Cellist Clare O’Connell introduces her new kickstarter campaign
The creation of three new luminous contemporary works for cello by three outstanding female composers to be recorded on my next album.
This Kickstarter campaign is to raise money to pay for the commissions of three brand new works by outstanding female composers: Emily Hall, Emilie Levienaise Farrouch and Natalie Klouda, all to be recorded with the record label NMC on an album celebrating 21st century music for solo cello, and cello and electronics. On top of that, Natalie’s piece will receive its world premiere in the Wigmore Hall on International Women’s day, March 8th 2024.
It launches on 7 March and runs until 6 April 2023.
This will be the first solo cello album that NMC has supported, and we want it to be as uplifting and as experimental as possible, focussing on sharing the feeling of lightness, and lifting up with audiences, something very close to my heart and deeply relevant given the challenges of the past few years.
I am passionate about creating and sharing beautiful and moving musical experiences with people, both live and recorded, and I’m committed to raising up and collaborating with new artistic voices. So I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Emily, Natalie and Emilie, whose work will be represented alongside works by leading composers Edmund Finnis, Alex Mills and Nick Martin.
I also believe in paying performers and creators fairly for their work and the creativity that goes into it – it ensures greater equality, diversity, and freedom in art and thought.
This is where you come in! If you want to see experimental contemporary music created, if you want to see composers and musicians paid fairly for their work, if you want to hear new music for solo cello, if you want to support composers and performers exploring creative freedom and risk-taking, if you think music is one of the essential ways we connect with each other as fellow humans… then I would love to welcome you as a supporter.
Every donation made is crucial in bringing this new music to life and I’m incredibly grateful for your support.
REWARDS
I am offering some really beautiful rewards for donations in this campaign, all linked with the music to be created.
They include printed scores of the new compositions, dedications crediting donors in the printed scores, exclusive downloads of music by the composers played by Clare, one to one cello lessons and even a live house concert!
I’m hugely grateful to my friends and colleagues David Le Page, Clara Sanabras, Susi Evans and Jack McNeill & Liam Byrne for offering to donate copies of their own CDs towards the campaign.
Also to wonderful artist Luke Hannam for his generosity in allowing me to make a limited edition print of a sketch he made of me as I was developing ideas behind this body of music, and to photographer Yvonne Catterson for her artistry and whose stunning imagery will be used in the final album artwork.
My maternal grandmother was a professional pianist and teacher, so my mother and her sisters played a bit and my parents loved classical music in particular, so I grew up surrounded by music. I started playing the piano at around aged 6 and I have a very vivid memory of my piano teacher, her house and her beautiful grand piano.
This first teacher was incredibly strict and rather scary, but I loved my piano lessons despite her rather formidable demeanour, and I loved practising. I never had to be reminded to practice, but my siblings often begged my mother to ‘please make her stop now!’ My first piano was a battered old upright but I loved it and just wanted to play constantly so as a result I progressed very quickly, but I think my siblings were relieved when my parents decided to create a downstairs bedroom for me so that my piano could be moved in there and I could play until my heart was content without disturbing everyone else!
Who were your most memorable/significant teachers?
I have been incredibly lucky to study with some wonderful pianists and teachers, both in regular lessons and in masterclasses and workshops, including Graham Fitch, Artur Pizarro, Noriko Ogawa, Leslie Howard, Phillip Fowke, to name just a few. I have learned so much from each one and am fascinated by their individual approaches to the piano. I have often found it a good idea to take different works to different pianists, especially if they are renowned for recording and performing the works of that particular composer.
I think that world renowned pianist and teacher Graham Fitch is a truly wonderful teacher and his approach to effective practice and endless suggestions for ways of working through tricky phrases and passages is invaluable. There is no one quite like Graham in the world of piano teaching, he really is an inspiration both as a pianist and a teacher.
Who or what inspired you to start teaching?
I always knew that I wanted to be a musician, right from the very first time I touched the piano, and I think that my inspiration to teach came from the many wonderful teachers I have had and their gift for sharing the music in such an inspirational way.
The piano is such a huge part of my life and of me, it is something which has brought me much joy and which has also helped me through some very difficult times. The piano feels like a gift that needs to be shared with others and teaching always felt like a natural progression to me. I was very keen from a reasonably young age to pursue qualifications which would enable me to understand how to teach others to play this wonderful instrument.
Who or what are the most important influences on your teaching?
Interestingly, I think this has changed over the years as I have gone through various stages on my musical journey. I have always loved to continue to learn alongside my teaching and I would say that Graham Fitch is perhaps one of the greatest influences of my later teaching career. As well as the wealth of knowledge that Graham possesses, his lessons are delivered in a most respectful and generous way, he is sharing not ‘telling’, he is also a consummate professional and I really admire and love everything about his teaching style.
