Socrates (Sati)

Eric Satie wrote the symphonic drama in three parts in Socrates in 1916-1918, commissioned by Princess Edmond de Polignac (nee Vinaretta Singer) . ^{[comm. 4]} The idea and design of the future work was developed by Sati in November 1916 - January 1917, while working on the scandalous and shocking ballet Parade . ^[6] It is difficult to imagine a more striking contrast: between full of external effects and a striking Parade on the one hand, and a strict, harsh, almost ascetically pale Socrates. ^[7] Meanwhile, this was Sati's plan. Constantly in irreconcilable, almost paroxysmal opposition to himself and the world around him, with his every new composition, Sati tried a certain fundamentally new version, which - if not deceiving , would at least lead far away in the direction of students, imitators, the public and criticism. - So, from the internal inclination towards the opposition, neoclassicism in music was born, a few years later picked up by Onegger and Stravinsky . ^[8] In addition, Sati was happy to get rid of the petty and sometimes even obsessive attention of Jean Cocteau , the original librettist of the ballet Parade, and to fully enjoy the free, unlimited cooperation with Plato and Socrates , two “beautiful” co-authors ( in his own expression) . ^[6]

At first, work on the symphonic drama was slow and difficult. The main deterrent became not only aggressive external circumstances, ^[6] but also the unprecedented tasks set by the composer before himself. From the first days of work on Socrates, Eric Satie understood and spoke about this with the utmost specificity.

“Imagine, I’m doing the Life of Socrates . I am very afraid to miss with this work, which I would like to make white & clean, like Antiquity . This even makes me feel uneasy, and at times I don’t know at all where to put myself.

... And yet, what a wonderful thing it is: to write with such a very special idea, hitherto unprecedented and unheard of ... Everything for the first time, everything is new ..., and there is nothing to lean on, and there is no one to imitate. And even a little scary to do ... every step. " ^[6]

- Eric Satie, from a letter to Valentina Gross , January 6, 1917

In addition, the whole of 1917 turned into a continuous chain of interference with work on an “unprecedented” work. At first, the work on the score, arrangements and preparation for the premiere of the ballet Parade, which took place on May 18, 1917 on the stage of the Chatelet Theater and became another grandiose scandal in Paris, posed the most diverse obstacles. The audience in the hall nearly thwarted the performance by a scuffle and shouts “Dirty Boschs , Sati and Picasso Boschs!” ^[9] Then, throughout the second half of 1917, the scandalous Sati-Pueg trial also lasted, culminating in a sentence of Eric Satie for eight days in prison and A fine of 800 francs for a public insult. ^[6] By the end of 1917, the composer's financial situation deteriorated sharply, and the specter of hunger and poverty again loomed before Sati. ^[6] In addition, the war with Germany was in full swing, the situation on the fronts was deteriorating and the Boschs were getting closer and closer to Paris. By the spring of 1918, the Germans began regularly shelling Paris with long-range guns. ^[6] All this in no way contributed to the work on the philosophical and serene calm “symphonic drama”. Nevertheless, it was precisely during these dates that the work as a whole was completed (in the piano version), and already in March 1918 the first auditions of Socrates were performed by singer Jeanne Bathory and with the accompaniment of the author: first personally for the customer, Princess Polignac, and then for the artistic public. ^[6]

The symphonic drama Socrates lasts a little over half an hour and consists of three parts, which generally correspond to the fragments from the three dialogues of Plato selected by Eric Sati.

The first part: " Feast ",

Second part: “ On the shores of Ilisus ”,

The third part: " Death of Socrates ."

Parts are not equal both in size and in meaning. The ratio between them can be approximately described by the formula 1: 1: 3, moreover, the ending of the symphonic drama "Death of Socrates" both in duration and in emotional load significantly exceeds the first two parts.

For his neoclassical drama, Eric Satie chose the translation - namely Victor Cousin , who is recognized by all French researchers as accurate, but flat, stylistically colorless and emotionally lethargic. ^[3] unlikely that such a choice of Sati can be considered random. Apparently, he was fully consistent with the intentions of the author and his goal: to create a kind of dispassionate, extremely aligned and almost static model of musical action, consistent with his ideas about "White Antiquity".

