An Ommadawn Chorus: Mike Oldfield's Favourite Albums | Page 5 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

4. SatieGymnopédies

I have a real love for this whole period: the early 1900s up to about 1940. And not just music – I love so much of the art as well. I really like the Impressionists. I love Dali too, love all of that stuff. And I think Gymnopédies fits in really well with much of the work of that period. I’ve always gained a great deal of pleasure from so much of the art of that era. I visited Renoir’s house and I went to the Monet museum. Can I play it myself? Oh yes! Well, I used to play what we’ll call a version of it. I don’t actually read music, you know. But yes, it was a great inspiration to me. As were the movements of the period as a whole: just wonderful people. A really exciting time for music and art.

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