Your most memorable or significant teaching experiences?
Over my 40 year teaching career I have had many memorable and significant experiences, some are as simple as a student having a lightbulb moment when you explain or demonstrate articulation or phrasing in a certain way, or the look on their face when they are finally able to play the piece that has challenged them, musically and fluently, others are the big moments when a student passes an audition for a place at music college, plays a wonderful concert, passes a diploma or wins a class in a festival. I increasingly find that the simple moments are as significant and as much of a privilege to be part of as the big moments, after all it is the small steps on a student’s musical journey which will lead to the bigger achievements.
I do feel very privileged to be able to teach some wonderful students and to watch them progress over the years, some have gone on to have careers in music and for others music and the piano have become embedded into their lives in such an important way that I can honestly say that all my teaching experiences have felt memorable and significant.
What are the most interesting or challenging aspects of teaching adults?
I really do enjoy teaching adults, I find that most adults usually come to lessons well prepared and enthusiastic, ready to learn. However, adults can sometimes be very impatient with themselves, and a little self-critical particularly if they are juggling busy careers and home lives with trying to fit in time to practice. I often find that those with high flying careers can find it quite hard if progress is slow as they are used to a high level of success in their careers.
I particularly enjoy teaching advanced adult amateurs, I find that they tend to work very hard and are extremely dedicated to their practice and progress.
What do you expect from your students?
I do expect my students to practice and I am rather unbending on this! I realise that there are weeks when due to school or work commitments it can be really challenging to find time, but in all honesty, without effective practice, there will be no, or very minimal progress, and I am really clear about this with my students from the outset.
Effective practice can happen even when time is tight, and my lessons do focus on showing students how to practice effectively so that they can get the most of the practice time they have and progress well.
I also expect students to listen to music, to attend concerts and to turn up to their lessons ready to play and to learn.
What are your views on exams, festivals and competitions?
Exams, festivals and competitions need to work for the student, by that I mean that they can be a very important part of a student’s musical journey, but we have to use them in an appropriate manner and at an appropriate time, they are not the end goal, they are steps along the way, sometimes very helpful ones should the student wish to study for exams, perform in a festival or enter a competition. Equally, they do not suit everyone.
If a student is aiming for a career in music, then exams, festivals and competitions will likely need to be part of their journey. I believe that it is very much our job as teachers to know what our students may be capable of and to advise them accordingly, a student needs to be more than a really good performer to enter competitions, they need to be ready for them emotionally and mentally, as teachers, being as sure as we can be that this is the case is vital, as it can make the difference between a student enjoying a wonderful performance opportunity, or having their confidence damaged if they are not ready or do not have the emotional resilience.
If a student is ready for exams, festivals and competitions then these can be wonderful opportunities and a great experience for the student, however we really need to know our students and how they may cope with the pressure.
One of my huge bugbears in piano teaching is when an exam syllabus is used as a curriculum and a student goes merrily from one exam to another, I find that using exams in this way is soul destroying and totally unmusical, the piano has such extensive repertoire and we should be introducing our students to that rather than sticking rigidly to a graded exam syllabus, we do our students a huge disservice if we do this, quite honestly I find it to be an incredibly lazy way of teaching.
What are your thoughts on the link between performance and teaching?
I think that it is really important for piano teachers to be able to perform, even if this is no longer a regular part of their career, it is important that they understand how to
perform, after all, how can we teach our students to do something which we cannot or have never done ourselves. I realise that not all piano teachers perform regularly, quite often because the teaching aspect of their career leaves little time for the demands of performance, but to have done so is important. Performance is an art and one which we need to have knowledge and experience of to be able to advise our students on all the complexities it entails.
Who are your favourite pianists/pianist-teachers?
Most of my favourite pianists and pianist-teachers have been mentioned in earlier questions, most are people I have been lucky enough to study in some way with, Graham Fitch, Artur Pizarro, Leslie Howard, Noriko Ogawa, Phillip Fowke, Chenyin Li for example.
Murray Perahia is one of my all-time favourite pianists too, I especially love his Bach. Steven Kovacevich’s Schubert too is a must for me. Piers Lane is another favourite as are Marta Argerich and Daniel Barenboim.
I also love listening to Horowitz, Artur Rubinstein, Cortot and Arrau.
I could probably go on…
What’s the one thing we’re not talking about in the piano teaching world which you really think we should be?
The fact that anyone with even the most minimal knowledge of piano playing and perhaps none of teaching, can set up as a piano teacher is one thing that we really need to talk about. I wrote about this recently in one of my blog posts and it really did cause quite a stir, many were not happy to discuss this and some were offended by my raising the subject, however, I do feel that it needs to be discussed, and widely so, as there are far too many students who are having their technique and understanding of piano playing damaged by people who really should not be able to call themselves piano teachers.