“In composing Socrates, I had the intention of writing a simple work, without the slightest hint of struggle; because I am none other than a humble lover of Socrates & Plato - two, I think, quite nice gentlemen. " ^[6]

- Eric Satie, from a letter to Paul Kolar , May 16, 1920

And above all, a striking discrepancy between the declared genre and the general emotional system of Socrates is striking. There is no " drama " in the usual sense of the word here. Instead, it is something of a kind of cantata or church chant , and not a single hint of a “raising of voice" or conflict: calm reasoning or measured narration. ^[3]

In the first part of Pir , Alkviades praises Socrates, his neighbor in the feast. He compares Socrates with the statuette of Silenus , which sculptors usually depict with a flute, as well as with the satyr Marcius , who conquered everyone with his wonderful improvisations, competing with Apollo himself, who cruelly reproached him for disrespect. And let Socrates not play the flute, but he conquers his interlocutors with his speeches that can penetrate to the depths of his soul, like a flute of a satyr. The first part concludes with a brief response from Socrates, who, according to custom, should give praise to a neighbor at a feast.
The second part of " On the Banks of Ilisus " is a dialogue between Socrates and his disciple Fedr during a peaceful walk along the river on a hot day. They are looking for a shadow, arguing exactly where on the shore, according to legend, Borey abducted this Orifiya , who had gone away from her friends. Socrates makes a sound assumption that, in fact, she, due to sheer negligence, might have fallen from a cliff from a strong gust of wind and drowned, and people created a legend - they tend to see the supernatural where there is a riddle. Then Socrates and Fedr lay on the grass in the shadow of a mighty plane tree and fall asleep in the midst of the silence of nature.
In the third part of “The Death of Socrates, ” Fedon also measuredly and leisurely tells about the last hours and minutes of life of Socrates, imprisoned , where Fedon and other faithful students visited the philosopher , and the death of a wise teacher , accused of ideological opponents of unbelief and sentenced by Areopagus to accept poison . ^[3]

Sati achieves a separate effect of removal by means of a complete lack of personalization within the "symphonic drama." As follows from the summary, only “males” participate in the “action”: Socrates himself and his students (there is not even a hint of Xanthippus ). In complete contrast to this circumstance, Eric Satie's symphonic drama is written for four voices, all of which are exclusively female (quatre soprano ) ; two high ( coloratura ), and two mezzo-sopranos , ^[6] parts of which alternate almost in random order, without following the characters or the plot of the text. Thus, the listener simply cannot build a correspondence between a particular singer and her role in a symphonic drama.

Throughout the remaining years of his life, Eric Satie was extremely picky (which was not characteristic of him in principle), and attached great importance to the character of the performance of the drama "Socrates", and he himself also chose the voices for the performance with great attention. While rehearsing with the singers, Sati persistently advised scrupulously “to avoid any expression or tension” in his voice, to intone smoothly and never (repeating this especially!) Not to attach importance to the emotional details. ^[4] In addition, with extreme irritation, and at times in a sharp form, he rejected any attempt to perform “Socrates” with a male voice (or voices). ^[6]

The symphonic drama Socrates entered the musical life of Paris and France gradually. During 1918-1919, almost a dozen times the symphonic drama was performed in various private concerts and salons, each time under the piano , and the number and names of the singers were constantly changing. ^[6] rights to public performance for the first five years belonged to Princess de Polignac, but she never impeded the concert performances of Socrates. ^[6] full premiere of the symphonic drama Socrates took place on June 7, 1920 at the Eric Concert author’s concert, organized by the Count de Beaumont entreprise. A year earlier, Princess de Polignac performed "Socrates" in a concert of her personal "court" orchestra (ensemble), soloed by two invited singers. At the same time, Igor Stravinsky’s “Tale of the Fox ...” and the Manuel de Falla Suite from the “ Tricorne ” were performed in the same concert. ^[6]

However, most of the performances of the symphonic drama "Socrates" were in the full sense of the word "concert". Despite its scenic and dramatic name, this score was not intended to be performed in a musical theater or with decorations, but in a concert, without any additional surroundings. And this was also another part of the composer's plan, which in advance tried to sterilize all the entertainment and liveliness of the performance.

The author himself, who had set a definite goal before himself, highly appreciated his symphonic drama: both as a kind of absolute precedent that opened up a new approach to musical material, and simply - as a special piece among his other scores .

