For nearly three decades, Erik Satie lived alone in a small room in Arcueil, on the outskirts of Paris. The composer of the famous Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes received no one there. Even his closest friends were not allowed to cross the threshold. When he died in July 1925, his family finally gained access to this dwelling, which had remained inaccessible for 27 years. They discovered an extremely rudimentary interior, cluttered with papers and accumulated belongings, two pianos stacked one on top of the other, and several musical scores, some of which were thought to be lost.
A room in Arcueil off-limits to everyone for 27 years
In 1898, Erik Satie left Montmartre for good and settled in Arcueil, at 22 rue Cauchy. He was primarily looking for less expensive accommodation. This small room became his residence until the end of his life. Throughout these years, Satie fiercely protected his privacy. None of his friends were allowed in his home. Yet, the musician led an active social life in Paris and frequented many artists of his time. He worked as a pianist and continued to compose, while regularly making long walks between Arcueil and Paris. His outward appearance contrasted sharply with his living conditions. Always impeccably dressed, Satie developed an instantly recognizable silhouette over the years, notably with his dark suit, hat, and umbrella. Those who met him could therefore never imagine the state of the room in which he lived.
Erik Satie died in hospital in July 1925
During 1925, the composer's health deteriorated significantly. He was hospitalized at Saint-Joseph Hospital in Paris. Suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, among other ailments, Erik Satie died on July 1, 1925, at the age of 59. He was then buried in the Arcueil cemetery. It was only at the end of his life and after his death that his loved ones were finally able to see the apartment he had always denied them.
A bed, a table, a chair… and two pianos stacked on top of each other.
The interior immediately surprises those who enter. The furniture is reduced to the bare minimum: a simple bed, a table, and a chair amidst a considerable accumulation of papers, newspapers, clothing, and various other objects. But one of the most astonishing features is the presence of two pianos, one above the other. One of them serves partly as storage space, with letters, papers, and various documents piled around or inside it. The room also contains a significant number of umbrellas. This object was inseparable from the composer's public image, and he frequently carried one. Newspapers, hats, walking sticks, and numerous other papers complete this interior, which remained hidden for decades.
Identical suits were found in his wardrobe
Satie's relatives also found several similar garments. This peculiarity corresponds to a long-standing habit of the composer. In 1895, after receiving a small inheritance, Satie bought seven identical tawny velvet suits. This period earned him the nickname "Velvet Gentleman." Years later, his friend Darius Milhaud described several identical, unused corduroy suits still in his apartment. This repetitive wardrobe was therefore not an invention that appeared after his death: it was part of the musician's well-documented habits.
Letters and musical scores that no one knew about
The most important find, however, lies among the accumulated papers. After Satie's death, several manuscripts and scores thought to be lost were discovered in his apartment. Some of these documents allowed for the recovery of compositions that had remained outside the musical circulation for years. Satie wrote prolifically, but kept some of his work without publishing it or necessarily discussing it with those around him. His room in Arcueil had thus become simultaneously his home, his storage space, and a somewhat disorganized personal archive.
vexation, the strange piece to repeat 840 times
Among the most mysterious works associated with Satie is Vexations , a very short piano composition written around 1893 and unpublished during his lifetime. On the manuscript, Satie accompanied the motif with an extraordinary instruction: he described its performance as 840 repetitions , preceded by preparation in silence and what he called "serious stillnesses." The piece only became truly known several decades after his death. In 1963, John Cage organized a complete performance in New York with several pianists taking turns. The performance lasted approximately 18 hours and 40 minutes. Since then, Vexations has become one of the most singular works in Satie's repertoire. In April 2025, the pianist Igor Levit took up the challenge once again, performing all 840 repetitions solo in London, for approximately 13 hours.
Erik Satie's last enigma was behind a door
For 27 years, Erik Satie had completely separated his public life from his apartment in Arcueil. His friends knew the composer, the pianist, the man with the hat and umbrella. They knew almost nothing about the place he returned to each evening. When they entered it after his death, they discovered the material poverty in which he had lived, but also the considerable accumulation he had left behind: identical clothes, papers, letters, umbrellas, two pianos stacked one on top of the other, and forgotten manuscripts. The room that Erik Satie had refused to show for nearly three decades ultimately contained a part of his work.