Guildhall School alumni Lorraine Augustine is the granddaughter of a professional pianist and grew up surrounded by music, beginning formal piano lessons at a young age and knowing from the very first lesson that playing the piano was the only thing she really wanted to do.
Lorraine went on to achieve Diplomas in Performance and Teaching and to study with Pianists such as Graham Fitch, Noriko Ogawa, Artur Pizarro and Leslie Howard and holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Performance Teaching from Guildhall School.
Lorraine is a regular Adjudicator for Piano Festivals and competitions including the annual Junior Clementi Competition.
As the Royal Choral Society prepares to sing Handel’s Messiah on Good Friday, one of London’s great Easter traditions, I spoke to conductor Richard Cooke about his influences and inspirations, and how one keeps a work like Messiah fresh and exciting after conducting it for over 25 years.
Who or what inspired you to take up conducting and pursue a career in music?
I was a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral from the age of 8 to 13. Some pieces we sang as anthems really inspired me, especially Recordare from Mozart’s Requiem, (which we sang in English to a truly terrible translation – *see below). This became my favourite piece of music from the age of 8, and it still is one of them. Also movements from Brahms’ Requiem, which I used to ‘conduct’ whilst listening to my mother’s record player. Seemed like fun.
Who or what are the most significant influences on your musical life?
Those five years at St. Paul’s were massively formative, though the choir was really not good! I could sight-sing music from the age of 11. I then had 4 years in Cambridge singing in King’s under David Willcocks, and after that I was teaching at Tiffin School for seven years. My colleague David Nield who was Director of Music (I was Director of Choral Music) made a huge and transformative impact on my life.
What, for you, is the most challenging part of being a conductor? And the most fulfilling?
My musical life has been choral conducting. The great challenge is to be an orchestral conductor when choirs sing concerts with orchestras. I try to conduct choirs ‘orchestrally’ so that they think that way when it all comes together. The most fulfilling thing is to come away from conducting a great work and feel good. Rare! There is usually something I would wish to have done better – it can be only a moment, but it’s there.
As a conductor, how do you communicate your ideas about a work to the orchestra?
Talk as little as possible. Show them what you want and be faithful to what one considers were the composer’s intentions.
Tell us more about the experience of conducting Handel’s Messiah…..
How do you keep such a well-known, well-loved work fresh for both performers and audience, especially in a large venue like the Royal Albert Hall?
This is the same for any professional. I saw an actor being interviewed about how he felt performing Hamlet 25 times and that was the same. You have to make each performance as unique as it is for the audience. This is easy. I have been fortunate to conduct this concert every year for about 27 years and I tell myself and the choir that it has to reach the audience as if it were brand new each time. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is wonderful in this respect too. I feel it has become bigger for me with the passing years.
What for you are the particular pleasures and challenges of conducting Messiah?
One has different soloists to engage with which is (nearly) always a pleasure, and the work slowly rises to its climactic end – particularly so in the Royal Albert Hall. That final 30 minutes is an inspirational and uplifting experience every time.
The main challenge is the choral writing in Part 1 where the choir is exposed to fast semiquaver ‘runs’ without orchestral support. From the beginning of Part 2 to the very end of Part 3, the strings play these demanding passages with the choir, and the support they provide is always reassuring. Mozart ‘solved’ this problem in his re-harmonised version of Messiah by giving all the fast-running sections in Part 1 to the soloists, with the choir joining only at the very end of each chorus. The only real challenge after that is never to coast along on ‘automatic pilot’.
Is there one work which you would love to conduct?
There are several I would like to return to, all of which are hugely expensive, including Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts and Damnation of Faust. A work which I wished I had been able to do is Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher (Joan of Arc at the Stake), but promoters just smile when they see how much it would cost!
Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in?
I love conducting in the Royal Albert Hall and Canterbury Cathedral, though each has its challenges with the acoustic. I have other favourites – Birmingham, Bridgewater Hall, Liverpool, Gothenburg. A very beautiful venue for concerts is Lund Domkyrkan (Cathedral) in Sweden. I conduct a concert there each summer.
What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?
The direct reply to that has to be preparing the music and how one is going to interpret it, assuming you are not looking for an answer like ‘take a cold shower’ or ‘walk up a Scottish Munro’.
What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music audiences?
A massive and prolonged revolution in schools. I work with children and it is the most inspirational thing to see how they engage when challenged. Schools are very under-nourished in music, and children are underestimated. Music provision has been declining for decades and there is a misconception that classical music is elitist. Becoming an elite performer does not make it ‘elitist’. There are elite sportspeople. I don’t think Joe Root or Marcus Rashford are elitist but they are elite.
