SATIE Piano Works

Vol. 3 Sports et divertissements 4 Prc3udesm Je tc veux

Carnet d ' q h ct de crsqrris

Erik Satie (1 866 - 1925) Piano Works Vol. 3

The French composer Erik Satie earned himself a contemporary reputation as an eccentric. Stravinsky later described him as the oddest person he had ever known and at the same time the most rare and constantly witty. His musical innovations proved immensely influential on his nearer contemporaries Debussy and Ravel and on a younger generation of composers and artists in the years after the war of 1914.

Satie was born in 1866 at Honfleur, on the coast of Normandy. His father was at the time a ship's broker, while his mother was of Scottish origin. Something of his later eccentricity seems to have been acquired from his paternal uncle, Adrien Satie, known in Honfleur as a character. The family moved to Paris, but on the death of his mother in 1872 Satie was sent back to Honfleur to the house of his grandparents. Six years later he returned to Paris, where in 1879 he entered the Conservatoire. There he proved an undistinguished and unsatisfactory pupil, lingering on, according to one friend, in order to avoid the obligatory five years of military service. His status as a student allowed him a period of one year in the 33rd Infantry, cut short by a severe attack of bronchitis that he had deliberately courted.

Satie's few months of soldiering were followed by the first publications of his music, two piano pieces, and then a set of five songs, settings of poems by his friend Contamine de Latour, published by his father, who now had a stationer's shop and small publishing business. Inspired by his reading, in the early 1890s Satie came for a time under the influence of the extraordinary Josephin Peladan, self-styled S3r Merodack of the Rose + Croix, an eccentric exponent of Rosicrucianism with whom he had broken by 1892. Eclectic medieval preoccupations led him to establish his own mock religion, the Metropolitan Church of the Art of Jesus the Conductor. Of this he described himself fancifully as Parcier et Maitre de Chapelle, the first title sheer invention, issuing his publication Le cartulaire, in which critical enemies were attacked in appropriate

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style. At the same time, paradoxically, he was involved with Rudolf Salis and his Bohemian cabaret, the Chat Noir. The same years brought contact with Debussy, with whom he remained on good terms in the years that followed, in spite of the latter's tendency to patronise him.

In 1905, after a period in which he had been compelled to earn his living as a cafe pianist and a composer of appropriate music, Satie enrolled as a student at the Schola cantorum, where his teachers included Vincent d'lndy and Roussel. Here he attempted to make up for his technical deficiencies as a composer by a concentration on traditional counterpoint. He completed his studies in 1908, but only began to win some success through the agency of Ravel, who in 191 1 performed the three Sarabandes that Satie had written in 1887, establishing the originality of Satie's early work. The following years brought his compositions before a wider public, but it was through the advocacy of Jean Cocteau that Satie's fame was more firmly established, particularly with collaboration in the Dyagilev ballet Parade, with choreography by Massin and decor by Picasso. The scandal of the first performance, in May 1917, made Satie a hero to a younger group of composers, to be known as Les Six. In 1923, under the inspiration of Darius Milhaud, his collaborator in musique d'ameublement, furniture music, that was not supposed to be listened to, he became the centre of another group of younger composers, the Ecole d'Arceui1, its name derived from the poor and relatively remote district of Paris where Satie lived a life of the utmost simplicity, his room furnished with a chair, a table and a hammock, the last heated in winter by bottles filled with hot water placed below and looking, according to Stravinsky, like some strange kind of marimba. He died on 1st July 1925, after an illness of some six months.

The two early pieces Valse ballet and Fantaisie-valse were written in 1887 and are dedicated to Madame Clement Le Breton and Contamine de Latour respectively. The pieces were published in Musique des families, and described there as Satie's Opus 62, with a nineteen-year-old's pardonable exaggeration. Both pieces were described by their publisher as elegantly done, with a tendency to dreaming and rhythmic asymmetry. Petite ouverture a

danser, written before the turn of the century, is in similar vein, while Je te veux, another waltz, is in origin a music-hall song written for and dedicated to the Montmartre cafe singer Paulette Darty. This is here followed by Premier menuet, a First Minuet.