Socrates (my beloved creation). Yes. <...> This work is such a strange thing! - not at all sad. <...> "Socrates" is written in three parts on the dialogues of Plato (translated by Victor Cousin). I made a lot of auditions for artists. I had the good fortune not to “shave” this poor world, making him listen to my “work” with boredom. Yes, I grabbed my good star.

Your old friend hit the target. He is going to become famous, while not turning into a "bore"! A historical precedent, however. I confess that at the time of writing Socrates I was terribly afraid to make another Creation out of it, which in this case is very easy, of course. " ^[6]

- Eric Satie, from a letter to Henri-Pierre Rocher , December 1, 1918

Likewise, almost the majority of Sati's scholars consider the Socrates symphonic drama to be the most significant and serious work in its legacy. However, the opinions of contemporaries and music historians are divided. One, such as Paul Landormi , whose sympathies remained in the times of impressionism , Socrates seemed deadly archaic and balancing on the verge of asceticism and poverty. Other critics, such as Paul Collard, saw it as Satie's next wise discovery, striking an over-complication of the opera language and abuse of the colors of orchestral writing. ^[3] paradoxical criticism of Socrates was made by Roland-Manuel , composer and, partly, a student of Satie, who condemned this thing for being inexpressive and at the same time attributed it to the sphere of influence of Debussy 's Pelléas , which directly contradicted Satie's intentions and, most importantly , history of the issue. For this, Roland-Manuel received his personal rebuke from the master, and then was forever deprived of the opportunity to communicate with his former teacher. ^[6]

Musical practices and composers took Socrates a little differently. The drama “Socrates” had a great influence on the French six , and even on those members who were less affected by Sati. Several works of Louis Dureys 1918-1919 earned the nickname "shadow from Socrates" , ^[10] and Arthur Honegger after a few years seriously took up writing cantatas and an oratorio on ancient subjects. We can say that Sati opened the Pandora's box in an appeal to some speculative "antiquity" and Greco-Roman subjects. ^[6]

Socrates also exerted no less influence on the former “teacher” Eric Satie by Shola cantorum , Albert Russell . After the completely "cacophonic" Second Symphony and the end of work on the opera "Padmavati" in the work of Russel begin to rapidly grow neoclassical trends. Only four years after the premiere of Sokrat Sati, which became the discovery of a new style, in 1922-24, Roussel wrote his lyric tale The Birth of Lyra according to Sophocles , trying to get as close as possible to some idea of ​​the "ancient theater". Delivered on July 1, 1925 to the Grand Opera , in turn, this score by Russel was two years ahead of the appearance of Oedipus the King Stravinsky and Antigone Onegger.

Separately, we should dwell on Igor Stravinsky , who, even before the premiere of "Socrates," had the most detailed acquaintance with Sati's opening: both in the clavier and in the orchestra performance. ^[6] After one of Sokrat’s auditions (in March 1919), Stravinsky exclaimed in a fit of enthusiasm: “There are only Sabriet , Bizet and Sati!” ^[4] Before the “neoclassical” period of Stravinsky and his ballet “ Apollon Musaguet, ”one of the highest achievements of neoclassicism, remained another ten years. Nevertheless, this circumstance did not prevent him thirty years later from speaking rather disparagingly about Sati's “symphonic drama”:

“I don’t think that he knew the instrumentation well and prefer Socrates in the form <(on the piano )> in which he played to me, awkward orchestral score. I have always considered Sati's writings to be limited to "literature." Their headings are literary, but while the names of Klee’s paintings, also taken from literature , do not hamper his painting , it seems to me that this happens with Satie, and when I listen to him again, things lose a lot of interest. The trouble of Socrates is that he bores with one meter . Who can bear this monotony? Nevertheless, the music of Socrates' death is touching and noble in its own way. ” ^[eleven]

- Igor Stravinsky , “ Chronicle of my life ”

Nevertheless, it is difficult not to notice the influence that Socrates had on the evolution of musical styles in the early 1920s. According to musicologist Galina Filenko , Sokrat (1916-1918) Sati “clearly anticipates the future neoclassicism” of Apollo Musaget and Oedipus Rex Stravinsky , as well as Antigone Onegger . ^[3] At the same time, Filenko notes some seeming oddity of Eric Satie’s line of reasoning, since the reconstruction of the “spirit of antiquity” by means of the “ Gregorian psalmody ” is deeply alien to the very essence of “saturated with the juices of living feelings of ancient art. ^[3]

