G. I. Gurdjieff: Hymns and Songs, Musique pour les Mouvements, for Violin and Piano

Description

The school of G.I. Gurdjieff
“In the beginning it was a vibration…
or, if you prefer, the Word”
Who is Georges Ivanovitch Gurdjieff, and what is the nature of the message he conveyed?
Even today, more than seventy years after his death, Georges Ivanovitch Gurdjieff remains an enigmatic figure. Despite access to his writings and music, defining him is no straightforward task. His message was far from a simple directive aimed solely at his contemporaries. It was a profound teaching, gleaned from his extensive travels to the East, which came at the cost of immense personal sacrifices. It is a call to inner evolution, charting a course for both current and future generations. His teachings act as a bridge between Eastern wisdom and Western science.
Gurdjieff was born in Alexandropol (now Gyumri) in the Kars region of Armenia, on January 1st according to the old Russian calendar, or January 13th by our modern Gregorian calendar. While biographers agree on his birth date, they debate the year. Some of his students have no doubt he was born in 1869, having celebrated his eightieth birthday in 1949. Others suggest 1877, proposing that his 80th celebration was merely another of his many jests, a man who often played fast and loose with the truth to underscore deeper realities, perhaps.
The fact that Gurdjieff was a composer is remarkable, as it is rare for a spiritual teacher to supplement his teachings with artistic forms that are in themselves unique and essential expressions. The sacred dances or “Movements,” along with roughly two hundred musical compositions he left behind, underscore the significance he placed on the discipline of the body in motion and the spiritual practice linked to sound vibrations.
Gurdjieff bequeathed a teaching steeped in ancient wisdom that speaks to the core of our being men. It awakens within us a longing for a state of being that feels innately ours, yet elusively out of reach.
His words and music beckon, inviting us to engage in the “work of man”—a labor that only humans can undertake when they are open to becoming a confluence of forces of varied natures.
Istituto Studi sull’Uomo
G.I.Gurdjieff, Milano © 2023

Testimony of Thomas de Hartmann
(1885 – 1956)
“This music ushered me into challenging moments, testing my resolve. At times, Gurdjieff would whistle, tapping a finger on the piano, unfurling a melody of considerable complexity, as is characteristic of Eastern compositions. Despite their seemingly simple and repetitive nature upon first hearing, understanding and transcribing them into Western musical notation was a formidable challenge.
Describing this process in detail is undoubtedly fascinating.
The pivotal moments often occurred in the evenings, in the grand hall of the Prieuré. When Gurdjieff’s playing reached my room, I would swiftly grab my music sheets and dash downstairs. The other residents, too, would converge quickly, turning the improvisation into a communal spectacle.
The task was arduous. As I listened, I feverishly attempted to capture the intricate movements of the melody on paper. Sometimes Gurdjieff would iterate just two notes. But what of the rhythm? The accents? Without the crutch of Western composition techniques, it often seemed impossible… The melody’s progression refused to be confined within the conventional measures. As for creating harmony that complemented the Eastern timbre of the melody, it was a gradual achievement. Often, likely as a test, Gurdjieff would restart the melody with subtle variations and intricate embellishments before I could fully notate it, plunging me into despair. Clearly, this was not mere musical dictation; it was a personal drill aimed at compelling me to grasp the melody’s essence, its true heart, the foundation of this music.
Once the melody was fully noted, Gurdjieff would tap out a rhythm on the piano’s lid, over which I was to craft the bass accompaniment. Then, I was expected to perform the piece immediately, improvising the harmony on the spot.
Through my endeavors with Gurdjieff, it quickly became evident that this music did not lend itself to arbitrary harmonization. Its authenticity was so pronounced, so inherent, that any attempt at ornamental embellishment would only mar the unique spirit of each melody.”
Gurdjieff’s Work is carried on today by specially and attentively trained leaders, forming an unbroken lineage that traces back to the master himself, a legacy that Jeanne de Salzmann and her successors have upheld in various locations worldwide, including major centers in Paris, London, New York, and Caracas.
The repertoire of Movements represents a body of work that is both established and evolving, with music composed over the years, from the earliest pieces born of collaboration between Gurdjieff and his students and associates, to the most recent, embodying a tradition that remains ever relevant and dynamic.
English translation: Lawrence Myall