Satie Sonatine bureaucratique (Henle)

Although Satie took the classical form as a model for his “Sonatine”, it is
quintessentially an ironic work. The composer, who later in life liked to be
seen walking through the streets wearing a stiff collar and bowler hat,
included lines of text between the staves that describe the day of a typical
Parisian bureaucrat. The bureaucrat sits in a chair with green silk sleeve
guards and dreams of being promoted. “Next door a piano is playing
Clementi”… and at this point parodied echoes of Clementi’spopular Sonatine
op. 36/1 can actually be heard. Ulrich Kramer provides knowledgeable
background information in the preface to our edition that will enable a better
understanding of Satie’s work.