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
Um…..I’m enjoying still being able to do what I do and have done for my whole life. My hobby is my career and whether I am successful or not is for others to judge.
What advice would you give to young or aspiring conductors/musicians?
I don’t presume to advise other than to say that you have always to prepare and work as much as is needed to master in detail whatever you aspire to.
What’s the one thing we’re not talking about in the music industry which you feel we should be?
The inadequacy of classical music provision in state schools and the value and enhancement it brings to children’s lives and well-being.
Where would you like to be in 10 years’ time?
Where I am now. Maybe optimistic!
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Not sure but I’m perfectly happy
What is your most treasured possession?
Apart from family and friends I don’t really have one, but it feels special when I dig out a great score like Beethoven Missa Solemnis to prepare for another performance.
What is your present state of mind?
Sober
*Final stanza of Recordare from Mozart’s Requiem, early Novello edition:
“In thy favor’d sheep’s position
Keep me from the goat’s condition,
On thy right complete fruition”.
(I’m quite sure that if I had sung these words as an adult, the last word by many around me would have been change to ‘coition’.)
Richard Cooke conducts the Royal Choral Society in Handel’s Messiah on Good Friday, 7th April, at the Royal Albert Hall. The choir, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary, has performed Messiah every Good Friday since 1876. Only the 1940 Blitz and the 2020 Covid pandemic have prevented the performance of one of the UK’s favourite choral works.
Richard Cooke was appointed Conductor of the Royal Choral Society in 1995, becoming Music Director in 1998, and has appeared with us in many concerts in the Royal Festival and Royal Albert Halls. Most notable of these have been their annual Good Friday performances of Handel’s Messiah, and spectacular Christmas Carol concerts. He has directed concerts with the RCS in the cathedrals of Peterborough, Winchester, Salisbury and Southwark. He has also recorded Orff’s Carmina Burana with the RCS together with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
I am aware that this is a very contentious issue/question for many; however it is something I personally feel very strongly about and believe that it should be addressed and discussed widely within the profession.
To that effect, in preparation for my article, I posed the question on an online piano forum as to whether or not piano teachers ought to have achieved a minimum level of piano specific qualifications in teaching and/or performance before setting themselves up as piano teachers, and whether or not the profession should be regulated to ensure that teachers do have the minimum piano specific qualifications.
The post drew some pretty strong reactions, and I must admit I was very surprised at the number of piano teachers who strongly disagreed with me. However, there were many who strongly agreed, one of whom is eminent concert pianist and Professor of Piano, Karl Lutchmayer, who has kindly agreed to share his thoughts and views for this article below:
“Would you send your child to a ‘paediatrician’ who only had an A level in biology? Of course not, and neither would you be able to because it is a regulated profession. Yet, anyone can set up as a private music teacher. As such, every year, professionally qualified music teachers take on students who have been poorly taught and have to put them through the utterly disappointing process of unlearning bad teaching. This may turn the student off music entirely, and occasionally, particularly at higher levels of study, the student has endured long-term psychological or physically damaged that will seriously undermine their future learning. Yet, as long as the first teacher has done nothing illegal there is no way to prevent them doing the same to hundreds of other students.
Such a situation would be intolerable in other forms of teaching. Various commentators point out that there are bad qualified teachers. This is certainly true, and only means that regulation should set the bar higher, particularly with CPD, than it is at the moment, it is not a reason to avoid regulation. Others point out the cost for teachers, but such regulation is required, for instance, for osteopaths who bear the cost as part of their costs. Would you really want osteopathy without regulation? If we are going to accept that bad teaching can cause both psychological and physical damage, then the lack of the requirement for a regulatory body is not only bizarre, it is a derogation of our duty of care as professionals educators..”
I wholeheartedly agree with Karl. Like many piano teachers I regularly inherit transfer students from other teachers, and whilst many have been well taught, and have strong foundations on which to build, at least an equal number have not. The majority of those students who come to me with poor technique, notes written in the score, no idea about phrasing, articulation, tone production, balance and voicing etc, have been taught by unqualified teachers. By this I mean people who have set themselves up as a teacher with a very minimum level of skills themselves, perhaps a playing level of below even grade 5 standard, and very little understanding of the instrument and its repertoire, nor of pedagogy or andragogy.
Sadly, many of these students will not have realised that their teacher does not have the necessary skills required in order to help them build the strong foundations they will need to be able to play the piano well, and by the time they transfer to a teacher who does they are already frustrated at not being able to play the repertoire which they are learning as they lack the technical and musical skills to do so, unfortunately many find the task of rebuilding those foundations too daunting and will give up. I find that incredibly sad as they will have started out with enthusiasm and joy for the piano.
