https://peertube.libertus.duckdns.org/videos/watch/def41da4-bae0-4f77-ae6c-7a2dcbf3320b Erik Satie wrote seven Gnossiennes. The first is in F minor, and Satie probably composed it in 1890. It was published with two other Gnossiennes in a Paris magazine in 1893. Like his three Gymnopedies of 1888, Satie seems to have created a new genre of piano piece with a title alluding to antiquity. According to the 1865 Larousse dictionary, a Gnossienne was a ritual labyrinth dance created by Theseus when he defeated the Minotaur. But Satie’s involvement in a gnostic religious group (led by Joséphin Péladan who is pictured in the thumbnail), during the time of composition, probably influenced his use of the mysterious title. Satie’s Gnossiennes are composed without barlines, and have a gently rocking accompaniment in the left hand, with an 'exotic' melody floating above it in the right hand. All the Gnossiennes use modes to create intriguing and mysterious melodic lines. The extraordinary simplicity of the musical texture and syntax belies the prodigious originality of the resulting music. Written before Brahms had composed his late intermezzi, these are fabulously experimental pieces in which the form consists of haunting melodic fragments which circle around without any specific direction or goal. In their circularity and stasis they seem to lay down a challenge to German 19th century dominance: music does not have to be developmental; neither does it have to be goal-directed or hierarchical. It can simply float along and be an evocative mystery. Needless to say, Satie’s music had a huge influence on leading composers of the twentieth century including Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Poulenc and, later on, the American pioneer John Cage. Erik Satie: Gnossienne 1 Pianist: Matthew King. All 8 of Satie's Gnossiennes can be heard here: https://youtu.be/Olrn0CyGWp0?si=2nE2sULQsOoR2dXF The 2nd Gnossienne can be heard here: https://youtu.be/B6OFHvHrtB8?si=8MSL1l17QhhWacG9 The 3rd Gnossienne can be heard here: https://youtu.be/BY8QDzsDrtQ?si=c1VJ0giwhrQZJxHb The 4th Gnossienne can be heard here: https://youtu.be/2Oxhcu14GGo?si=M-hayOdcmR5pQEln The 5th Gnossienne can be heard here: https://youtu.be/pAqv0-39fcM?si=cxk7_BRWlY9X20VA The 6th Gnossienne can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXno82E6JrU The 7th Gnossienne can be heard here: https://youtu.be/wH90IGcHQLM?si=t6NVdpiB_6Tb09j8 The 8th Gnossienne can be heard here: https://youtu.be/Olrn0CyGWp0?si=2nE2sULQsOoR2dXF ⦿ SUPPORT US ON PATREON ⦿ https://www.patreon.com/musicprofessor ⦿ BUY US A Kofi ⦿ https://ko-fi.com/themusicprofessor ⦿ Support us on PayPal ⦿ https://paypal.me/themusicprofessor?c... ⦿ SUBSCRIBE TO THIS CHANNEL ⦿ https://bit.ly/3Pnnwon #Satie #Gnossienne #themusicprofessor Edited by Ian Coulter ( https://www.iancoultermusic.com ) Produced and directed by Ian Coulter & Matthew King ORIGINAL VIDEO Sat, 05 Sep 2026 07:04:06 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.libertus.duckdns.org https://peertube.libertus.duckdns.org/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://peertube.libertus.duckdns.org/videos/watch/def41da4-bae0-4f77-ae6c-7a2dcbf3320b All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.libertus.duckdns.org/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.