Composer

:

Erik Satie

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Character Piece

Compose Date

:

1889 - 1897

Average_duration

:

16:17

Movement_count

:

6

Movement ....

Erik Satie's "Gnossiennes" is a set of six piano pieces that were composed between 1890 and 1897. The pieces were premiered in Paris in 1897, and they quickly became popular among the French avant-garde. The "Gnossiennes" are characterized by their spare, meditative quality, and their use of unusual harmonies and rhythms. The first "Gnossienne" is marked "Lent" (slow), and it features a simple, repetitive melody that is accompanied by a series of chords that are played in a slow, deliberate manner. The second "Gnossienne" is marked "Avec étonnement" (with astonishment), and it features a more complex melody that is played against a series of dissonant chords. The third "Gnossienne" is marked "Lent" (slow), and it features a haunting melody that is played against a series of arpeggios. The fourth "Gnossienne" is marked "Lent" (slow), and it features a simple, repetitive melody that is played against a series of chords that are played in a syncopated rhythm. The fifth "Gnossienne" is marked "Modéré" (moderate), and it features a more complex melody that is played against a series of chords that are played in a syncopated rhythm. The sixth "Gnossienne" is marked "Avec conviction et avec une tristesse rigoureuse" (with conviction and with rigorous sadness), and it features a melancholy melody that is played against a series of chords that are played in a slow, deliberate manner. Overall, the "Gnossiennes" are characterized by their spare, meditative quality, and their use of unusual harmonies and rhythms. They are often considered to be some of Satie's most important works, and they have influenced many composers in the years since they were first composed.

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