Working on New Pieces IV

Several posts ago, I had examined the compositional style of Erik Satie. You may recall how I mentioned that he composed three Gnossiennes during 1890. Of course, I had merely assumed that Satie himself composed only three. It just so happens that the eccentric composer wrote another set of Gnossiennes, yet they were not published until 1968!

Composed rather sporadically, Gnossienes 4-6 follow a similar format as the first three. Unlike the Trois Gnossienes of 1890, however, the latter pieces seem a tad more difficult. In Gnossienne No. 4,  large arpeggios in the left hand accompany an mystical melody. This piece does not contain barlines, as expected. Perhaps Satie is making fun of overdramatic passages akin to Romantic piano music.

Gnossienne No. 5, on the other hand,seems more problematical. This is not because of dissonance or formal structur, but rather the rapid passages in the right hand. Despite the fact that this particular piece is slow, it still abounds with 32nd and 64th notes (in addition to odd tuplets). Maybe Satie was trying to imitate the improvisatory manner of French Baroque music. Gnossienne No. 5 is also strange because it was composed in 1889: one year before the first three were published. It also deviates from style because there are barlines (“Gasp!!!”) Lastly, Gnossienne No. 6 seems undecided. It wanders on and on through various keys until it reachs a c minor chord.  To me, this piece sounds like Satie’s first attempt at his set of Pieces Froides (literally, Cold Pieces). I can say that these works will serve as a challenge, but a good one because I love Satie’s music.

~ by compositionalendeavor on August 25, 2010.