The Allegro is a brief piano piece by Erik Satie. Dated September 9, 1884, when Satie was 18, it is his earliest known composition. It also marked the first time he signed his given name as "Erik" instead of "Éric".[1][2]
In 1884 Satie was still struggling through his unhappy studies (1879-1886) at the Paris Conservatoire, which he later described as a "penitentiary".[3] Significantly, he produced the Allegro - his first surviving attempt at composing - not as a student exercise but on his own, during a summer holiday visit to his native Honfleur in Normandy. It was the only music he would ever compose in his hometown.[4]
The breezy, irony-free optimism of the nine-bar Allegro is uncharacteristic of Satie's subsequent work.[5] It is a musical postcard of sorts, quoting the well-known song Ma Normandie (1836) by Frédéric Bérat. A snatch of the refrain, the lyrics of which are "J'irai revoir ma Normandie" ("I long to see my Normandy"), is discreetly worked into the middle of the piece. Biographer Mary E. Davis saw this early instance of musical borrowing as a "surprising glimpse of Satie's future compositional style" and added, "The musical reference, clear enough to be audible by any listener familiar with the tune, creates an allusion to both song and place, thus deepening the experience beyond the purely sonic realm into the arena of memory and nostalgia."[6]
In his book Satie the Bohemian (1999), Steven Moore Whiting asserted that this bit of juvenilia revealed "no precocity whatever...an isolated case of allusion to popular repertoire, and an utter lack of awareness how to proceed beyond a promising start."[7] Pianist-musicologist Olof Höjer, on the other hand, found it more technically interesting, noting how Satie deliberately compressed an already minuscule piece through the use of a short bridge passage.[8]
The existence of the Allegro was unknown for nearly a century before it was discovered amongst Satie's papers at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Facsimiles of the manuscript were first published by Alan M. Gillmor (1972)[9] and Nigel Wilkins (1980).[10] Three performance versions, edited by Robert Orledge, were issued by Salabert between 1995 and 1998.[11] The Allegro was given its concert premiere by pianist Giancarlo Carlini at the Teatro di Porta Romana in Milan, Italy, on April 12, 1980.[12] It was first recorded by Jean-Pierre Armengaud for the Le Chant Du Monde label in 1986.
Recordingsedit
Recordings of the Allegro have been primarily confined to comprehensive editions of Satie's piano music: Aldo Ciccolini (EMI, 1988), Olof Höjer (Swedish Society Discofil, 1996), Jean-Yves Thibaudet (Decca, 2002), Cristina Ariagno (Brilliant Classics, 2006) and Alessandro Simonetto (OnClassical, 2021) who made an unedited version with an originally deleted passage.[13][14]
Referencesedit
^Steven Moore Whiting, "Satie the Bohemian: From Cabaret to Concert Hall", Clarendon Press, 1999, p. 64, note 10.
^Mary E. Davis, "Erik Satie", Reaktion Books, 2007, p. 20.
^Pierre-Daniel Templier, "Erik Satie", MIT Press, 1969, pp. 7-8. Translated from the original French edition published by Rieder, Paris, 1932.
^Robert Orledge, "Satie the Composer", Cambridge University Press, 1990, p. 11. With the exception of the Allegro, all Satie's works were written in Paris or in the Parisian suburb of Arcueil, Satie's home from 1898 until his death.
^Olof Höjer, notes to "Erik Satie: The Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1", p. 12, Swedish Society Discofil, 1996.
^Mary E. Davis, "Erik Satie", Reaktion Books, 2007, p. 20.
^Steven Moore Whiting, "Satie the Bohemian: From Cabaret to Concert Hall", Clarendon Press, 1999, pp. 63-65.
^Höjer, notes to "Erik Satie: The Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1", p. 12.
^Alan M. Gillmor, "Erik Satie and the Concept of the Avant-Garde", Ph.D thesis for the University of Toronto, 1972. Cited by Orledge, "Satie the Composer", p. 372.
^Nigel Wilkins (ed.), "The Writings of Erik Satie", Eulenburg Books, London, 1980, p. 19.
