Famous today for his Trois Gymnopédies, Erik Satie was an eccentric and solitary figure who was nevertheless viewed by some as a prophet of French musical modernism, his striking creativity championed by Ravel and Debussy. From tragedy and trauma in his early years, through his time as a pianist and Parisian provocateur at Le Chat Noir cabaret, and as house composer to the mystical Rose+Croix cult and beyond, Satie’s eventful life is told in this fascinating revue of a composer whose unique music is still influential today. The narrative is illustrated with musical excerpts from works including Gymnopédie No. 3, Gnossienne No. 3, Sports et Divertissements, Trois Morceaux en forme de poire and Relâche, among others.
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
1 Introduction 00:09
Satie, Erik
3 Sarabandes: Sarabande No. 2 (excerpt)
2 3 Sarabandes: Sarabande No. 2 (excerpt) 01:03
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
3 On 16 January 1911, French composer Maurice Ravel… 08:16
Satie, Erik
3 Gnossiennes: Gnossienne No. 3 (excerpt)
4 3 Gnossiennes: Gnossienne No. 3 (excerpt) 01:41
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
5 An extract from the third movement of Satie's Gnossiennes… 06:14
Satie, Erik
Valse-ballet (excerpt)
6 Valse-ballet (excerpt) 01:27
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
7 The Valse-ballet was not only Satie's first substantial piece… 02:36
Satie, Erik
4 Ogives: Ogive No. 1
8 4 Ogives: Ogive No. 1 01:45
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
9 In November 1886, Satie left the Conservatoire… 03:12
Satie, Erik
Debussy, Claude - Arranger
3 Gymnopédies: Gymnopédie No. 3 (arr. C. Debussy for orchestra) (excerpt)
10 3 Gymnopédies: Gymnopédie No. 3 (arr. C. Debussy for orchestra) (excerpt) 00:59
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
11 In the spring of 1890, Satie moved higher up… 03:50
Satie, Erik
3 Sonneries de la Rose+Croix: No. 1. Air de l'ordre (version for piano) (excerpt)
12 3 Sonneries de la Rose+Croix: No. 1. Air de l'ordre (version for piano) (excerpt) 01:35
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
13 On 14 August 1892, after a short but intense period… 03:11
Satie, Erik
Vexations (excerpt)
14 Vexations (excerpt) 01:22
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
15 Satie's outward appearance was soon to change… 04:15
Satie, Erik
3 Morceaux en forme de poire (excerpt)
16 3 Morceaux en forme de poire (excerpt) 00:45
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
17 The Pear pieces, finished in November 1903… 01:45
Satie, Erik
En habit de cheval (excerpt)
18 En habit de cheval (excerpt) 01:16
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
19 1911, of course, was the year of the breakthrough concert… 03:57
Satie, Erik
Sports et divertissements: I. Choral inappétissant (Unappetizing chorale)
20 Sports et divertissements: I. Choral inappétissant (Unappetizing chorale) 00:42
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
21 The commission of Sports et Divertissements… 02:01
Satie, Erik
Parade: Petite fille américaine (excerpt)
22 Parade: Petite fille américaine (excerpt) 02:35
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
23 There was quite a commotion at Parade's premiere… 04:05
Satie, Erik
Musique d'ameublement, Set 1: No. 1. Tapisserie en fer forgé (arr. for piano 4 hands)
24 Musique d'ameublement, Set 1: No. 1. Tapisserie en fer forgé (arr. for piano 4 hands) 01:25
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
25 Curiously, the function of Satie's Musique d'ameublement… 03:12
Satie, Erik
Mercure, Scene 3: Le Chaos
26 Mercure, Scene 3: Le Chaos 00:35
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
27 Mercure, like Parade, created quite a stir on its premiere… 03:42
Satie, Erik
Relâche, Act I: Cinéma (excerpt)
28 Relâche, Act I: Cinéma (excerpt) 01:15
Caddy, Davinia - Author
Great Composers in Words and Music - Erik Satie
29 In a sense, critics' response to Relâche… 02:40
Satie, Erik
Relâche, Act II: Petite danse finale (chanson mimée): La queue du chien
30 Relâche, Act II: Petite danse finale (chanson mimée): La queue du chien 00:34