The three Valses distinguees du precieux dego0t6 (Three Distinguished Waltzes of a Jaded Dandy), written in 1914, have an inescapable literary concomitant. The first of the waltzes, Sa taille (His Figure), is dedicated to Roland Manuel, a young musician whom Satie had met in 191 1 at Paulette Darty's. Satie adds a quotation from Les caracteresof La Bruyere: Those who hurt the reputation or fortune of others, rather than miss a witticism, deserve disgrace andpunishment: that has not been saidand Idare tosayit. The music, spare, as ever, in texture, is accompanied by descriptions of the actions suggested. At first the dandy looks at himself, then hums a fifteenth century tune, before paying himself a restrained compliment: who will dare to say that he is not the most handsome? Is not his heart tender? He puts his hands on his hips and is delighted. What will the pretty marquise say? Wait a moment. She will struggle but will be conquered: yes, madame: is it not written? The second waltz is for Mademoiselle Linette Chalupt and has the title Son binocle, (His Pince-nez). Satie adds a quotation from Cicero's De republics: Our old customs forbade a young man to appear naked in the baths, and modesty thus cast its deep roots in our souls. The performer is told to play very slowly, if he please, and to bend gently, while the action is described: he cleans his pince- nez every day, silver-framed with lens of smoked gold (Don't make a face, he adds, for the pianist). The pince-nez were given him by a beautiful lady (Grow faint), such a nice souvenir, but. . . (In the pit of the stomach). A great sadness comes over ouriend: he has lost the case for his pince-nez. The third waltz is for the poet Reme Chalupt and has the title Ses jambes (His Legs). A preliminary quotation from Cato's De re rustica (On Country Life) is added: The first care of the land-owner, when he arrives at his farm, must be to pay reverence to the house-gods then, the same day, if he has time, he shouldgo round his domain, inspecting the state of the fields, the work finished and that

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notyet complete. The dandy is very proud of his legs: they only dance special dances: they are nice slender legs. In the evening they are dressed in black: he wants to carry them under his arms: they slide along, quite sad. Here they are indignant, very angry (Do not cough): often he kisses them and embraces them: how good it is for them! He absolutely refuses to buy leggings, like a prison, he says (Continue, without losing consciousness).

The Avant-dernieres pensees (Next-to-last Thoughts) has a similar parallel commentary. The first, Idylle, is dedicated to Debussy, with the opening direction to the performer: Moderately, I beg you. What do I see? he brook is all wet and the wood dry and inflammable as sticks: but mv heart is vervsmall. The trees look like great '11-shaped combs, and the sun, likea bee-hive, has fair golden rays: but my heart shivers in fear: the moon has blended with its neighbours and the brook is soaked through to the bone. Aubade, the second piece, is dedicated to Paul Dukas. When the melody is heard in the lower register the performer is told to sing seriously, very down-to-earth. Do not sleep, sleeping beauty: listen to the voice of your beloved: he is plucking the notes of a rigaudon. How he loves you! He is a poet: do you hear him? He is making fun, perhaps? No, he adores you, sweet beauty! He takes up a rigaudon again and a cold. You would not love him? But he is a poet, an old poet! Meditation is dedicated to a third composer of contemporary distinction, Albert Roussel. The poet is shut in his old tower: here is the wind. The poet is meditating, without appearing to: all of a sudden he has goose-flesh. Why? It is the Devil! No, it is not: it is the wind, the wind of the spirit passing by. The poet's head is full of it, of the wind! He smiles wickedly, while his heart weeps like a willow: but the Spirit is present, looking at him with an evil eye, a glass eye. And the poet becomes humble and blushes. He can meditate no more: he has indigestion, from bad blank verse and bitter disillusion!

