In his piano works especially, Erik Satie (1866-1925) was a witty musical caricaturist. The eccentric French composer loved to satirize academic rules in general and the impressionistic titles of Debussy's compositions in particular, giving his own works such surrealistic names as Pieces in Pear Form and Dried Embryos,and annotating them with equally bizarre musical directions: "Tres "neuf heures du matin' " (Very "nine in the morning"), "Corpulentus" (Corpulent), and so on. His comic spirit is equally embodied in the music itself, as this delightful selection of seventeen piano works amply proves. They are as spare, lively and capricious as they are hauntingly melodic. In addition to the well-known Gymnopedies and Gnossiennes, the pieces reproduced here include Sarabandes, Pieces froides,Poudre d'or, En habit de cheval, Morceaux en forme de poire, Embryons desseches, Apercus ddsagreables, Descriptions automatiques and more.
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Sarabandes (1887)
No. 1, 1. No. 2, 4. No. 3, 7.
Gymnopedies [Gymnopaidiai] (1888)
No. 1, 11. No. 2, 15. No. 3, 18.
Trois Gnossiennes [Three Dances of Knosos (？)] (1890)
No. 1, 21. No. 2, 23. No. 3, 25.
Le Fils des Etoiles: Wagnerie Kaldeenne du Sar Peladan
[The Son of the Stars: A Chaldean Wagnery by Sar
Peladan] (1891)
Prelude du ler Acte: La Vocation, 27. Prelude du 2e Acte:
L'Initiation, 29. Prelude du 3e Acte: L'Incantation, 31.
Sonneries de la Rose + Croix ]Trumpet Calls of the Rose
+ Cross] (1892)
Air de l'Ordre, 34. Air du Grand Maitre, 37. Air du
Grand Prieur, 41.
Prelude de La Porte Heoique du Ciel [Prelude to The
Heroic Gate of Heaven] (1894)
Pieces Froides [Cold Pieces] (1897)
Airs a Faire Fuir: I, 46. II, 49. III, 51.
Danses de Travers: I, 54. II, 56. III, 58.
Poudre d'Or [Gold Dust] (c. 1901)
3 Morceaux en Forme de Poire (a 4 mains) avec une
Maniere de Commencement, une Prolongation du
meme & un En Plus, suivi d'une Redite [3 Pieces
in Pear Form (for four hands) with a By Way of a
Beginning, an Extension of the Same, and an In
Addition, followed by a Repetition] (1903)
Maniere de Commencement, 66. Prolongation du Meme,
72. I, 74. II, 76. III, 82. En Plus, 90. Redite, 94.
En Habit de Cheval [In Riding Habit] (four hands) (1911)
Choral, 96. Fugue Litanique, 96. Autre Choral, 100.
Fugue de Papier, 102.
Apercus Deagreables [Unpleasant Observations]
(four hands) (1912)
Pastorale, 108. Choral, 112. Fugue, 114.
Veritables Preludes Flasques (pour un chien) [Genuine
Flabby Preludes (for a dog)] (1912)
Severe Reprimande, 120. Seul e la Maison, 122. On
Joue, 123.
Descriptions Automatiques [Automatic Descriptions] (1913)
Sur un Vaisseau, 125. Sur une Lanterne, 128. Sur un
Casque, 131.
Embryons Desseches [Dried Embryos] (1913)
I: d'Holothurie, 133. II: d'Edriophthalma, 138. III: de
Podophthalma, 140.
Croquis et Agaceries d'un Gros Bonhomme en Bois [Sketches
and Provocations of a Portly Wooden Mannikin] (1913)
No. 1: Tyrolienne Turque, 144. No. 2: Danse Maigre (a la
Maniere de Ces Messieurs), 147. No. 3: Espanana, 150.
Chapitres Tournes en Tous Sens [Chapters Turned Every
Which Way] (1913)
Celle Qui Parle Trop, 154. Le Porteur de Grosses Pierres,
157. Regrets des Enfermes (Jonas.et Latude), 159.
Vieux Sequins et Vieilles Cuirasses [Old Sequins and Old
Breastplates] (1913)
I: Chez le Marchand d'Or (Venise, XIIIe Siecle), 163. II:
Danse Cuirassee (Periode Grecque), 167. III: La Defaite
des Cimbres (Cauchemar), 169.
