Satie: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 2 Nicolas Horvath

• Erik Satie (1866 - 1925): Le fils des étoiles:
• 1 Prélude du premier acte (La vocation) 03:53
• 2 Autre musique pour le premier acte 21:28
• 3 Prélude due deuxième acte (L'initiation) 03:25
• 4 Autre musique pour le deuxième acte 20:59
• 5 Prélude du troisième acte (L'incantation) 05:10
• 6 Autre musique pour le troisième acte 18:38
• Fête donnée par des chevaliers normands en l'honneur d'une jeune demoiselle:
• 7 Fête donnée par des chevaliers normands en l'honneur d'une jeune demoiselle 03:08
• Total Runtime 01:16:41

Info for Satie: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 2

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)

Nicolas Horvath, piano

Nicholas Horvath
Considered to be an out-of-the-ordinary artist with an unconventional résumé, Nicolas Horvath began his music studies at the Académie de Musique Prince Rainier III de Monaco. At 16, Lawrence Foster took notice of him in a concert and, securing a three year scholarship for him from the Princess Grace Foundation, was able to invite him to the Aspen Music Festival. After his studies in the École Normale de Musique in Paris, he worked for three years with Bruno-Léonardo Gelber, Gérard Frémy who instilled in him a sensitivity to music of our time as well as Eric Heidsieck, Gabriel Tacchino, Nelson Delle-Vigne, Philippe Entremont and Oxana Yablonskaya. Leslie Howard got to know him and invited him to perform before the Liszt Society in the United Kingdom, dedicating to him his 23rd Etude in Black and White. Thanks to Leslie Howard, Nicolas was able to deepen and supplement his knowledge of the works of Franz Liszt..

A contemporary music enthusiast, he works for Régis Campo, Denis Levaillant, Jaan Rääts, Kazuo Missé, Thérèse Brenet, Frederick Martin... He did world premiere from more than 100 composers and he is the dedicator of more than 50 pieces (concertos, sonatas, etude, toccata, prelude...).

He performs as soloist with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte- Carlo, the Palm Beach Symphony Orchestra, The Kiev Soloists orchestra, the Nice Ensemble Instrumental and in festivals such as the Palm Beach Atlantic Piano Festival, Gabala Piano Festival, BSI Monte-Carlo Music Master, Canto XL, Palais de Tokyo 2nd Season. . Winner of almost a dozen of international competitions, he was awarded 4th Prize and Special Franz Liszt Prize at the Yokohama International Competition which takes place in the famous Minato Mirai Hall; 2nd Prize at Fukuoka which enabled him to participate in the Nishin-Nihon Debut Recital Series; First Prize in the American Protégé which opened the doors for him to Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall...

In 2014, Nicolas Horvath will perform during a single concert, all the 5 Liszt concertos with an original theme -a world premiere- with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leslie Howard. The release of his first cd «Franz Liszt's Christus» (first complete recording at the Hortus Editions) had a great press reception.

He is updating Terry Riley's legendary 'All Night Concerts' with uncompromising avant-garde programs such as the 'Night of Minimal Piano', the 'Complete Philip Glass piano music' or the 'Complete Erik Satie piano music including the Vexations'. He also did a 35 hours solo non-stop version of the Satie's Vexations.

Nicolas is also an electroacoustic composer and enjoy to work with painters and video artists.

Forthcoming projects include the world premiere recording of LaMonte Young cult piece X for Henry Flynt for Sub Rosa, the recording of the complete Philip Glass piano music for Naxos - Grand Piano label, and the complete Erik Satie piano music for Sheva Collection.

Booklet for Satie: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 2