th Century French group of artists, and the package is overall preferable to this Naxos recording.
Naxos’ sound isn’t too bad, though. The French orchestra is not the most virtuosic, and often times there are noticeable ensemble moments that aren’t very put together. The lightest of recommendations, but I would go for Abravanel for this music.
Listen on YouTube
Works
Parade (15.34)
Mercure (14.19)
Relache + Cinema (31.59)
Trois Gymnopedies (9.00)
Performers
Lyric Symphony Orchestra of Nancy
Jerome Kaltenbach, conductor
Label: Naxos
Year: 1999
Total Timing: 71.03
I ditched this recording shortly after hearing it. Suffice to say, Abravanel gives much more, and I would point listeners that way.
Still, this is music to hear, and while the performances are underplayed, Naxos does include a few items not easily found elsewhere, and it can still be enjoyed by those on a fixed income or want to dip their toes into Satie's orchestral music.
Not by me though... mine was tossed to the moat!
Find more Satie recording HERE!
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