To add to my concerns, I frequently see job advertisements stating ‘piano teachers required, no qualifications or experience necessary’ this is a very worrying situation and not only will lead to more poor teaching and the increased risk of physical injuries due to poor technique, but it seriously undermines our profession.
Every interview I have ever attended has required me to perform and to teach to a panel of highly qualified professionals, followed by rigorous questions on technique, repertoire, my entire teaching ethos and also questions on child protection/ safeguarding issues. This is in addition to evidencing my qualifications and experience, so for me this is answers the argument that others are raising about qualifications not guaranteeing good teaching, they don’t always, but evidencing them in some way, and a requirement to undergo CPD goes a long way towards doing so.
As Karl mentions, other professions require qualifications and have a system of ensuring that standards are upheld. For example, I have recently completed a Coaching course at Guildhall School of Music and Drama where I teach piano, the course is not specific to piano but I have a great interest in studying and in a wide range different educational approaches so I decided to delve deeper into the coaching approach. On completion of this course I received a certificate from GSMD, but to gain the Foundation level qualification I must now complete another 20 hours of coaching which I must record and send for assessment, then this will be submitted to the EMCC for accreditation, if I did not pass then I would need to complete further training and resubmit an application to gain my qualification. This qualification still does not mean that I would be a qualified Coach, the ‘coaching’ which I have experience of within my teaching does not count at all for this qualification, I must evidence that I am competent in order to call myself a Coach. This first course is just a start, I must then complete another course and another 100 hours of (non paid) coaching practice before I can give myself the title of coach. Do I think this is wrong or unfair, no absolutely not and I believe that a similar system would work well for piano teachers.
Another example is that I sing and have done so all my life – from madrigal groups to London theatre choirs and bands; I have been in many professional shows within these choirs but I would never attempt to teach singing lessons. I know how to use my own voice but I do not have the first clue of how to teach someone else to use theirs so it would be morally and professionally wrong of me to try and do so.
There are other professional issues which are really important to consider, one of which is that without professional status it would be more difficult to obtain public liability insurance and the enhanced DBS certificate along with the necessary child protection/safeguarding training that one should have if teaching children one to one in private practice. It will also not be possible to belong to a professional body such as the ISM as a professional member with private teacher status.
Finally, unfortunately because anyone can set themselves up as a piano teacher, it does lead to us being seen as having a lovely ‘hobby job.’ There is much discussion in the press and within music education in general of how music continues to be downgraded, how it is seen as unimportant and more as an add on hobby than a serious subject. By continuing to allow this situation of unqualified piano teachers setting up to continue are we not perpetuating this school of thought?
I am proud of my career and my hard-earned qualifications, I continue to study not only because I am passionate the piano and my lifelong journey with it as a player and teacher, but because I strongly believe that we owe it to our students to offer the very best teaching we can give them because the students, the music and the piano deserve no less.
This article first appeared on Lorraine Augustine’s blog
Lorraine Augustine is a Pianist, teacher and adjudicator based in Bedfordshire, with over 40 years’ experience of teaching and performing she teaches piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and runs a busy private practice in Bedfordshire.
Due to work commitments, I am finding it harder to produce regular, meaningful articles for this site.
However, I don’t want the site to lie fallow, and for this reason I am inviting guest posts. I’m afraid there is no payment for guest articles, but your writing will be shared with a social network of c13,000 followers and an average monthly blog readership of c25,000.
Guest articles can be:
Reviews of concerts, opera, recordings, music-related books (fiction and non-fiction) and other music-related events/activities (e.g. courses, workshops etc.) or products.
Opinion/”think” pieces on music-related subjects, including the music industry, music education etc.
At The Piano interview – specifically for piano teachers (sample here)
Piano Notes interview for amateur pianists (samples here)
An essay in six variations Written by GPT-3 and Howard Smith
The six essays below were written by an Artificial Intelligence called GPT-3. In the final essay, Satie speaks in his own voice and composes a poem reflecting on the influences of his work. The AI-generated essays were guided by Howard Smith, a human. Howard only had to give the briefest of instructions to the remarkable AI. Such ‘generative’ systems are making waves across the world. GPT-3 is but a taste of what’s to come. Humankind will shortly have many new AI companions.
Howard Smith is the human author of Note For Note, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.Howard is also the author of an experimental book on the topic of Climate Change. The 180 page book was written by GPT-3 in response to questions posed by Howard. The two collaborators ‘wrote’ the book in just 12 hours. The work was self-published 6 days later and is now available via Amazon worldwide. In Conversation with GPT-3: An AI On Climate Change is a taste of what’s ahead for anyone working in any creative field.
