Eric Saties Socrate Essay -- essays research papers fc

IntroductionErik Satie began work on Socrate in 1918. Having been absorbing the scandal of Parade and becoming quite normal in the Salons of the high-society of Paris, he started planning new works. Perhaps Debussys finis in the spring of that year was the final liberation he ask in order to be able to express himself seriously, for sarcasm is much a mask for over-sensitiveness and insecurity.But that spring finally brought Satie great joy. He was invited everywhere, and was well respected by fellow musicians. He was receiving a clean amount of commissions, and no longer had to write cabaret music, which he loathed. Satie took on Socrate, commissioned by the princess de Polignac, with complete seriousness Im stimulate to death of bungling this work. I want it to be as discolor and pure as antiquity.(1) Satie was charmed with Socrates since his school days. He must piddle identified with the Greek philosopher, having also chosen a plain life, hate wealth and materialism, and living by the principles he preached. I always cherished to do something on Socrates, he remarked to Darius Milhaud. Its such an unjust chronicle(2)Satie was a composer who was constantly looking for new directions in his art and re-examining the pagan excesses of the 19th century. Having abandoned the impressionistic harmonies he pioneered in the Sarabandes (1887) for a more than dry style, centered around melody and delicate counterpoint, he hypothesise his aesthetics in 1917Do not forget that the melody is the Idea, the delineate as much as it is the form and the subject matter of a work. The harmony is an illumination, an exhibition of the object, its reflection(3)The first performance of Socrate was given on June 24th 1918, at the home of Jane Bathori, a singer of modern music, followed by a performance at the home of Comte Etienne de Beaumont and other private performances. Stravinsky tended to(p) one of these and remarked The music of Socrates death is touching and dig nifying in a unique way After performing Socrate he Satie turned around at the end and said in perfect Bourgeoisie Voila, messieurs, dames. (4)The first decreed performance of Socrate was given in January 1920. The music raised hot arguments amongst those who loved it and those who thought it ridiculous. Saties reaction Those who do not check are requested by me to assum... ...y that was the real reason he was executed.8 Importance here is used 9 Louis Aragon, Trait du Style, trans. Alyson Waters (Lincoln & adenine London, University of Nebraska Press, 1991)10 By Icon and Iconize I mean the military operation of associating a musical object with an external object, or a heathen image. Debussy creates musical textures which correspond to certain concrete things, such as the sea, the snow, etc. - a highly luxurious and sophisticated version of word-painting. That is the reason wherefore his music can be conceived as programmatic, just like the expressionists, invite out he de als with nature rather than personal drama.11 I view this is the reason every writer who wrote about Socrate sees it completely differently.12 Ornella Volta, Satie Seen by means of his Letters (London, Marion Boyars, 1989), pp. 154.13 This is best exmplified in his 1914 work for piano, Sports et Divertissements.14 Louis Aragon, Irene (lOr du Temps, 1968)15 Jacques Attali, Noise the Political Economy of Music (University of Minnesota, 1985, trans. Brian Massumi)16 Pierre-Daniel Templier, Erik Satie (Cambridge & group A London, MIT Press, 1969, trans. Elena L. French and David S. French), pp. 1021