Carnet d'esquisses et de croquis (Note-book of Drafts and Sketches), an editorial title, includes a series of short pieces written between 1899 and 191 3. These include The Surly Prisoner, sketches for The Great Monkey, fragments of Dreaming for Jack, a little prelude for La mort de Monsieur Mouche (The Death of Monsieur Mouche), the first of two Montmartre pieces, followed by the capers of Gambades.

The four posthumously published preludes were written between 1888 and 1892. The first is a Celebration given by Norman knights in honour of a young airl, an evocation of the eleventh centurv. The second Prelude d'Eainhard. is followed by two Preludes of the ~azare-ne, written in 1892, all threeoriginally incidental music.

Sports et divertissements (Sports and Diversion), written in 1914, includes a number of short pieces, for which a text was provided, to be read between the pieces. The work opens with an Unappetising Chorale, crabbed and cantankerous, written in the morning of 15th May 1914 on an empty stomach. In a preface Satie explains that he has included a sober and apt chorale for the shrivelled up and stultified, a sort of bitter preamble, a way of introducing the work that is austere and lacking in frivolity. With In a Swing, the writer's heart swings and never becomes dizzy: what tiny feet it has! will itwant to come back to my breast? In Hunting we are asked if we hear the rabbit singing: what a voice! the nightingale is in her earth: the owl suckles her young: the wild boar is going to marry, and as for me, I shoot walnuts with a rifle. The Italian Commedia dell'arfe is evoked in Neapolitan style: Scaramouche boasts of the beauties of army life: he says that you learn your way around: you frighten civilians and what romantic adventures and all that! Awakening the Brideopens with the arrival of the wedding procession, voices calling and there are guitars made of old hats: a dog dances with his fiancee. Blind Man's Buff (Colin Maillard) is to be played diminutively. Find him, mademoiselle, the one who loves you is two paces away: how pale he is: his lips tremble. You laugh? He holds to his heart both hands, but you pass him by without suspecting. In

Fishingthere are murmurs of the water at the bottom of a stream: a fish arrives, another, two others. What is it? It is a fisherman, a poor fisherman. Thanks. They all go home, even the fisherman. Murmurs of the water at the bottom of a stream.

Yachtingexclaims on the weather: the yacht dances like a little fool: the sea is out of control: with luck she will not break up on a rock. No-one can control her. I do not want to stay here, says the pretty passenger, it is not amusing: I prefer something else: call me a cab. InSea Bathinsthe sea is wide, madame, at least it is deep enough: do not sit on the bottom,lt is damp: here are some nice old waves: they are full of water: madame, you are all wet: yes, monsieur. In Carnivalconfetti is falling: that one has a sad mask: a drunken pierrot tries to behave: graceful masked ladies come in: people push to see them: are they pretty? Golf, played with enthusiasm, introduces the colonel, dressed in bright green tweeds: he will win: his caddy follows him, carrying his clubs: the clouds are surprised: the holes are all trembling: the colonel is there! See how he prepares his shot: his club breaks in pieces!

The Octopus (La pieuvre) is in her cavern, playing with a crab and chasing it: she swallows it the wrong way, turns pale and steps on her feet: she takes a glass of salt water for her stomach: this drink does her good and makes her feel better. At the Races there is weighing in and buying a programme by the crowd: twenty each way: at the starting-place: they are off. Some go the wrong way: here come the losers, noses up and ears down. With Puss in the Corner (Les Quatre-Coins) the four mice, the cat, the mice tease the cat: the cat stretches and jumps: the cat has her corner. For the cheerful Picniceveryone has brought very cold veal: you have a fine white dress: look, an aeroplane! But no, it is a storm.