One of 30 images generated by DALL*E 2 in response to a prompt by the author: A painting in the style of Dada art of the composer Erik Satie and a ticking clock
And now, dear friends, the essays:
Version 1
Human in italics. All else written by an AI.
Write an essay about the music of Erik Satie. Concentrate on explaining the musical influences and genres that led to Satie’s unique style. Also cover the way Satie’s music influenced composers that followed him.
Erik Satie was a French composer and pianist known for his unique and unconventional musical style. He was born in 1866 and began composing music at a young age. Throughout his career, Satie experimented with a wide range of musical genres and influences, which ultimately led to the development of his distinctive style.
One of the major influences on Satie’s music was the impressionism movement in art. Impressionist painters, such as Monet and Degas, were known for their use of light and color to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. Satie similarly sought to evoke a sense of atmosphere in his music through the use of harmonic and melodic color. He often employed unconventional harmonies and dissonant chord progressions to create a sense of tension and dissonance.
Another important influence on Satie’s music was cabaret and café-concert culture. These venues were popular in Paris during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and featured a wide range of musical styles, including folk songs, popular songs, and vaudeville. Satie was heavily influenced by the playful, irreverent, and often satirical spirit of these performances, and he incorporated elements of cabaret and café-concert music into his own compositions.
Satie’s music also drew inspiration from other genres, including folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. He was particularly interested in the use of simple, repetitive rhythms and melodies, which he often incorporated into his music to create a sense of hypnotic and meditative states.
Satie’s unique and unconventional musical style had a significant influence on composers that followed him. Many of his techniques and ideas were adopted and adapted by other composers, particularly those working in the field of minimalism. Satie was one of the first composers to use repetitive rhythms and simple harmonies, techniques that would become central to the minimalist style. He was also an important influence on the development of ambient and experimental music.
In conclusion, Erik Satie’s music was shaped by a wide range of musical influences and genres, including impressionism, cabaret and café-concert culture, folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. His unique and unconventional style had a significant influence on composers that followed him, particularly in the field of minimalism and experimental music. His music still continues to be celebrated and performed today.
Version 2
Improve the essay please by including some quotes by Erik Satie.
Erik Satie was a French composer and pianist known for his unique and unconventional musical style. He was born in 1866 and began composing music at a young age. Throughout his career, Satie experimented with a wide range of musical genres and influences, which ultimately led to the development of his distinctive style.
One of the major influences on Satie’s music was the impressionism movement in art. Impressionist painters, such as Monet and Degas, were known for their use of light and color to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. Satie similarly sought to evoke a sense of atmosphere in his music through the use of harmonic and melodic color. He often employed unconventional harmonies and dissonant chord progressions to create a sense of tension and dissonance. In his own words, Satie stated “I have found it necessary to get rid of all the parts that everyone likes and keep all those which no one likes”
Another important influence on Satie’s music was cabaret and café-concert culture. These venues were popular in Paris during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and featured a wide range of musical styles, including folk songs, popular songs, and vaudeville. Satie was heavily influenced by the playful, irreverent, and often satirical spirit of these performances, and he incorporated elements of cabaret and café-concert music into his own compositions. He once said, “I am a country whose boundaries are the imagination.”
Satie’s music also drew inspiration from other genres, including folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. He was particularly interested in the use of simple, repetitive rhythms and melodies, which he often incorporated into his music to create a sense of hypnotic and meditative states. His music was described as being “inventive and original” by himself.
Satie’s unique and unconventional musical style had a significant influence on composers that followed him. Many of his techniques and ideas were adopted and adapted by other composers, particularly those working in the field of minimalism. Satie was one of the first composers to use repetitive rhythms and simple harmonies, techniques that would become central to the minimalist style. He was also an important influence on the development of ambient and experimental music.
In conclusion, Erik Satie’s music was shaped by a wide range of musical influences and genres, including impressionism, cabaret and café-concert culture, folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. His unique and unconventional style had a significant influence on composers that followed him, particularly in the field of minimalism and experimental music. His music still continues to be celebrated and performed today. Satie’s own words offers a glimpse into his artistic vision, his revolutionary approach and his enduring legacy.
Version 3
Can you extend the essay by listing some of Satie’s best loved music. Place the list of works at the end of the essay.
Erik Satie was a French composer and pianist known for his unique and unconventional musical style. He was born in 1866 and began composing music at a young age. Throughout his career, Satie experimented with a wide range of musical genres and influences, which ultimately led to the development of his distinctive style.
