Anyone here ever work on Erik Satie material ?

[hfmadopter]

I never have but my neurologist and I went into overtime yesterday discussing music, piano and guitar at my appointment. I was the last patient of the day and he was really enjoying getting into the discussion. My appointment ran a half hour over. He actually brought up a bit of Satie on his computer. Kind of Clementi like, maybe more open but yet dissonant music.

Might be some tough rhythm work in it. I might like to try some of this along the way.

Any experience with Satie out there ? Any piece suggestions to break into it with ?
David

[p2u_]

Satie [...] Any piece suggestions to break into it with ?

I would start with his Trois Gymnopédies and his Gnossiennes.

Of course, there are less elegant pieces, such as his Le Fils des Etoiles

Top tracks for Satie on YouTube

The one that was Clementi-like must have been his Sonatine Bureaucratique

Paul

[unholeee]

i quite enjoy this one Trois Morceaux en forme de poire; Manière de commencement

as well as his gnossienne 4 and 1.

[musikalischer_wirbelwind_280]

His 'Sarabandes' as well as his 'Sonneries de la Rose-Croix' are also, IMHO, worth checking out 

Regards,
Musikalischer Wirbelwind

[redbaron]

Gymnopedie No 1 and Gnossiene No 1 are probably the most famous pieces and both absolutely delightful. Je te veux is a personal favourite of mine. It is known mainly as a song but it also exists in piano solo form.

[hfmadopter]

Gymnopedie No 1 and Gnossienne No 1 are probably the most famous pieces and both absolutely delightful. Je te veux is a personal favourite of mine. It is known mainly as a song but it also exists in piano solo form.

I'm liking Gymnopedie No1 and 2 very much and I see me doing them well.

How about Nocturne No 1 as a follow up along the way ?  I love this piece !

I have not looked up Je te veux as yet but will.

He wrote some delightful music. Some seems very transparent to play perhaps ? In that I mean as is often the case in open melody music, no room for error as all sounds are exposed in some of his music. Lovely though.
David

[p2u_]

He wrote some delightful music. Some seems very transparent to play perhaps?

At home, almost anything goes because there are practically no indications. If you play in a concert hall, however, that is filled with trained Satie-listeners, then other rules apply. I'll give you a link to a discussion of some of the problems in Satie's music: The Satie problem.
P.S.: Pianists that are considered to play the music by Satie very well are Reinbert de Leeuw and Aldo Ciccolini. Personally, I can't say I like either of them for the whole of Satie's output. Some things are good by one, disappointing when played by the other, etc.

Paul

[hfmadopter]

At home, almost anything goes because there are practically no indications. If you play in a concert hall, however, that is filled with trained Satie-listeners, then other rules apply. I'll give you a link to a discussion of some of the problems in Satie's music: The Satie problem.
P.S.: Pianists that are considered to play the music by Satie very well are Reinbert de Leeuw and Aldo Ciccolini. Personally, I can't say I like either of them for the whole of Satie's output. Some things are good by one, disappointing when played by the other, etc.

Paul

I see Paul, it seems there is some complication then. I have to say that an expression indication mentioning a song bird with a tooth ache would certainly take a bit of pondering to pull off correctly !
David

[49410enrique]

i love this piece, to me it most paints the picture of a smokey parisian bar or perhaps a cafe (he did play lots of cafe gigs i believe). 

its not terribly complicated basic boom cha cha rhythm drives most of the piece, just make sure to really focus on a full singing legato in the melody since it is essentially a 'sung piece' but for solo piano here.

[p2u_]

I have to say that an expression indication mentioning a song bird with a tooth ache would certainly take a bit of pondering to pull off correctly !

Pooling the tooth out may turn out to be more of a practical problem.

Just one of the possible strategies: Let's say the mood is
doloroso = sorrowful (the bird is in pain, right?), which is a regular term in other music.
Your only problem now is to determine the quality of sound; still the beautiful sound of a singing nightingale or more of a squeak? Here you have artistic freedom, I think.

Paul

[hfmadopter]

i love this piece, to me it most paints the picture of a smokey parisian bar or perhaps a cafe (he did play lots of cafe gigs i believe). 

its not terribly complicated basic boom cha cha rhythm drives most of the piece, just make sure to really focus on a full singing legato in the melody since it is essentially a 'sung piece' but for solo piano here.

Yes, I agree. Also reminds me of Waltzes I played on my accordion many many years ago  with that beat, nice. I had hit on this performance in my search but thanks for the link also.  She seems at one point to be noticeably enjoying playing it, maybe it's just the view at that point and she enjoyed it all along !

I like music that sings, music to me needs to sing to be satisfying. For one thing I can not sing so the piano must.
David

[hfmadopter]

Pooling the tooth out may turn out to be more of a practical problem.

Just one of the possible strategies: Let's say the mood is
doloroso = sorrowful (the bird is in pain, right?), which is a regular term in other music.
Your only problem now is to determine the quality of sound; still the beautiful sound of a singing nightingale or more of a squeak? Here you have artistic freedom, I think.

Paul

I understand what you are saying. I guess what I need to do is get a piece of his music and see where it leads me/learn what it's about. Then I can come back and pick you people's brains along the way.

David

[49410enrique]

Yes, I agree. Also reminds me of Waltzes I played on my accordion many many years ago  with that beat, nice. I had hit on this performance in my search but thanks for the link also.  She seems at one point to be noticeably enjoying playing it, maybe it's just the view at that point and she enjoyed it all along !

I like music that sings, music to me needs to sing to be satisfying. For one thing I can not sing so the piano must.
David

you might also like ayumi's  intepretation, i like this video especially since she always shoots in hd and gives a 'birds eye' view of the keybarod synced perfectly with the video of the performance.  im a  bit more partia to this one, i like the slower relaxed feel, has that 'french i'm not in a particular hurry' feel to it.

[ Invalid YouTube link ]
for best effect bump the resolution to the 720P, she plays ona super nice bosey here

[drkilroy]

I like Trois valses distinguées du précieux dégoûté very much. The pieces are about the waist, binoculars and legs of certain jaded dandy.

Best regards, Dr