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Gnossiennes

Erik Satie, also known as The Velvet Gentleman, was a truly great French composer. If you are not familiar with him or his music, here's a link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Satie

If you wish to hear any Satie, u-tube should have plenty on offer

However, this is a poetry competition, not a music lesson. Is poetry a type of music? Ponder that.

Satie often wrote 'helpful' comments on his piano music to encourage the pianist to think as he or she played. I've listed the instructions from Gnossienes No.2 and No.3. I apologise for lack of french accents, but if you read French, you shouldn't need them. Besides, they don't really translate into English!

On second thoughts, to make things easier, I'm going to translate what I make of Satie's insructions. Use one or more of them as inspiration for a poem.


1.Avec etonnement/ With Amazement

2.Ne sortez pas/ Don't Give Up

3.Dans un grande bonte/ With Great Kindness

4.Plus intimement/ More Intimately

5.Avec une legere intimite/ With a Gentle Passion

6.Sans orgueil/ Be Humble, not Proud

7.Conseillez-vous soigneusement/ Tell Yourself to take Care

8.Munissez -vous de clairvoyance/ Use your Telepathic Powers

9.Seul, pendant un instant/ Be Alone, Just for one Moment

10.De maniere a obtenir un creux/ As if You were Trying to Dig a hole with Sound

11.Tres perdu/ Terribly Lost

12.Portez cela plus loin/ Carry This on Just a Little Further

13.Ouvrez la tete/ Open Your Mind

14.Enfouissez le son/ Stifle the Sound


You may use them to inspire a poem. Or, if you have time to read about The Velvet Gentleman's works, you may find something there to inspire you.

I've not limited the number of entries per person, but I have limited the total number of entries to the competition. If it proves popular, I may extend this, but much depends on available time doesn't it....

I think Satie would have smiled at the idea of a poetry competition inspired by his music. He had a lovely smile.

Any form, any length (within reason!)

Be gentle, be creative....

Contest is Over

  • Contest was judged on July 28, 2008
  • Rewards: Gold: 300, Silver: 200, Bronze: 100, Honorable mention: 10 people
  • Final notes:
    Sorry to end this contest a little early. The quality of the entries was astounding, in many ways, from the sublime, to the profound - highs and lows, like Satie's very own music.
    In the end, I was bowled over by the crazy re-arrangement of Satie's life. He was a kind of crazy character, after all, but a true genius.
    And all of the entries reflect that genius in their own ways.

    Merci beaucoup, mesdames et messieurs.

Contest Winners

  1. Eccentric Erik the half-a-Scot
    by Edna Sweetlove 36 lines, 5 comments, on Mar 31 6:14 AM. In Poetic tributes to composers, Mild humour, Sad
    Gold trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  2. Soft-scented Frames
    by Pamela A Lamppa 40 lines, 19 comments, on Jul 15 5:53 PM 2008. In Life, Love, Nature
    Silver trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  3. afternoon dreams
    still, by the glass
    a servant in uniform colours
    by pastiche 25 lines, 9 comments, on Jul 10 6:42 PM 2008. In Contest, Sad, Fantasy
    Bronze trophy winner
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  4. Just a Little Further
    Just a little further, Maestro, and you will transcend all
    by Bad Bill 13 lines, 3 comments, on Jul 14 11:46 AM 2008. In Spiritual, Thoughts, Contest
    Honorable mention
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  5. With a gentle passion
    vibrations fall, softly;
    their hush, light and soothing,
    by FransB 22 lines, 7 comments, on Jul 11 8:52 AM 2008. In Contest, thoughts
    Honorable mention
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  6. Be Alone
    Be alone, just for one moment:
    Be alone with the music in your heart.
    by after-silence 50 lines, 7 comments, on Jul 15 1:52 AM 2008
    Honorable mention
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  7. Verloren
    Es tut mir tief in meiner Seele weh
    by Khadidja the Wise 40 lines, 2 comments, on Jul 16 11:36 AM 2008. In Personal, Lyrics
    Honorable mention
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  8. erik satie - a cool kinda guy
    by johnny nobody 40 lines, 7 comments, on Jul 14 1:43 PM 2008. In Adult, Fantasy
    Honorable mention
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]
  9. Gnossiennes for Jesus!
    by Mad Pastor Grovell 16 lines, 5 comments, on Jul 27 7:23 PM 2008. In Adult, Punishing Sodomites By Jesus' Word
    Honorable mention
    • Commented on by judge. [remove]

Entries [9]

1 - 9 of 9

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Comments

1 - 5 of 5

  • pastiche
    July 9, 2008
    Edit | Reply

    Just a note..

    If you want a rough translation, there is a clever little programme at this link:
    http://babelfish.yahoo.com/


    • Keith
      July 9, 2008
      Edit | Reply
      Thanks, I like Babelfish. It's translations are perhaps as quirky as Satie was himself. Example: Conseillez-vous soigneusement = You advise carefully.
      Now how about some quirky entries? I know this may appear a challenging competition, but it's only meant to be a bit of fun!
      Perhaps I should stick to competitions on Kittens?

      Macbeth's Soliloquy (French Version)

      Demain, et demain, et demain
      Les petits pas marchent lentement
      de jour a jour
      A le dernier petit mot de l'horloge (digitale)
      Et tous nos demains ont donne les imbeciles
      Le sentier a mort poussiereux
      Sortie, sortie petit bougie
      La vie, s'est un ombre qui marche
      Un acteur pauvre, qui pavane a l'etage
      Pour un heure seulement, et apres
      Personne n'ecoute lui
      C'est une conte qu'un ganache parle,
      Bruyant et furieux
      Qui signife rien


      • pastiche
        July 10, 2008
        Edit | Reply

        Kittens?

        No, no, no! Never, never, never! lolol


  • MargaretG
    July 17, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    I like these musical notations better than the Italian! Best wishes for your contest - my mind and muse are vacationing.


  • Pamela A Lamppa silver member
    July 30, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Oh my, I am thrilled for the honor of silver in your contest. Thank you so very much and congratulations to all. ~Pamela

1 - 5 of 5