Chapitres tournés en tous sens: Celle qui parle trop

Description

Composed in 1913, this is the first piece of Satie's satirical set Chapitres tournés en tous sens (Chapters Turned Every Which Way), titled Celle qui parle trop (The Woman Who Talks Too Much). In this period Satie published one humorous collection after another, their scores sprinkled with odd texts and performance directions, and this is one of them.

It is in C major and 6/8. In just 44 seconds Satie sketches a chattering character through playful, quirky figuration, packing his trademark wit into a tiny frame. With some 447 notes, the density is high for its length, and the busy, never-resting figures are the chatter itself. Unusual harmonies and idiosyncratic markings make each hearing turn up something new.

Rated intermediate, its bass goes below a 61-key keyboard as written, but an octave shift fits every note on 61 keys. The challenge is to keep the fine figuration light and keep moving without stopping. As it is so short, loop the whole piece with A-B, slow the playback to learn the shape of each figure, and then bring it up towards tempo so the restless chatter comes across naturally.

A three-piece piano suite Satie composed in 1913, carrying his characteristic whimsical, offbeat humor.