One of the major influences on Satie’s music was the impressionism movement in art. Impressionist painters, such as Monet and Degas, were known for their use of light and color to create a sense of atmosphere and mood. Satie similarly sought to evoke a sense of atmosphere in his music through the use of harmonic and melodic color. He often employed unconventional harmonies and dissonant chord progressions to create a sense of tension and dissonance. In his own words, Satie stated “I have found it necessary to get rid of all the parts that everyone likes and keep all those which no one likes”
Another important influence on Satie’s music was cabaret and café-concert culture. These venues were popular in Paris during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and featured a wide range of musical styles, including folk songs, popular songs, and vaudeville. Satie was heavily influenced by the playful, irreverent, and often satirical spirit of these performances, and he incorporated elements of cabaret and café-concert music into his own compositions. He once said, “I am a country whose boundaries are the imagination.”
Satie’s music also drew inspiration from other genres, including folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. He was particularly interested in the use of simple, repetitive rhythms and melodies, which he often incorporated into his music to create a sense of hypnotic and meditative states. His music was described as being “inventive and original” by himself.
Satie’s unique and unconventional musical style had a significant influence on composers that followed him. Many of his techniques and ideas were adopted and adapted by other composers, particularly those working in the field of minimalism. Satie was one of the first composers to use repetitive rhythms and simple harmonies, techniques that would become central to the minimalist style. He was also an important influence on the development of ambient and experimental music.
In conclusion, Erik Satie’s music was shaped by a wide range of musical influences and genres, including impressionism, cabaret and café-concert culture, folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. His unique and unconventional style had a significant influence on composers that followed him, particularly in the field of minimalism and experimental music. His music still continues to be celebrated and performed today. Satie’s own words offers a glimpse into his artistic vision, his revolutionary approach and his enduring legacy.
Some of Satie’s best known works include:
“Gymnopédies” (1888)
“Sports et divertissements” (1914)
“Vexations” (1893)
“Socrate” (1918)
“Parade” (1917)
“Three pieces in the form of a Pear” (1903)
“Avant-dernières pensées” (1911-1915)
“Furniture Music” (Musique d’ameublement) (1917)
“Sonatine bureaucratique” (1908)
“Véritables préludes flasques (pour un chien)” (1913)
Version 4
Rewrite the essay please, in a writing style that Satie might have used.
My dear friends, let me regale you with tales of my musical endeavors. I, Erik Satie, have always been drawn to the unconventional, the unorthodox. I sought to challenge the status quo and to push the boundaries of what is considered to be “music.”
The movement of Impressionism, with its emphasis on light and color, has had a profound influence on my compositions. I strive to evoke a sense of atmosphere and mood through the use of harmonic and melodic color. I often employ unconventional harmonies and dissonant chord progressions to create a sense of tension and dissonance. As I have said before, “I have found it necessary to get rid of all the parts that everyone likes and keep all those which no one likes.”
The cabaret and café-concert culture of my beloved Paris have also had a great impact on my music. The playful, irreverent, and often satirical spirit of these performances has been a constant source of inspiration for me. I have incorporated elements of cabaret and café-concert music into my own compositions, always seeking to push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. As I have said, “I am a country whose boundaries are the imagination.”
I have also been heavily influenced by the simplicity and repetition found in folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. These have all played a role in my quest to create music that evokes hypnotic and meditative states. My compositions have been described as “inventive and original,” and I take great pride in that.
My unique and unconventional style has had a significant influence on composers that have followed me. My use of repetitive rhythms and simple harmonies, for instance, have become central to the minimalist style. And I have also been an important influence on the development of ambient and experimental music.
In conclusion, my dear friends, my music is the product of a wide range of influences and genres. I have always sought to challenge the status quo, to push the boundaries of what is considered to be “music.” And I will continue to do so, for as I have said, “The essential thing is to invent.” And with that, I bid you adieu, and hope that you will enjoy my compositions.
Some of my most notable works include:
“Gymnopédies” (1888)
“Sports et divertissements” (1914)
“Vexations” (1893)
“Socrate” (1918)
“Parade” (1917)
“Three pieces in the form of a Pear” (1903)
“Avant-dernières pensées” (1911-1915)
“Furniture Music” (Musique d’ameublement) (1917)
“Sonatine bureaucratique” (1908)
“Véritables préludes flasques (pour un chien)” (1913)
Version 5
Rewrite the essay once again to make it sound like Dada art.
Ladies and gentlemen, behold the absurdity of my musical creations. I, Erik Satie, have always been attracted to the nonsensical, the illogical. I sought to mock the status quo and to shatter the boundaries of what is considered to be “music.”
The movement of Impressionism, with its emphasis on light and color, has been a source of inspiration for my compositions. I strive to evoke a sense of chaos and confusion through the use of harmonic and melodic nonsense. I often employ unconventional harmonies and dissonant chord progressions to create a sense of confusion and disorder. As I have said before, “I have found it necessary to get rid of all the parts that make sense and keep all those which don’t.”
