Sonatine Bureaucratique
Encyclopedia
Sonatine bureaucratique or "Bureaucratic
sonatina
" is a piano composition by Erik Satie
, that spoofs the Sonatina Op. 36 N° 1 by Muzio Clementi
.
Satie's sonatina, even shorter than Clementi's example, was composed July 1917
, and published the same year. The composition is in three small-scale movements, of which the last one exposes some pseudo-development: the motifs of the first half of that movement are re-arranged in another sequence by way of "development section", or rather as the imitation of development.
From a formal point of view the sonatina is however Satie's most outspoken neoclassical
composition. It is one of the exceptional piano compositions he wrote down with bar line
s, which he probably would not have done if not for making an explicit reference to classicism.
That Satie would write a "neo-classical" composition a few months after the succès de scandale
of Parade
, is not so surprising either: Satie was on friendly terms with Stravinsky
since 1911, and after this composer had had his big succès de scandale in 1913 (premiered with the same Ballets russes
), he also moved towards neoclassicism - although for Stravinsky there was no distinct neoclassical composition published before Satie's sonatina.
The partition
is full of funny remarks, amongst others the final movement being called "Vivache", instead of the original Vivace
("vache" being French for "cow"). Satie directs at least part of the fun at himself: the sourd muet ("deaf-mute") from Lower Brittany, allegedly having provided the "Peru
vian air" that forms the first theme of the last movement, is of course none but Satie himself. The sonatina can also be seen as the composition with which Satie concluded his series of "funny" 3-part solo piano compositions, which had started in 1911 - although Satie himself would of course never say "neo-classicism" not to be serious business.
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
sonatina
Sonatina
A sonatina is literally a small sonata. As a musical term, sonatina has no single strict definition; it is rather a title applied by the composer to a piece that is in basic sonata form, but is shorter, lighter in character, or more elementary technically than a typical sonata...
" is a piano composition by Erik Satie
Erik Satie
Éric Alfred Leslie Satie was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde...
, that spoofs the Sonatina Op. 36 N° 1 by Muzio Clementi
Muzio Clementi
Muzio Clementi was a celebrated composer, pianist, pedagogue, conductor, music publisher, editor, and piano manufacturer. Born in Italy, he spent most of his life in England. He is best known for his piano sonatas, and his collection of piano studies, Gradus ad Parnassum...
.
Satie's sonatina, even shorter than Clementi's example, was composed July 1917
1917 in music
-Events:* May 12 - Béla Bartók's ballet The Wooden Prince is premiered in Budapest* First Jazz recordings made by the Original Dixieland Jass Band* First African American jazz recordings made by Wilber Sweatman's Band* Eddie Cantor makes his first recordings...
, and published the same year. The composition is in three small-scale movements, of which the last one exposes some pseudo-development: the motifs of the first half of that movement are re-arranged in another sequence by way of "development section", or rather as the imitation of development.
From a formal point of view the sonatina is however Satie's most outspoken neoclassical
Neoclassicism (music)
Neoclassicism in music was a twentieth-century trend, particularly current in the period between the two World Wars, in which composers sought to return to aesthetic precepts associated with the broadly defined concept of "classicism", namely order, balance, clarity, economy, and emotional restraint...
composition. It is one of the exceptional piano compositions he wrote down with bar line
Bar (music)
In musical notation, a bar is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats of a given duration. Typically, a piece consists of several bars of the same length, and in modern musical notation the number of beats in each bar is specified at the beginning of the score by the top number of a...
s, which he probably would not have done if not for making an explicit reference to classicism.
That Satie would write a "neo-classical" composition a few months after the succès de scandale
Succès de scandale
Succès de scandale is French for "success from scandal", i.e. when a success derives from a scandal.It might seem contradictory that any kind of success might follow from scandal: but scandal attracts attention, and this attention is sometimes the beginning of notoriety and/or other successes...
of Parade
Parade (ballet)
Parade is a ballet with music by Erik Satie and a one-act scenario by Jean Cocteau. The ballet was composed 1916-1917 for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes...
, is not so surprising either: Satie was on friendly terms with Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
since 1911, and after this composer had had his big succès de scandale in 1913 (premiered with the same Ballets russes
Ballets Russes
The Ballets Russes was an itinerant ballet company from Russia which performed between 1909 and 1929 in many countries. Directed by Sergei Diaghilev, it is regarded as the greatest ballet company of the 20th century. Many of its dancers originated from the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg...
), he also moved towards neoclassicism - although for Stravinsky there was no distinct neoclassical composition published before Satie's sonatina.
The partition
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
is full of funny remarks, amongst others the final movement being called "Vivache", instead of the original Vivace
Vivace
Vivace is Italian for "lively" and "vivid". It is pronounced in the International Phonetic Alphabet.Vivace is used as an Italian musical term indicating a movement that is in a lively mood ....
("vache" being French for "cow"). Satie directs at least part of the fun at himself: the sourd muet ("deaf-mute") from Lower Brittany, allegedly having provided the "Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian air" that forms the first theme of the last movement, is of course none but Satie himself. The sonatina can also be seen as the composition with which Satie concluded his series of "funny" 3-part solo piano compositions, which had started in 1911 - although Satie himself would of course never say "neo-classicism" not to be serious business.