Repetition In Erik Satie's Earlier Piano Work

Erik Satie was one ofmusic's great originals,both personally and artistically.His simplicity,innovative harmonies,freedom of form and mastery of musical understatement made a strong impression on composers like Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and later younger composers such as Francis Poulenc,Darius Milhaud and John Cage.Satie's early interest in mediaeval music shows in the simple plainsong like harmonies of his famous Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes.The problem I will research is the repetition in Erik Satie's earlier piano works. Repetition is one of the most commonly used methods of composition.There are many elements we should research include phrasing,melody,rhythm,tempo, harmony,key,mode,form of the compositions and so on.The focus of these issues is around phrasing,melody,rhythm and form.Two methods are used in the process,and they are form analysis and rhythm analysis.In order to do a more effective analysis,I studied a lot of relevant books and paper.His Trois Gymnopédies written in 1888 is in 3/4.Probably inspired by a decoration on a Greek vase.The 1st and 3rd are his best known works today.And his Trois Gnossiennes written in 1890 is inspired by the excavations of the great palaces at Knossos on the Island of Crete.The Gnossiennes continue in the minimalist style of the Gymnopdies but add ornaments that give the pieces a distinctly oriental feel. Although the pieces are obviously composed in a 4/4 time signature,Satie did not indicate it in the score.He also omitted bar lines,leaving one big "bar" for the entire piece.This gives the impression of great freedom for the pianist.The aim and goal of my research is to make Satie's earlier piano works more comprehensible.I sure my research is helpful to make his view on composition more clear to people.