On the Water Chute, if you have a strong heart, you will not be too ill: it will seem to you like falling from scaffolding: you will see how strange it is. Look out! Do not change colour. I do not feel well. That shows that you will need some amusement. The Tango is the dance of the devil: it is the dance that he

prefers: he uses it for cooling off: his wife, daughters and servants are cold. Sleighing(Le traineau) starts in bitter cold: ladies nose in furs: the sleigh slides: the countryside is very cold and cannot stay still. In Flitfation they say pretty things, modern things, to one another: am I not pleasing? Let me alone! You have such big eyes. I wish I were on the moon. He sighs. He shakes his head. ~or~ireworki (Le feu d'artifice), how dark it is! a rockG! a blue rocket! everyone admires it: an old man aoes mad: the cluster of liaht! Tennis starts with due ceremony. Play? Yes! good service: what fine legs he has\ What a fine nose! An ace! Game!

Klara Kormendi The Hungarian pianist Klara Kormendi was born in Budapest and studied

under Kornel Zempleni at the Bartok Conservatory, later becoming a student of Peter Solymos at the Liszt Academy, where she received her diploma with distinction in 1967. She enjoyed early success in a number of international competitions, before embarking on a career that has taken her to the major musical centres of Europe, with broadcasts in Vienna, Pads and London, as well as Basle, Cologne, Lausanne and Ljubljana. Klara Kormendi has a wide repertoire, and has always shown particular interest in contemporary repertoire, both Hungarian and foreign. Her recordings for Hungaroton include music by Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen, Luciano Berio and Heinz Holliger. For Naxos she has recorded works by Debussy and Ravel and the complete piano music of Satie.

Erik Satie Klavierwerke Vol. 3

Erik Satie war einer der seltsa'rnsten Voael der aesarnten Musikaeschichte. Ein Selfmade-Man rnit einern Sinn furatzeiden ~ i r n o r , derseine ~ o l l e ~ e n und Zuhorer nicht nur einrnal an den Rand der Verzweifluna brachte: Claude Debussy erteilte ihrn einst den freundschaftlichen Rat, er"- Satie - solle bei seinen Kornpositionen doch ein wenig auf die Form achtgeben. Worauf dieser sich rnit drei Stucken in Birnenforrn fur Klavier zu vier Handen revanchierte; einen Kritiker verglich er brieflich rnit jenern KorperJeil, auf dern Bettler und Gelehrte gleicherrnaOen zu sitzen pflegen, und der Arger war da. Doch selbst ~blehnung und Unverstandnis brach6n ihn nicht v6n seinern eigenartigen Weg ab, der nach und nach den Gang der Musikgeschichte beeinflussen sollte . . .

Erik Satie wurde am 17. Mai 1866 irn franzosischen Honfleur geboren, und er starb am 1. Juli 1925 in Paris. Von 1878 bis 1887 studierte er am renornrnierten Pariser Konse~atoriurn. Als zweiter-Klavierspieler fand er eine Anstellung am Kabarett "Chat Noit' am Montrnartre. Als er auf die 40 zuging, ernpfand er seine bisherigen kunstlerischen Leistungen als unzureichend; er setzte sich wieder auf die Schulbank, urn neben jungeren Studenten zu lernen, wie man richtig kornponiert.

Eins konnten ihrn seine Lehrer freilich nicht austreiben - den zurn Teil recht drastischen Humor und seinen Sinn fur realistische Klanqeffekte. Als er 191 6 sein Ba1lett"Parade"urauffuhren IaOt (dessen ~uhnenbildvon keinern geringeren als Pablo Picasso starnrnt). da kornrnt es zurn denkwurdiaen Skandal. In Paris aber bedeutet das: Satie hat den Durchbruch geschafft."~r ist beruhrnt.

Tatsachlich ist die Wirkung der "Parade" enorrn. Der Schriftsteller Jean Cocteau faOt Saties rnerkwurdige Vorstellungen in Worte, und bald hat der Kornponist eine Reihe geistiger Kinder, die spaterweltberuhrnt werden sollten: Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, Gerrnaine Tailleferre gehoren zu der Gruppe

der "Sechs", die auf der Grundlage des neuen Schonheitsideals eine Musik schreiben, die weder der spaten Rornantik noch dern lrnpressionismus verpflichtet ist.

