Eric Saties Socrate Essay -- essays research papers fc

Introduction Erik Satie began work on Socrate in 1918. Having been absorbing the scandal of Parade and becoming quite popular in the Salons of the high-society of Paris, he started planning new works. Perhaps Debussy’s death in the spring of that year was the final liberation he needed in order to be able to express himself seriously, for sarcasm is frequently 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 fair 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: ‘†¦I’m frightened to death of bungling this work. I want it to be as white and pure as antiquity.’(1) Satie was charmed with Socrates since his school days. He must have identified with the Greek philosopher, having also chosen a plain life, despising wealth and materialism, and living by the principles he preached. ‘I always wanted to do something on Socrates,’ he remarked to Darius Milhaud. ‘It’s such an unjust story!’(2) Satie was a composer who was constantly looking for new directions in his art and re-examining the cultural excesses of the 19th century. Having abandoned the impressionistic harmonies he pioneered in the Sarabandes (1887) for a more dry style, centered around melody and delicate counterpoint, he formulated his aesthetics in 1917: ‘Do not forget that the melody is the Idea, the outline; 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†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(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 attended one of these and remarked: ‘†¦The music of Socrates’ death is touching and dignifying in a unique way†¦ [After performing Socrate] he [Satie] turned around at the end and said in perfect Bourgeoisie: †Voila, messieurs, dames.† †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(4) The first â€Å"official† performance of Socrate was given in January 1920. The music raised hot arguments between those who loved it and those who thought it ridiculous. Satie’s reaction: â€Å"Those who do not understand are requested by me to assum... ...y that was the real reason he was executed. 8 Importance here is used 9 Louis Aragon, Traità © du Style, trans. Alyson Waters (Lincoln & London, University of Nebraska Press, 1991) 10 By â€Å"Icon† and â€Å"Iconize† I mean the process of associating a musical object with an external object, or a cultural 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 why his music can be conceived as programmatic, just like the expressionists, except he deals with nature rather than personal drama. 11 I believe this is the reason every writer who wrote about Socrate sees it completely differently. 12 Ornella Volta, Satie Seen Through 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 (l’Or 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 & London, MIT Press, 1969, trans. Elena L. French and David S. French), pp. 102 1