Erik Satie: Oeuvres pour piano (Piano Works / KlavierWerke)

French pianist France Clidat made an extensive, and highly acclaimed, series of Liszt recordings in the 1960s and '70s. Here she is playing music that is about as far away from the virtuosic showpieces of Liszt as you could imagine. She is equally successful with Satie, though. Where she gave Liszt brilliance, she gives Satie restraint and poise, and of course his delicious sense of humor. I think this is some of the best Satie playing on recordings anywhere. A more extensive selection of Clidat playing Satie is available as Forlane FRL 16592, a three-disc set. -- Leslie Gerber