Twenty Short Pieces for Piano

Rating:
Summary: Delightful!
Review: Each piece is one page long (that is, one page short), notated in Satie's hand, with explanatory text (a kind of narrative of each piece); on the facing page is a drawing by Charles Martin.

Here is the narrative for Ocean Bathing:

(Agitatedly)
The ocean is wide, Madame.
Anyway, it's quite deep.
Don't sit down at the bottom.
It's very damp.
Here are some good old waves.
(Diminuendo)
They are full of water.
(Holding back)
You are all wet!
Yes, sir.

Here is the table of contents:

Choral inappetissant (Unappetizing chorale)
La Balançoire (The Swing)
La Chasse (Hunting)
La Comédie italienne (Italian Comedy)
Le Réveil de la Mariée (The Awakening of the Bride)
Colin-Maillard (Blindman's Buff)
La Pêche (Fishing)
Le Yachting (Yachting)
Le Bain de mer (Ocean Bathing)
Le Carnaval (Carnival)
Le Golf (Golf)
La Pieuvre (The Octopus)
Les Courses (Racing)
Les Quatre-coins (Puss in the Corner)
Le Pique-nique (The Picnic)
Le Water-chute (Shoot-the-Chutes)
Le Tango (perpétuel) (The [Perpetual] Tango)
Le Traîneau (The Sled)
Le Flirt (Flirting)
Le Feu d'Artifice (Fireworks)
Le Tennis (Tennis)

And here is part of Satie's preface:

For the Shriveled Up and the Stupefied I have written a serious & proper chorale. This chorale is a sort of bitter preamble, a kind of austere & unfrivolous introduction. I have put into it all I know about Boredom. I dedicate this chorale to those who don't like me. I withdraw.