In Socrates, Sati's musical language is characterized by almost classical clarity and restraint in expressive means. A small chamber orchestra (almost stringed ) envelops the parts of the vocalists with transparent polyphonic fabric, without violating the harsh and strict nature of the sound anywhere. ^[7] Sati's music does not seek to match the text in detail, it conveys only the “general environment” and atmosphere, constantly maintaining the “average temperature” of emotions and the nature of sound throughout the symphonic drama. In this property, Sati is akin to artists of the early Renaissance , such as Fra Beato Angelico , Botticelli and Puvi de Chavannes , a beloved artist of Sati's youth, who were close in spirit to them in the 19th century. In their canvases, they solved the problem of the unity of the whole image, the absence of restless contrasts, the repetition of parallel lines or small strokes, and the symmetrical position of the figures. ^[12] Sati's new style finds expression in maintaining a single, extremely restrained emotional tone throughout the music of Socrates. Expressive means are similar, pre-selected harmonic sequences, textured drawings, groups of motifs and thematic formations, divided into short one-two-stroke cells, are constantly repeated or alternating. As a rule, repetitions are symmetric or almost symmetrical at close and distant distances. In the very same constructive and emotional way, in the near future, other neoclassical composers will follow the tracks of Socrates' Sati. ^[3]

Eric Satie himself, however, has never used the term " neoclassicism ", primarily because of his squeamishness to any discipline, any followers, schools and other "isms" . However, avoiding the term itself, at the same time he did not leave the slightest doubt about the transparent " classic " of his intentions. After the scandalous premiere of the ballet Parade , Sati decided to strike another blow at stereotypes, radically change his style and confuse everyone, presenting the world with a kind of “fundamentally new” work. ^[6] Even before starting work on the musical text of the drama Socrates, he speaks of the composition “White & Pure as Antiquity ”. ^[6] And after another year he expresses himself even more definitely:

I am currently working on Socrates for Princess de Polignac. This time my co-author ... - ... Plato , not Cocteau . Nice barter, however. <...> This is not Russian, of course - at all; and not Persian, and not Asian, and any other not more than that. This is new. Let me tell you.

Here is a return to classical simplicity, but with modern sensibility. I owe this return - in a good way to Braque - and to my Cubist friends. And may they be blessed three times! ^[6]

- Eric Satie, from a letter to Henri Pruneier , April 3, 1918

Based on this comment by Sati, as well as on the nature of the music of the symphonic drama Socrates, one of Sati’s greatest researchers, Ornell Volta, makes an unambiguous conclusion: “ Sati’s declaration of intent with respect to Socrates is described as being described as a return to classical music. simplicity combined with modern sensuality ", which he owes" to his Cubist friends "." And in fact, starting with Socrates, it gives birth to a new direction: musical neoclassicism , which will be developed later, in the interval between the two wars . ^[4]

Surprisingly conceived by Eric Sati as a “breakthrough”, a precedent and a previously unheard-of work , the Socrates symphonic drama really became such, turning into another sign of his own “forerunner” and another breakthrough in the alternating musical styles of the early 20th century. ^{[comm. 5]} Only after a decade, this trend in music, supported and continued, first of all, by Stravinsky , will receive the final expression under the name of “neoclassicism”. ^[5] And only the prolonged exclusion of the person of Eric Satie in the system of professional musical culture did not allow specialists to timely evaluate the meaning and nature of his next discovery.

• G.M.Schneerson . "French music of the XX century." - M. , 1964, 2nd ed. 1970.
• Eric Sati, Yuri Hanon . “Backdating memories.” - SPb. : Center for Middle Music & publishing house Faces of Russia, 2010. - 682 p. - ISBN 978-5-87417-338-8 .
• Richard H. Axsom. "Parade", Cubism as theater. - New York: Garland Pub., 1979. - ISBN 9780824039509 .
• Jean Cocteau. Eric Satie. - Liège, 1957.
• Anne Rey. Satie. - Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1995.
• Erik Satie. Ecrits. - Paris: Champ libre, 1977.
• Erik Satie. "Correspondance presque complete." - Paris: Fayard & Institut mémoires de l'édition contemporaine, 2000.

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• Yuri Hanon : "Socrates Socrates" (historical and psychological essay)
• Yuri Hanon : "Socrates" by Eric Sati in quotes and artifacts