Prelude to the Afternoon of Furniture Music

Dear Hythlodaeus:

When Brahms, the last bastion of the Romantic composers died in 1897, the twentieth century ushered in the neo-classicists. There is no more periods or style of composition. If anything, it's every composer for himself. So then, it's neither here or there between Satie and Debussy.

When push comes to shove, I admnit I am more of a Satie enthusiast than Debussy.

I listen to Satie and Debussy pieces, among others, when:
1) I am reading in the wee hours of the morning
2) I am writing in the wee hours of the morning
3) I am dozing off on a lazy summer afternoon, and when
4) I am flitting about indoor on a dark and stormy day

If you'd like Deodato's jazz arrangement of Claude's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun," drop me a note.

I'll also send you Charlotte Church's vocals on Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1. By the way, she will turn 19 on 21 February. Her recordings do not appeal to me for three reasons. Most important, her voice has yet to mature. It sounds thin and shrill. This deficit is evident in her phrasing and breathing techniques. And finally, she wants to do both classical and pop vocals at the same time. This youthful ambition dilutes her attention and focus toward perfecting the proper classical singing fundamentals. But then, others like her recordings. Perhaps you do also.

On the side-bar, click on Satie's link and listen on-line to 17 of his furniture music of sorts. At the site, open the playlist and click on any track you like to listen. There are also Repeat and Random play options.