Robert Orledge – författare

Erik Satie remains one of the most bizarre figures in music history, yet everything he did has its own curious logic, once it can be perceived. In this important new study Dr Orledge reveals what made Satie 'tick' as a composer, dealing with every aspect of Satie's complex career and relating his achievement to the other arts and to the society in which he lived. Almost every figure in contemporary art was involved with Satie in some way or another, from Matisse and Picasso to Apollinaire, Cocteau and Brancusi. This, however, is no mere life-and-works study but rather an exploration of the technique behind Satie's art, which foreshadowed most of the 'advances' of twentieth-century music from serialism to minimalism, and even muzak. As the book progresses Satie appears as far more than just the composer of the popular Gymnopédies and Parade.

Debussy and the Theatre means, in effect, 'Debussy and Pellias et Milisande', the only stage work Debussy chose and completed himself without a definite production in view. The opera both established Debussy's mature style and reputation in the forefront of contemporary composers and changed the course of operatic history. But Pelléas was also largely responsible for Debussy's `compulsive inachievement' in the theatre. Before it he delayed completing other works so that Albert Carré's production at the Opéra-Comique would be his theatre debut; and then its traumatic dress-rehearsal in April 19o2 left him reluctant to undergo another similar experience. This, coupled with his search for lyrical librettos or scenarios that could inspire the rhythm and colour that he regarded as vital ingredients in theatre music, resulted in a career littered with abandoned projects. The story of this most fascinating of love-hate relationships with the stage is told, as far as possible, in the composer's own words or from contemporary documents.