NUIT ERIK SATIE (1866–1925)
LIVE AT THE PHILHARMONIE DE PARIS
NICOLAS HORVATH
‘The idea of doing these “complete” concerts came from Heinrich Neuhaus’ The Art of Piano Playing. Leslie Howard advised me to perform all the compositions of each composer to be able to really understand their world. I started to do this type of concert in 2011 in Honfleur with Erik Satie’s music. I performed it in Milan, Perpignan, Kiev, Nantes, Le Mans...and the night before the Paris Philharmonie, I did the very same concert in Palermo: the only moment I could sleep was during the trip from Palermo’s Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele to the Paris Philharmonie. I can really say that I was breathing Satie’s music!
Curiously, and unlike everything I had prepared, or even in my very own recordings – performing all of a composer’s music with no break at the very same concert takes you to unexpected territories. I was very surprised at the risks I took from time to time, both musically and technically. But listening to the whole eight hours of musical evolution makes clear that each decision was a logical part of a larger unity, as it was mirrored in other later pieces.
It was a most memorable night!’ – Nicolas Horvath
