Corneille - 1989 Composition with woman and bird on sheet music - Hommage a Satie - Beautiful List

Beautiful, musical work by Corneille, a tribute to the French composer Erik Satie.

Composition with woman and bird on sheet music, screen print dated 1989, 29x43 cm, outside size is 73x87 cm

On a screen print, "HC I/L" means "Hors Commerce I/L". This is a French term used in the art world.

Hors Commerce (HC): This means "not for sale". HC prints are usually made outside the numbered edition and are intended for the artist, publisher or for promotional purposes. They are often intended for exhibitions or for special relations and are usually not sold to the general public.

I/L: the first (I) of a series (L) of such prints.

So "HC I/L" would indicate the first of a limited series of prints. These prints are often as valuable and authentic as the numbered edition, but are less available on the market.

Erik Satie, born Éric Alfred Leslie Satie on May 17, 1866 in Honfleur, France, was an innovative and influential composer whose work played an important role in the development of modern music. He was an eccentric figure, both in his personal life and in his musical style, and was known for his unique approach to composition and his often ironic and satirical attitude.

Early Life and Education
Satie was born into a musical and artistic family. His mother was a Scottish pianist and his father a French music publisher. After the death of his mother, he was sent to Paris at a young age, where he later studied at the conservatory. However, his time at the conservatory was not very successful; he was rejected several times due to his lack of discipline and conventional skills.

Musical Career
After his failed attempt at formal musical training, Satie began his career as a composer and pianist in the cabarets of Montmartre, an artistic district of Paris. Here he developed his own style, which was characterized by simplicity, clarity and a rejection of the romantic traditions that were dominant at the time.

Important Works
Satie's best-known works include:

Gymnopédies (1888): A series of three piano pieces known for their serene and dreamy character. These pieces are often associated with impressionist music, although Satie himself rejected that term.
Gnossiennes (1890): A series of piano pieces that, like the Gymnopédies, have a mystical and introspective atmosphere.
Parade (1917): A ballet written in collaboration with Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso, which challenged the traditional conventions of ballet with its use of unusual instruments and sounds.
Influence and Legacy
Satie had a profound influence on many composers and artists of his time and beyond, including Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and later John Cage. His approach to music, which was often humorous and playful, but at the same time deeply serious, contributed to the development of minimalism and other modern music movements.

Personal Life and Character
Satie was a idiosyncratic and eccentric figure. He lived much of his life in poverty and isolation, and was known for his bizarre customs and beliefs. For example, he always wore velvet suits and was a member of a self-created religious sect, the "Metropolitan Church of Art of Jesus the Conductor".

Erik Satie died on July 1, 1925 in Paris. Despite his often difficult life, his work has had a lasting impact on the music world and he remains a fascinating figure in the history of music.

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