Origin of Erik Saties Gnossiennes

The 'trois Gnossiennes' (1890) is a set of dance-like pieces of similar character, like the earlier composed 'trois Sarabandes' (1887) and 'trois Gymnopédies' (1888). The 'trois Gnossiennes' were first published by Satie as a set through Rouart, Lerolle & Cie. in 1913.

The Gnossiennes continue in the minimalist style of the Gymnopédies but add ornaments that give the pieces a destinctly oriental feel. Although the pieces are obviously composed in a 4/4 time signature, Satie did not indicate it in the score. He also omitted barlines, leaving one big "bar" for the entire piece. This gives the impression of great freedom for the pianist. The comments written above the score, like 'Du bout de la pensée' (from the tip of the thought) and 'Postulez en vous même' (wonder about yourself) also give much room for interpretation. This has proven to be true since there are few pieces in piano literature that have been interpretated in such diverse ways as the Gnossiennes.

The name 'Gnossiennes' can be explained in multiple ways. The ancient Greek word for 'knowledge' is 'gnosis'. Gnosticism was the name of a religious-philosophical belief which has its origins in Greek philosophy as well as early Christian and Jewish Apocalyptic thoughts. In this belief 'Gnosis' stands for 'True knowledge', which is supposed to lead man to true emancipation. Gnosticism also played a great role in the beliefs of Joséphin Péladan's (1859-1918) 'Rose et croix' sect. Satie's collaboration with Péladan led him to take an interest in partly-heretical views. It is possible that the title of these works is an hommage to gnosticism.

The most common explanation however is that the title refers to the ritual dances performed by the inhabitants of the island of Crete, with its capitol city Knossos, famous in Greek mythology for the story of its labyrinth, Theseus and the minotaur. In 1890 Crete was in the news because of archeological excavations. Other works by Satie from the same period were named after dances as well. Namely the 'Sarabande', a dance which was first introduced in Portugal in 1586 and the 'Gymnopédie' which has its origins in ancient Sparta. Even so, it is very unlikely that Satie, a member of the 'Rose et croix' from 1891 to 1892, was unaware of the gnosticism relation when the second Gnossienne was first publicly performed in 1893.

In 1967 french composer Robert Caby (1905-1992) revealed many of Satie's posthumous and often untitled works, taken from sketchbooks and manuscripts. He named three of these pieces Gnossienne. These became Gnossienne 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The piece known as the fourth Gnossienne was composed in 1891, the fifth in 1889 and the sixth in 1897. These pieces were first published in 1968 by ed. Salabert.

Joffrey Wallaart started the Piano Society website to give the public easy access to classical piano music.

http://www.pianosociety.com

---

MP3 Music Subscription Services. A Good Deal?

There's a reason Apple Computer dominates the legal 99-cents-a-download digital... Read More

The Various Countries - A Rant About Country Music

It is no secret that over the past couple decades... Read More

Things To Know When Shopping For A Guitar Amplifier

Guitar amplifiers are a major part of your tone. Some... Read More

If Setting The Gain Correctly is So Important, Why Dont Mic Preamplifiers Have Meters?

When you first learn how to use a mixing console,... Read More

5 Ways to Enjoy Your Music Files

OK, say you've got one thousand of your favorite MP3... Read More

The Flower Garden and New Age Piano Music

If you've ever looked at a flower garden, not only... Read More

The Death-Defying Warehouse Party Life: An Interview by William of Orange

About an entire local music industry that's rarely heard from,... Read More

Learning the Piano and Playing the Piano

Many piano students spend much time learning how to play... Read More

Piano Music, Perfectionism, and Self-Expression

Is your heart in the music? If so, it won't... Read More

Music to Echo Your Mood

In what way do the kinds of music (rock, rap,... Read More

How To Dress Up Naked Music On The Piano

What in the world is "naked music?"You know it when... Read More

Make Money with Your Music ? the Top 5 Ways

Songwriters dream of making their living by writing, and sometimes... Read More

50 Cent G Unit

His lockjaw delivery makes him look as gangsta as Marlon... Read More

Five Secrets to Playing in the New Age Style

1. Learn how to ImproviseLearning how to improvise is the... Read More

Origins of the Mathers Family

Eminem's roots can be found in Scandinavia through his mother... Read More

Is it Possible to Download Music Legally Anymore?

Throughout the past few years downloading music on the internet... Read More

Setting Up In-House Retail Sales

Now, that you are familiar and likely connected with online... Read More

An Interview with Jon Bon Jovi ? 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Cant Be Wrong

The idea originated with singer Jon Bon Jovi. Jon kept... Read More

Green Day: Punk Rock Masters Taming Mainstream Radio Their Way

Before they got together as Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong,... Read More

Protocol for Piping a Formal Dinner: A Ceremonial Guide for Highland Bagpipers

It is believed that the custom of dining in began... Read More

Radio - What?s Happened To It?

Remember when radio stations played great music?OK, before you accuse... Read More

Performing, Whats the Big Deal?

Performance anxiety is not something that only happens to musicians,... Read More

George Winston and New Age Piano Playing

The first time I heard George Winston play back in... Read More

Paint Your Own Musical Landscapes!

I don't know why, but I find the idea of... Read More

Creating Caverns - an Improvisation Exercise

In a recent post to my Yahoo group, I mentioned... Read More

What is Music?

That's a fair question!Basically, you can call music any noise... Read More

Are iPods Changing the Way We Listen to Music

They're everywhere, and not only are they everywhere, they look... Read More

College Radio: The Most Important Radio Level for Musicians

For the self-promoting independent artist, the idea of taking on... Read More

Piano Lessons and Perfectionism

Are you a perfectionist? Does every note have to sound... Read More

Music Practice Techniques for Learning Repertory

These practice tips were written for fiddlers. I've used them... Read More

How to Play What you Feel

Many students think that being able to play what you... Read More

Music: Uniting Nations, Dividing Generations

Cultures around the world since the beginning of time have... Read More

Turn It Up: Plugging Into The Perfect Guitar And Amp Settings

Yowza! Did you hear that hideous noise? It sounded like... Read More