Two eccentrics? .. or visionary forunners of Minimilism and “New Age” music?

Eric Satie (1866-1925) and G.I. Gurdjieff (1872-1949)

Satie was the archetypal poor, struggling artist. Eccentric? You bet. 84 identical handkerchiefs and 12 identical velvet suits! For 27 years he never let anyone in his home. He used to walk miles and miles over Paris every day. Some of his compositions he called “Furniture music”! (meant to be background)

Gurdjieff? Genuine “advanced soul” and “spiritual master” to some. Charlatan to others. A most charismatic man who led a full, colourful life. Both were involved in the cutting edge culture of their day, and both had contact with the “In Crowd” (*NOTE: this is Thomas de Hartmann playing, not Gurdjieff. Some people feel de Hartmann was the person close enough to Gurdjieff to play his compositions the way they were meant to be played)

Have a listen. Meditate, be hypnotised or fall asleep! (seriously – some beautiful moments)

Satie gymnopedies no. 1 lent-et-douloureux

trois-gymnopedies

 

Satie – one of the gnossiennes series

six gnossiennes

 

Satie – Reverie-du-pauvre

reverie-du-pauvre

 

Gurdjieff – holy affirming / holy denying / holy reconciling

holy affirming holy denying holy reconciling

 

Gurdjieff – Meditation

meditation

 

Gurdjieff – Rejoice Bellzebub

rejoice bellzebub

 

Update on just how eccentric Satie was! You only need to read the first paragraph of this article.

http://www.af.lu.se/~fogwall/article8.html

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