Hyperion Records

This is one of the few songs that Durey did not include in his Catalogue Commenté of some 116 works. He had handed the manuscript over to Satie in whose papers it was found. The musical style is reminiscent of the patchwork-quilt style of Poulenc’s Cocardes where there is also a rather similar setting of the word ‘Entracte’ in Enfant de troupe. Perhaps that is why a piano piece titled ‘A Francis Poulenc’ (and clearly derived from Hommage à Satie) was published in No 2 of Le Coq in June 1920. There are also echoes of the motor rhythms of Stravinsky – and of course the dépouillé style of Satie himself. This is one of the few Durey works which seems to embrace the aesthetic of ‘Les Six’ with any real enthusiasm.

from notes by Graham Johnson © 2002