Die Klavierrnusik von Erik Satie stellt sich als eine Sarnrnlung unterschiedlichster Miniaturen dar: Tanze, Karikaturen, Mogliches und Unrnogliches (wie etwa die "Kalten SMcke" oder die "Flachen Preludes"), lntrovhiert-~editatives und Iarrnender Spotf stehen nebeneinander - und irnrnerfalltauf, daOesin den Stuckensoetwas wieeine regelrechternusikalische Entwicklung eigentlich nicht gibt. Vieles scheint ohne ifa an^ und Ende, wirkt wie aus einern endlosen Strorn ausaeschnitten: dann wieder findet man in sich vijllig gerundete Kleinstforrnate, diejust in dem Moment vorbei sind, wo jeder andere Kornponist rnit der Ausfuhrung des Gedankens beginnen wurde. Manches dauert gerade 15 Sekunden, anderes kann die "enorrne" Spielzeit von 5 oder 6 Minuten erreichen - das sind allerdinqs die Raritaten. Und weil das so ist, tun wires irn Folgenden dern Schopfer d& Kuriositatenkabinetts nach: Wir begnijgen uns rnit Andeutungen, zurnal die teils recht verschrobenen Titel alles notige verraten.

Valse-Ballet, geschrieben urn 1887: eine winzige Tanzszene. Petite Ouverture a danser (Kleine Tanzouvertiire): paOt thernatisch zurn

vorigen Stuck - Augen=Blickliches (1900). Jete veux (Ich will dich): eine recht urnfangreiche Kornposition, jedenfalls irn

Verhaltnis zu'den anderen Werken dieser CD. Satie arbeitete daran von 1897 bis 1904. und das Resultat ist ein Chanson. das man sich aut von Jacaues Brel gesungen denken konnte - irn ~ in ter~rund das unverrnerdliche ~kkordeon.

Premier Menuet (Erstes Menuett): Hier hat sich das "d6pouillernent", die Abhautung, wie Satie diesen Stil nennt, ausgepragt: Alles ijberflussige ist weggelassen, und doch bleibt der Charakter des Menuens erhalten (1920).

Les trois valses distinguees du Precieux degoute (Die drei vornehmen Walzer dessen, der des Wertvollen uberdrussig ist): Hier kann man sich wieder seinen Teil denken, denn die drei Satze heil3en "Seine Taille", "Sein Kneifet" und "Seine Beine". Da fallt einem ein, dal3 Satie selbst so ein selbsthaltendes Brillengestell auf der Nase trug ... (1914).

Avant-dernieres pensees (Vorletzte Gedanken), eine dreiteilige ldeensammlung (1915), deren Titel ihren Spott mit den legendaren "letzten Gedanken" historischer GeistesgroBen treibt. Musikalisch allerdings ganz anders: eine wundersam aufge16ste "ldylle", eine uber unverandef%sturem Dreier gespielte "Aubade" (Standchen), und eine wiederobstinate "Meditation", in der die rechte Hand den Dauerton angibt.

Carnet d'esquisses et de croquis (Heft der Skizzen und Entwurfe), ein wildes Sammelsurium kleinster ldeen und ausfuhrlicherer Gestaltungen aus den Jahren 1897 bis 1914 - hier und da eine kontrapunktische Ubung, dann einfache Klangstudien (Nr. 13: "Harmonies") und viele andere Versuche.

