Satie, Erik

Country: France
Birth: May 17, 1866 in Honfleur, France
Death: Jul 01, 1925 in Paris, France
Period: Modern (1870-)

French musical maverick Erik Satie (1866-1925) wrote music that is known as much for its eccentric titles and performance directions as for its unique sound and lack of allegiance to any one aesthetic. Satie's musical education came from the conservatories and the cabarets, and his compositions have both formal and informal aspects. His piano music, especially the Gymnopedies and Gnossiennes, is his best-known work. Much of it has a still thoughtfulness to it that is at once cerebral, yet frank and concisely constructed. His ballets Parade and Relâche, the Messe des Pauvres, and the symphonic drama Socrate are his important larger works.