| Category: | Musical composition |
| Dated: | New York City, February 1985 |
| Instrumentation: | for solo voice |
| Duration: | 6' |
| Premiere and performer(s): | |
| Dedicated to: | |
| Choreography: | --- |
| Published: | Edition Peters 67069 © 1985 by Henmar Press |
| Manuscript: | Notes (holograph in ink - 1 envelope - Folder 642); Sketches (typescript with holographic annotations in ink - 13 lvs. Folder 654); 2 scores (typescripts - 9+9+5 lvs. Folder 655); Sketches (holograph in red, black and blue ink - 10 lvs. Folder 1047), all in New York Public Library. |
| Sonnekus2 is a series of 9 short songs, with texts in the form of mesostics, based on
the first Book of Moses Genesis. The melody of the songs is pentatonic and they should be sung in
a simple, folk-like way, without vibrato. The singer should build in long pauses, during which she can change
costumes or go into other rooms of the building, singing Satie cabaret songs ('Je te veux', 'La Diva de
l'Empire' and 'Tendrement'). The composition may be performed alone or as a part of The First Meeting of the Satie Society the Socie Satiety (1984-85). The title is derived from Satie's Sonneries de la Rose + Croix. The squared (2) in the title refers to the fact that there are nine letters in the keyword (Sonneries) and nine poems in the piece (9 x 9). For texts click on the following link: www.recmusic.org Sources: Paul van Emmerik: Thema's en Variaties; New York Public Library online catalog; Manfred Niehaus: Liner notes of CD Obst P.330.14; James Pritchett: The Music of John Cage |