Preludes/Gnossiennes

Fazil Say (piano)

Perhaps because their piano music was so different, Satie and Debussy were close friends from the time of the Gymnopédies onwards and whereas Satie’s titles here look back to ancient Greek civilisation, Debussy derived the individual preludes in his first collection from more contemporary literature, art or nature. But, like Satie, he wanted to make them look different in publication and placed their titles at the end, although he must have realised that once played, their titles would never be forgotten.

With the repertoire of his new album, Fazil Say emphasis the relationship between Debussy and Satie: perhaps because their piano music was so different,  Satie and Debussy were close friends from the time of the Gymnopédies onwards, and we know they discussed their contemporary compositions during their weekly meetings.

Debussy:
 Preludes - Book 1

Satie:
 Six Gnossiennes
 Gymnopédie No. 1
 Gymnopédie No. 2
 Gymnopédie No. 3

"Given Fazil Say’s proclivities for interpretative monkeyshines, I’m happy to report that the pianist largely exhibits good behaviour throughout this recital. To be sure, unorthodox touches abound…Say does not try to oversell his deliberate, statuesque conceptions, which are further enhanced by the roomy and resonant acoustic."
Gramophone Magazine - Awards Issue 2018