Since he first began an illustrious career back in the 1970s, the French pianist Pacal Rogé has produced a string of critically acclaimed recordings, and has become known as one of the foremost interpreters of the music of his homeland. On this new hybrid SACD entitled “Crystal Dream”, he combines piano works by two composers who are in many ways worlds apart but whose music share an ethereal quality, late 19th century French composer Erik Satie and the contemporary Japanese composer Takashi Yoshimatsu.
Pascal Rogé was born in Paris in 1951. By the age of 17 was performing at the major concert halls around the world, and has gone on to be one of the major recording artists of the piano repertoire. He is particularly renowned for his interpretations of Chopin and the music of French composers.
Although the composer’s Erik Satie and Takashi Yoshimatsu are from complete different periods and musical cutures, they are both known for defying the musical trend of their own time. Superficially it may appear that their music has very little in common, but despite the fact that Satie was writing in France at the turn of the twentieth century, and the Yoshimatsu is very much a contemporary composer, their music is notable for the way it inspires the imagination.
