Erik Satie Biography

A French composer as eccentric in his way of life as in his music, Satie exercised considerable influence over some of his more distinguished contemporaries, including Debussy, Ravel and Poulenc, particularly through his tendency to extreme simplicity. A number of his compositions have become very familiar to many, largely through their use in other contexts.

Stage Works

Best known among the various stage works of Satie is his collaboration with Jean Cocteau, Parade, described as a ballet réaliste, first performed in Paris in 1917.

Piano Music

It is principally the piano pieces by Satie that have won some popularity. Among these, many with characteristically eccentric titles, are the Gymnopédies, the three Gnossiennes and the three Sarabandes.