Satie's performance directions
French composer
Definition
Satie replaced conventional Italian tempo markings with French verbal directions that are simultaneously descriptive and absurdist: 'Très luisant' (very shiny), 'Du bout de la pensée' (from the tip of the thought), 'Sur la langue' (on the tongue). These are not literal instructions but poetic invitations.
Interpretive Guidance
Do not attempt to translate Satie's performance directions into conventional tempo or dynamic instructions. They are calibrations of mood and imagination, not mechanics. 'Avec étonnement' (with astonishment) means the performer should feel astonishment, not play at a particular speed. Read each direction before playing and let it colour your approach to the phrase — then forget it, so the music can breathe.