Belle de Nuit

Satsuki Shibano is one of Japan’s most serious interpreters of Satie. Her lifelong obsession with the composer started in 1977 when, while still studying at a music university, she saw a recital of his music at an art museum. She approached the event organizer and asked to be introduced to the pianist, Jean-Joël Barbier, who saw her promise and brought her to Paris for two and a half years of study. Upon returning to Japan, she played her own recital — it was the start of her journey to become the premier interpreter of Satie in her own country. At first, she mostly played it straight, in a style extremely similar to her mentor; eventually, she would find her own voice. On Belle de Nuit, Shibano has over three decades of experience under her belt as she tackles what many consider to be Satie’s most serious pieces. The Nocturnes are notable for containing none of his regular eccentricities — no wacky notation or off-the-wall instructions. Haunting electronic interludes by Shibano’s close collaborator Yoshio Ojima follow each Nocturne, punctuating her performance with a darkness befitting the somber atmosphere.