What's the deal with Satie not using measures in the Gnossiennes?

[davidjosepha]

Why doesn't he use measure markings in any of the gnossiennes except the 5th? They all (I think) are formatted in a way that would make them easy to divide into measures with a common number of beats. So why doesn't he? Is it some silly statement he's trying to make? Or is there an actual reason?

[j_menz]

There is also no time signature. It's called free time and allows the performer their own discretion re such matters. A number of solutions are available.

Incidentally, only the first three were called Gnossiennes by Satie (and designed as a set), the others were tacked onto the set posthumously by his publisher from a selection of other unpublished works.

[nycsongs]

I think it's just Satie being Satie.
The lack of measures rattled me too, but it's easy to subdivide the music into 4 beat measures with a pencil.

[j_menz]

it's easy to subdivide the music into 4 beat measures with a pencil.

Easy and wrong. 

[thomasmgill]

The six Gnossienne's and pseudognossienne's are pretty clearly written in 4/4, 4/4, 4/4, 3/2, 2/4, and 2/4 respectively.

[iansinclair]

It's easy enough to provide measure markings and time signatures as Thomas said -- but it could be seriously misleading.  There is a tendency when looking at measured music to subconsciously, even if not consciously, to place accents (sometimes very slight, but there) on the beat.  Which is not intended (curiously, the same problem crops up in Renaissance and earlier music and chant, as well).