Research Catalog

Title

A mammal's notebook : collected writings of Erik Satie / edited by Ornella Volta ; translations by Antony Melville.

Author

Satie, Erik, 1866-1925.

Publication

London : Atlas Press, c1996.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Volta, Ornella.
• Melville, Antony.

Description

206, [1] p. : ill., facsims., music, ports.; 23 cm.

Summary

• This is the largest selection (in any language) of Erik Satie's writings yet to appear, and includes previously unpublished texts, drawings and photographs. Dismissed as a bizarre eccentric by many, Erik Satie has come to be seen as a key influence on twentieth century music. His compositions include, among other pieces, the ubiquitous Gymnopedies, the 3 Pieces in the Form of a Pear, and the Dada opera Relache. In later life he gathered round him Les Six and the cream of the new generation of French composers. His influence has continued to widen; John Cage and the New York School composers hailed him as "indispensable," and more recently certain of his pieces have been seen as prefiguring both Minimalist and Ambient music.
• His poignant, sly and witty writings embody all his contradictions. Included here are his "autobiographical" Memoirs of an Amnesic, and wryly comic musical commentaries; the gnomic annotations to his musical scores ("For the SHRIVELLED and the DIMWITS, I have written a suitably ponderous chorale ... a kind of austere, unfrivolous introduction ... I dedicate this chorale to those who do not like me."); the publications of his private church; his absurdist play Medusa's Snare; advertising copy for his local suburban newspaper, and the mysterious, elaborately calligraphed, "private advertisements" found stuffed behind his piano after his death.

Series Statement

Atlas arkhive ; 5

Uniform Title

• Literary works. Selections. English
• Atlas arkhive ; 5.

Alternative Title

Literary works.

Subjects

• Satie, Erik
• Satie, Erik, 1866-1925 > Criticism and interpretation
• Satie, Erik, 1866-1925 > Translations into English
• Music

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. [207]).

Language (note)

• Translated from the French.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Written for performance: Texts not to be read aloud; Texts to be danced -- Written for publication: Epistles; Memoirs of an amnesic (fragments); Articulated articles; Talks; Public advertisements -- Private writings -- Catalogue of Erik Sate's musical and literary works with comments by the same gentleman.

ISBN

• 0947757929
• 9780947757922

OCLC

36064519

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library