^"Formats and Editions". WorldCat.org. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
allegro, satie, allegro, brief, piano, piece, erik, satie, dated, september, 1884, when, satie, earliest, known, composition, also, marked, first, time, signed, given, name, erik, instead, Éric, erik, satie, 1884, contents, description, recordings, references,. The Allegro is a brief piano piece by Erik Satie Dated September 9 1884 when Satie was 18 it is his earliest known composition It also marked the first time he signed his given name as Erik instead of Eric 1 2 Erik Satie in 1884 Contents 1 Description 2 Recordings 3 References 4 External linksDescription editIn 1884 Satie was still struggling through his unhappy studies 1879 1886 at the Paris Conservatoire which he later described as a penitentiary 3 Significantly he produced the Allegro his first surviving attempt at composing not as a student exercise but on his own during a summer holiday visit to his native Honfleur in Normandy It was the only music he would ever compose in his hometown 4 The breezy irony free optimism of the nine bar Allegro is uncharacteristic of Satie s subsequent work 5 It is a musical postcard of sorts quoting the well known song Ma Normandie 1836 by Frederic Berat A snatch of the refrain the lyrics of which are J irai revoir ma Normandie I long to see my Normandy is discreetly worked into the middle of the piece Biographer Mary E Davis saw this early instance of musical borrowing as a surprising glimpse of Satie s future compositional style and added The musical reference clear enough to be audible by any listener familiar with the tune creates an allusion to both song and place thus deepening the experience beyond the purely sonic realm into the arena of memory and nostalgia 6 nbsp Satie s birthplace in Honfleur now a museumIn his book Satie the Bohemian 1999 Steven Moore Whiting asserted that this bit of juvenilia revealed no precocity whatever an isolated case of allusion to popular repertoire and an utter lack of awareness how to proceed beyond a promising start 7 Pianist musicologist Olof Hojer on the other hand found it more technically interesting noting how Satie deliberately compressed an already minuscule piece through the use of a short bridge passage 8 The existence of the Allegro was unknown for nearly a century before it was discovered amongst Satie s papers at the Bibliotheque nationale de France Facsimiles of the manuscript were first published by Alan M Gillmor 1972 9 and Nigel Wilkins 1980 10 Three performance versions edited by Robert Orledge were issued by Salabert between 1995 and 1998 11 The Allegro was given its concert premiere by pianist Giancarlo Carlini at the Teatro di Porta Romana in Milan Italy on April 12 1980 12 It was first recorded by Jean Pierre Armengaud for the Le Chant Du Monde label in 1986 Recordings editRecordings of the Allegro have been primarily confined to comprehensive editions of Satie s piano music Aldo Ciccolini EMI 1988 Olof Hojer Swedish Society Discofil 1996 Jean Yves Thibaudet Decca 2002 Cristina Ariagno Brilliant Classics 2006 and Alessandro Simonetto OnClassical 2021 who made an unedited version with an originally deleted passage 13 14 References edit Steven Moore Whiting Satie the Bohemian From Cabaret to Concert Hall Clarendon Press 1999 p 64 note 10 Mary E Davis Erik Satie Reaktion Books 2007 p 20 Pierre Daniel Templier Erik Satie MIT Press 1969 pp 7 8 Translated from the original French edition published by Rieder Paris 1932 Robert Orledge Satie the Composer Cambridge University Press 1990 p 11 With the exception of the Allegro all Satie s works were written in Paris or in the Parisian suburb of Arcueil Satie s home from 1898 until his death Olof Hojer notes to Erik Satie The Complete Piano Music Vol 1 p 12 Swedish Society Discofil 1996 Mary E Davis Erik Satie Reaktion Books 2007 p 20 Steven Moore Whiting Satie the Bohemian From Cabaret to Concert Hall Clarendon Press 1999 pp 63 65 Hojer notes to Erik Satie The Complete Piano Music Vol 1 p 12 Alan M Gillmor Erik Satie and the Concept of the Avant Garde Ph D thesis for the University of Toronto 1972 Cited by Orledge Satie the Composer p 372 Nigel Wilkins ed The Writings of Erik Satie Eulenburg Books London 1980 p 19 Formats and Editions WorldCat org Retrieved 4 June 2023 Orledge Satie the Composer p 268 Satie Early Works Sarabandes Gnossiennes Gymnopedies amp Pieces froides Spotify Allegro PDF imslp eu Retrieved 4 June 2023 Portals nbsp Music nbsp FranceExternal links editSatie Allegro on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Allegro Satie amp oldid 1158444290, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
