Erik Satie - Uspud (Alessandro Simonetto)

Information

Composer: Erik Satie

• Uspud (Version for Piano)

Alessandro Simonetto, piano

Date: 2025

Label: OnClassical

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Is it possible to understand Erik Satie’s Uspud, ballet chrétien as a mystification ? No, given that Satie neither wanted nor managed to mystify anyone when he tried to get Uspud performed at the Paris Opera. It was clear to all that Uspud was comical, grotesque, inadequate, ridiculous, and caricatural – in other words, a mystification ; but a mystification that publicises itself as such is a failed mystification, it would seem. However Satie succeeded perfectly in mystifying the men who were leading the main musical institutions of the time, inasmuch as these never saw they were letting a revolutionary masterpiece disappear from underneath their noses. Their lack of understanding had to be, for Satie, a measure of the value of his ballet ; for any really innovative work must pass for a mystification in the eyes of the powers that be.

Alessandro Simonetto is a self-taught musician, composer, and producer whose career spans performance, recording, and label leadership. He began composing early, receiving praise from Eric James, and later completed formal studies in piano, harpsichord, and composition. After producing over 500 recordings, he returned to performing with acclaim. His releases — including Suites for Harpsichord, Satie’s early works, and world-premiere recordings of Joplin and Leroy Shield — have earned major recognition, awards, and millions of streams. As founder of the OnClassical label, he has supported emerging artists and reached over 250 million streams. He also practices photography and drone piloting.

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