Vier Preludes unterschiedlicher Zeiten, komponiert 1888 (Nr. 1) und 1893 (Nr. 2-4). Zunachst "Ein Fest, das die normannischen flitter zu Ehren einer jungen Dame geben" - Musik, die so tut, als kame sie aus einer Iangst vergangenenzeit. Dannwiederdrei "Rosenkreuzet"-Stucke,die beiden Preludes des Nazareners und "Eginhard, ruhig, verinnerlicht und erstaunlich breit ausgefuhrt. -

Nun aber der Hohepunkt des Programms, die Sports et Divertissements 11 914). dieverrijckte Parade beliebter Soortarten undsonstiger Zerstreuungen. ~m j&e Musiker, die seinen ~om~ositionen nicht besonders wohlgesoinen waren, gleich von Anfang an abzuschrecken, stellte Satie einen "Choral inappetisanl'voran, einen Choral also, bei dem einem der Appetit vergeht. Und dann wird's munter:

La Balan~oire, das gernachliche Schwingen der Schaukel. La Chasse, die Jagd, ist in einer Viertelrninute vorbei. La cornedie italien spielt rnit dezenten Barockanklangen. La reveil de la Mariee, das Aufwecken der Braut, soli ja eine schone Unterhaltung sein - hier klingt es, als habe die Dame einen Alptraum gehabt. Colin-Maillard ist das Blindekuh-Spiel, und so tappt es hilflos ubers Klavier. La PBche, das Angeln - glitzernde Wasseroberflache, vollige Stille. Le Yachting, eine Segelpartie und dernzufolge eine Barcarole. Le bain de rner, das Bad irn Meer - leicht schaurnen die Wellen ans Ufer. Le Carnaval: ein paar rnerkwurdige Gestalten huschen vorbei - bautz. Golf: Tea for Two? Jedenfalls ganz britisch in Knickerbockern, am SchluO wird uber einige Yards geputtet. La Pieuvre (Der AchtfuBer), krakiger Tintenfisch, der seine Arme herurnschwingt. Les Courses, das Wettrennen, spricht fur sich - die Beine arbeiten, die Ellenbogen starnpfen, Sieg: La Marseillaise. Les Quatre-coins, Kamrnerchen vern~ieten, harrnloses Spiel, das wie Pingpong klingt. Le Pique-nique: rnit eir~ern kleinen Ragtime irn Korbchen. Le Water-chute, die Wasserrutschbahn: ganz vorsichtig, langsarn, doch dann nicht rnehr aufzuhalten - platsch! Le Tango, eher eine Habanera ohne Zarah Leander. Le Traineau: Bahn frei, denn hektisch flitzen die Schlitten durchs Gestbber. Le Flirt: Szene vor der Ehe? Verliebt trallert "Au claire de la lune" rnit lockendern Augenaufschlag. Le feu d'artifice, das Feuerwerk, ist eine einzige bunte Rakete; sie schwirrt hoch, platzt auseinander, die Funken spruhen. Le Tennis: Das war rnal eine Unterhaltung, ein Sport - gernachlich treibt's den Ball von A nach B und wieder zuruck; man vergleiche darnit die Brunftschreie auf dern rnodernen Centrecourt. Spiel, Satz und Sieg: Erik Satie.

0 1994 Cris Posslac

Erik Satie L'Oeuvre de Piano, Vol. 3

Le compositeur, ne en 1866 et molt en 1925, restera toute savie un solitaire, meme s'il fonde a fin de son existence la fameuse Ecole dlArcueil en compagnie de jeunes disciples parmi lesquels se trouvait Henri Sauget.

La production de Satie se situe dans un courant oppose aux recherches musicales du debut de siecle. II ne s'interesse ni a I'approfondissement des recherches sur les couleurs orchestrales de Debussy, Ravel et Faure, ni aux larges formes symphoniques de Saint-Saens, d'lndy ou Franck. Ses preoccupations frisent I'ascetisme. Son oeuvre tend vers un depouillement extreme (qui ne neglige cependant ni I'humour ni I'ironie) et peut btre divisee en trois grandes seitions: les pieces de musique "d'ameublement," la musique de cabaret et les pieces de caractere medieval ou mystique.