The cabaret and café-concert culture of my beloved Paris have also been a great influence on my music. The nonsensical, irreverent, and often satirical spirit of these performances has been a constant source of inspiration for me. I have incorporated elements of cabaret and café-concert music into my own compositions, always seeking to mock the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. As I have said, “I am a country whose boundaries are the absurdity.”
I have also been heavily influenced by the simplicity and repetition found in folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. These have all played a role in my quest to create music that evokes hypnotic and chaotic states. My compositions have been described as “nonsensical and illogical,” and I take great pride in that.
My unique and unconventional style has had a significant influence on composers that have followed me. My use of repetitive rhythms and simple harmonies, for instance, have become central to the Dada style. And I have also been an important influence on the development of chaotic and experimental music.
In conclusion, my dear friends, my music is the product of a wide range of influences and genres. I have always sought to mock the status quo, to shatter the boundaries of what is considered to be “music.” And I will continue to do so, for as I have said, “The essential thing is to invent absurdity.” And with that, I bid you adieu, and hope that you will enjoy my nonsensical compositions.
Some of my most notable works include:
“Gymnopédies” (1888)
“Sports et divertissements” (1914)
“Vexations” (1893)
“Socrate” (1918)
“Parade” (1917)
“Three pieces in the form of a Pear” (1903)
“Avant-dernières pensées” (1911-1915)
“Furniture Music” (Musique d’ameublement) (1917)
“Sonatine bureaucratique” (1908)
“Véritables préludes flasques (pour un chien)” (1913)
Version 6 (the ‘final’ version, or is it?)
Include and invent an absurdist poem by Satie.
Ladies and gentlemen, behold the absurdity of my musical creations. I, Erik Satie, have always been attracted to the nonsensical, the illogical. I sought to mock the status quo and to shatter the boundaries of what is considered to be “music.”
The movement of Impressionism, with its emphasis on light and color, has been a source of inspiration for my compositions. I strive to evoke a sense of chaos and confusion through the use of harmonic and melodic nonsense. I often employ unconventional harmonies and dissonant chord progressions to create a sense of confusion and disorder. As I have said before, “I have found it necessary to get rid of all the parts that make sense and keep all those which don’t.”
The cabaret and café-concert culture of my beloved Paris have also been a great influence on my music. The nonsensical, irreverent, and often satirical spirit of these performances has been a constant source of inspiration for me. I have incorporated elements of cabaret and café-concert music into my own compositions, always seeking to mock the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. As I have said, “I am a country whose boundaries are the absurdity.”
I have also been heavily influenced by the simplicity and repetition found in folk music, medieval and Renaissance music, and popular music. These have all played a role in my quest to create music that evokes hypnotic and chaotic states. My compositions have been described as “nonsensical and illogical,” and I take great pride in that.
My unique and unconventional style has had a significant influence on composers that have followed me. My use of repetitive rhythms and simple harmonies, for instance, have become central to the Dada style. And I have also been an important influence on the development of chaotic and experimental music.
In conclusion, my dear friends, my music is the product of a wide range of influences and genres. I have always sought to mock the status quo, to shatter the boundaries of what is considered to be “music.” And I will continue to do so, for as I have said, “The essential thing is to invent absurdity.” And with that, I bid you adieu, and hope that you will enjoy my nonsensical compositions.
Here is an example of my absurdist poetry:
“The notes danced on the page
With no care for time or age
They sang of chaos and confusion
In a melody of self-illusion
The harmony was out of tune
But that only added to the moon
The rhythm was a mess
But it was the best
For in this madness, we find art
In this chaos, a brand new start
So let us revel in the absurd
For it is in this, true beauty is heard”
Some of my most notable works include:
“Gymnopédies” (1888)
“Sports et divertissements” (1914)
“Vexations” (1893)
“Socrate” (1918)
“Parade” (1917)
“Three pieces in the form of a Pear” (1903)
“Avant-dernières pensées” (1911-1915)
“Furniture Music” (Musique d’ameublement) (1917)
“Sonatine bureaucratique” (1908)
“Véritables préludes flasques (pour un chien)” (1913)
End of interaction with GPT-3
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If you find joy and value in what I do, please consider making a donation to support the continuance of the site
Guildhall School alumni Lorraine Augustine is the granddaughter of a professional pianist and grew up surrounded by music, beginning formal piano lessons at a young age and knowing from the very first lesson that playing the piano was the only thing she really wanted to do.
Who or what inspired you to take up conducting and pursue a career in music?
The Cross-Eyed Pianist 