Erik Satie (Sah-TEE) was a French composer whose music had more influence on other composers than on audiences. He wanted to free French music from German influence. He said, "We want our own music---without kraut."

Satie was noted for his jokes and unconventional behavior. He gave his compositions strange titles and wrote funny directions and explanations throughout his music. One of his titles was, "Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear." Some of his strange directions were, "Light as an egg," and "Like a nightingale with a toothache." To get sounds of modern life, he introduced into his orchestra a typewriter, an airplane engine, and other noisemakers.

There are three Gymnopédies (zshim-noh-pay-dees) but we will learn only the theme for No. 1. The long melodic lines pull against simple chords. The Gymnopédies suggest the slow athletic dances of ancient Greece. Instead of major and minor scales, Satie used scales more like those of ancient music.

Satie became the leader of the young rebels in the arts. He also influenced younger composers such as Aaron Copland and John Cage. He taught composers that music does not have to shout or beat the drum to be heard. He taught the art of simplicity.

Not all of Satie's music is witty. He wrote the beautiful Messe des pauvres (Mass For the Poor) for the working-class people of his hometown. One of his last works was Socrate, which he called a "symphonic drama." It tells the story of the death of Socrates in quiet music for voices and a chamber orchestra. The music never rises to a climax. It is as simple as Plato's report of Socrates' death.

(Socrates lived in Greece from 469-399 B.C. He taught young people to think, but the rulers were afraid of new ideas so they condemned him to die. He refused to escape and drank poison hemlock with noble calm and courage. He wrote nothing, but his pupil, Plato, wrote about him.)