First published in 1923, Erik Satie and Charles Martin’s Sports et Divertissements [Sports and Diversions] created a minor stir in the French musical world, if not more than a mere ripple or perturbation. Perhaps this was surprising, since Erik Satie, himself an iconoclastic figure, was already well known for his radically eccentric compositional style, a style only matched by his unorthodox personality and choice of fashion. This “Velvet Gentlemen”, as he was referred to in lieu of his “rather restricted wardrobe which consisted of a dozen identical grey (or beige) velvet (or corduroy) suits” , had already created a sensation in the French musical scene with witty and satirical pieces bordering on the ridiculous such as Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear (1903) and Vexations (1893?). As to why the former was titled so, Satie was reported as saying that “If they are en forme de poire [in the form of a pear] they cannot be shapeless” ; as for the latter, Satie’s performance directions dictated that the work was to be performed 840 times – exactly to the point of vexation.
and
Sports et divertissements (Sports and diversions), 21 pieces for piano (1914) 1. Choral inappétissant 2. La Balancoire 3. La Chasse 4. La Comédie Italienne 5. Le Réveil de la Mariée 6. Colin-Maillard 7. La Pêche 8. Le Yachting 9. Le Bain de mer 10. Le Carnaval 11. Le Golf 12. La Pieuvre 13. Les Courses 14. Les Quatre-Coins 15. Le Pique-nique 16. Le Water-chute 17. Le Tango 18. Le Traîneau 19. Le Flirt 20. Le Feu d'Artifice 21. Le Tennis Yitkin Seow, piano Sports et divertissements is a collection of 21 pieces for piano. These pieces are miniatures, and they combine music, poetry, calligraphy, and art in a charming and intimate way. Each piece in this set is very short, none more than four lines long, and each is accompanied by a small poem, and by Satie's irreverent verbal commentary.
His strange sparse scores, often written without bar lines in red ink are peppered with whimsical instructions : "Light as an egg", "Here comes the lantern", "Open your head", "Muffle the sound", "With astonishment", "Work it out yourself", etc.
Some of Satie's eccentricities. Here are a few :
* In his one-room apartment Satie had two pianos. One placed on top of the other, their pedals interconnected.
* His room must have been pretty crowded, for it also contained his collection of over 100 umbrellas !
* Satie once bought 12 grey velvet suits at the same time. He used one suit at a time until it was worn out, then he put on a new one.
When he died, there were 6 suits left in his room, along with his 100 umbrellas.
* When Satie was criticised for writing music without form, he immediately composed "Trois Morceaux en forme de poire" (Three Pear-shaped Pieces. They are piano duets).
* Satie's eccentricity lives on !
His 180 notes long composition Vexations, directed to be repeated 840 times, was recorded in 1963 in New York. It took a relay team of 10 pianists over eighteen hours to perform. The longest piece ever written.
...
nice version.
convert this clip to MP3 and you have Sports and Divertissements alone.
5/2/11
Satie....Dada-Cubist-Surrealist
First published in 1923, Erik Satie and Charles Martin’s Sports et Divertissements [Sports and Diversions] created a minor stir in the French musical world, if not more than a mere ripple or perturbation. Perhaps this was surprising, since Erik Satie, himself an iconoclastic figure, was already well known for his radically eccentric compositional style, a style only matched by his unorthodox personality and choice of fashion. This “Velvet Gentlemen”, as he was referred to in lieu of his “rather restricted wardrobe which consisted of a dozen identical grey (or beige) velvet (or corduroy) suits” , had already created a sensation in the French musical scene with witty and satirical pieces bordering on the ridiculous such as Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear (1903) and Vexations (1893?). As to why the former was titled so, Satie was reported as saying that “If they are en forme de poire [in the form of a pear] they cannot be shapeless” ; as for the latter, Satie’s performance directions dictated that the work was to be performed 840 times – exactly to the point of vexation.
and
Sports et divertissements (Sports and diversions), 21 pieces for piano (1914) 1. Choral inappétissant 2. La Balancoire 3. La Chasse 4. La Comédie Italienne 5. Le Réveil de la Mariée 6. Colin-Maillard 7. La Pêche 8. Le Yachting 9. Le Bain de mer 10. Le Carnaval 11. Le Golf 12. La Pieuvre 13. Les Courses 14. Les Quatre-Coins 15. Le Pique-nique 16. Le Water-chute 17. Le Tango 18. Le Traîneau 19. Le Flirt 20. Le Feu d'Artifice 21. Le Tennis Yitkin Seow, piano Sports et divertissements is a collection of 21 pieces for piano. These pieces are miniatures, and they combine music, poetry, calligraphy, and art in a charming and intimate way. Each piece in this set is very short, none more than four lines long, and each is accompanied by a small poem, and by Satie's irreverent verbal commentary.
His strange sparse scores, often written without bar lines in red ink are peppered with whimsical instructions : "Light as an egg", "Here comes the lantern", "Open your head", "Muffle the sound", "With astonishment", "Work it out yourself", etc.
Some of Satie's eccentricities. Here are a few :
* In his one-room apartment Satie had two pianos. One placed on top of the other, their pedals interconnected.
* His room must have been pretty crowded, for it also contained his collection of over 100 umbrellas !
* Satie once bought 12 grey velvet suits at the same time. He used one suit at a time until it was worn out, then he put on a new one.
When he died, there were 6 suits left in his room, along with his 100 umbrellas.
* When Satie was criticised for writing music without form, he immediately composed "Trois Morceaux en forme de poire" (Three Pear-shaped Pieces. They are piano duets).
* Satie's eccentricity lives on !
His 180 notes long composition Vexations, directed to be repeated 840 times, was recorded in 1963 in New York. It took a relay team of 10 pianists over eighteen hours to perform. The longest piece ever written.
...
nice version.
convert this clip to MP3 and you have Sports and Divertissements alone.
