The Unsent Letters of Erik Satie
Alistair McGowan travels to Paris on the trail of his musical hero, the eccentric composer, Erik Satie. From 2013.
Alistair McGowan travels to Paris on the trail of his musical hero, the visionary Erik Satie - now most well-known as the composer of the Gymnopedies.
Satie was famously eccentric - he replaced traditional musical directions like 'ralentando' and 'fortissimo' with instructions to the musician such as, 'While watching oneself approach' and 'like a nightingale with a toothache'.
And in order to save time deciding what to wear every day, he bought seven, identical, yellow, corduroy suits - one for every day of the week.
Satie's radical new approach to music was initially dismissed by the musical establishment, but he was to prove a highly influential force in the new French music of Debussy, Ravel and anticipated 20th century minimalism.
As Alistair talks to Satie biographers and musicians, he uncovers the story of Satie's one and only love affair, with the artist Suzanne Valadon. Their affair lasted only six months, but years later, after Satie's death, bundles of unsent letters to Suzanne were discovered in Satie's apartment.
Featuring interviews with:
Robert Orledge
Ornella Volta
Jean-Pierre Armengaud
Translations of Ornella Volta's interviews were voiced by Philippa Stanton
FURTHER READING:
Satie Seen Through His Letters, edited by Ornella Volta, translated by Michael Bullock. Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd; New edition (May 1994)
Satie the Composer by Robert Orledge. Cambridge University Press (4 Dec 2008)
Producer: Emma Harding
First broadcast on 91热爆 Radio 4 in July 2013.
Last on
Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear
Alistair McGowan's witty and poignant new drama about his hero, the composer Erik Satie.
Alistair discusses his Satie documentary and drama with Suzy Klein
Broadcasts
- Sat 13 Jul 2013 10:3091热爆 Radio 4 FM
- Mon 4 Nov 2013 16:0091热爆 Radio 4
- Tue 12 Jun 2018 06:3091热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 12 Jun 2018 13:3091热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 12 Jun 2018 20:3091热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Wed 13 Jun 2018 01:3091热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Thu 13 Oct 2022 14:3091热爆 Radio 4 Extra
- Fri 14 Oct 2022 02:3091热爆 Radio 4 Extra
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