Les oeuvres reunies ici sont representatives de la fantaisie de Satie: la Petite Ouverture a danser, les Valse Ballet et Fantaisie Valse qui datent de 1885 sont largement impregnees de la gouaille et la rengaine parisienne. La magnifique valse Je te veux fut composee entre 1900 et 1902. Le Premier Menuet est le premier mais aussi I'unique menuet compose par Satie en 1920.

Les Trois Valses du Prdcieux DdgoQtd furent ecrites au mois de Juillet 1914. D'apres Alfred Cortot, ces valses sont comparables auxvalses Nobles et sentimentales de ~aur ice Ravel. Carnet d9~squisses et Croquis est un recueil d'oeuvres faisant partie du cycle des Etudes du cornpositeur.

Avant-dernieres Pensees: Idylle, Aubade, Meditation Ces trois pieces furent composees en 191 5 et correspondent a une epoque

ou Erik Satie souhaite explorer plus avant la composition pour orchestre (il ecrira Parade deux ans plus tard).

Meditation est, contrairement a son titre, jouee "un peu vif" et dediee a Albert Roussel. Aubade, est construite autour d'un chant a la main aauche et d'un motif "pas vite" a la main droite. Paul Dukas en est le dedicatair; Idylleest une piece ecrite pour Debussy, s'articulant autour d'un accompagnement de "basse liee, n'est-ce pas" et de motifs "moderes, je vous prie".

Quatre Preludes: Fetes donnees par les Chevaliers, Prhlude d'Eginhard, Deux prhludes du Nazarhen

Oeuvres mystiques, ces quatre preludes virent le jour entre 1891 et 1895. La rencontre de Satie et du Siir Josephin Peladan, grand maitre de la Rose-Croix catholique du temple et du graal date de 1891. - ~ e compositeur devient alors le Maitre de chaoelle attitre de la Rose-Croix et il ecrit alors des ~ieces illustrant les rites de cette confrerie.

Le premier des preludes FGtes donnees par des Chevaliers normands en I'honneur d'une demoiselle date de 1892. Les Deux preludes du Nazareen furent ecrit pour le Chevalier Nazareen d'Henri Mazel. Le Prelude d'Eginhard, quant a lui, fut ecrit pour une oeuvre d'un auteur non identifie.

Sports et Divertissements Choral inappBtissant, La Balan~oire, La Chasse, La ComBdie-ltalienne, RBveil de la MariBe, Colin-Maillard, La Plche, Yatching, Bain de mer, Carnaval, Golf, Pieuvre, Les Courses, La Marseillaise, Quatre Coins, Pique-nique, Water-chute, Tango, Trarneau, Flirt, Feu d'artifice, Tennis.

Ce recueil de 1914 comporte vingt et une courtes pieces qui peuvent 6tre comparees a des "Polaro'ids", veritables instants musicaux. Sports et Divertissements est preface ainsi: "cette publication est constituee de deux elements artistiques: dessin et musique. La partie dessin est figuree par des traits - des traits d'esorit: la oartie musiaue est reoresentee par des ooints - des points noirs ...". N O U ~ pdurrions m6me ajouter q;'i~ slagit en'fait de "i'integration simultanee de trois dimensions: visuelle, litteraire et sonore". En effet, le recueil est accompagne de dessins de Charles Martin et des commentaires se glissent entre deux portees.

Darius Milhaud estime qu'il s'agit la "des oeuvres les plus caracteristiques de I'ecole francaise". Dans ces pieces se melanaent des rvthmes de raatime. de valse, des j thmes burlesques et figuratifs & balanGdire, de vagues, de match de tennis etc ... 1

0 1994 Solvejg Pollet

SATlE WORKS AVAILABLE ON NAXOS

Piano Works (Complete) Vol. 1

Piano Works (Complete) Vol. 2

Piano Works (Complete) Vol. 3

Piano Works (Complete) Vol. 4

Piano Works (Selection)