Erik Satie (1866 - 1925) was a French pianist and composer whose music was most associated with the visual avant-garde and Surrealist movements. He was known in public and private life to be incredibly eccentric and had described himself as a "phonometrician" (a person who measures sound).

In addition to his musical works, he was also a prolific writer (sometimes under pseudonyms) of articles for magazines and other publications.

This particular composition "The Typewriter" is an excerpt from the ballet "Parade" which is based upon the story and instruments of the everyday life of a common entertainers like those found in a fairground or a music hall. It was considered to be a provocative step to feature these stories and instruments, as the ballet stage was considered to be the domain of the elite, and not the common man.

The featuring of such odd instruments as the typewriter (and also foghorns, milk bottles and a pistol in other movements) was seen as an attempt by the writer (Cocteau), along with his collaborators Picasso and Satie, to gain notoriety by causing a scandal. Although there were some altercations and verbal abuse between critics and the artistic team, they didn't get the riot that they were hoping for (a la Stravinsky and his Rite of Spring), instead coming across like a set of teenagers who had suddenly discovered that the right of free speech meant that could act like toddlers having a tantrum.

According to the painter Gabriel Fournier, one of the most memorable scandals was an altercation between Cocteau, Satie, and music critic Jean Poueigh, who gave Parade an unfavorable review. Satie had written a postcard to the critic which read, "Monsieur et cher ami – vous êtes un cul, un cul sans musique! Signé Erik Satie" ("Sir and dear friend – you are an arse, an arse without music! Signed, Erik Satie."). The critic sued Satie, and at the trial, Cocteau was arrested and beaten by police for repeatedly yelling "arse" in the courtroom. Satie was given a sentence of eight days in jai

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The Performers

This recording is a great live rendition of the movement, Typewriter! The video quality is pretty terrible, but the audio gives the performance great justice! The soloist is Martin Breinschmid, a Viennese percussionist with the orchestra being a orchestra formed for the Strauß Festival in Vienna (2008).

Despite the absurdity of the typewriter, it is really a piece that demands a lot of skill and timing from both the orchestra and soloist. Like any good joke, the execution and timing are paramount to the whole thing coming across effortlessly!

Previous Curating Music History posts

Children's Corner (Debussy)

Last movement from Brahms Violin Concerto

Finale from 4th Symphony (Tchaikovsky)

Last movement from "Jupiter" Symphony #41 (Mozart)

Overture to Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendelssohn)

Histoire du Tango: Cafe 1930 (Piazzolla)

Last movement from Violin sonata 2 (Prokofiev)

Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Britten)

'Sonata in d minor for violin and continuo" (Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre)

'Sonata duodecima' for Violin and Continuo(Isabella Leonarda)

Chaconne from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (Lully)

Alla Danza Tedesca from Beethoven String Quartet Op.130

6 Elizabethan Songs: Argento