Timed to coincide with the centenary of the French composer’s death, Satie Surprises is noteworthy for many things, including the absence from Christina Bjørkøe’s hour-long recital of his ever-popular Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes.
While their inclusion would have been in no way objectionable, it’s refreshing to see the Denmark pianist fashioning a programme featuring pieces less commonly presented. The listener beguiled by the lyrical tenderness of the music might be surprised to discover how eccentric Satie (1866-1925) could be. A multi-faceted portrait emerges from Torben Enghoff’s in-depth liner notes, which, by his own admission, are less about the pieces presented on the recording and more Satie’s life and music.

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