What instrument was XXX written for?
Vexations
avoiding romantic implication, is more than arguably correct too. While the bass-note ending the motif is a major third above the first bass-note of the motif, even an execution with a modulating progression for every repeat would not be unthinkable: Satie nowhere indicates that the ``motif'' (which is by definition a musical entity not tied to a particular key) or the ``bass theme'' is to be executed at the same pitch every time. Cage's own intervallic analysis made for the first performance is in Lloyd's collection at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University along with the performer's time keeper sheets from that concert. Although, formally, there is no unambiguous indication either that the Vexations should be played on the piano, there is however little doubt that this is the intended instrument, an execution on another keyboard instrument -- like e.g. the then popular harmonium -- not being impossible. Ornella Volta (from the Archives Erik Satie in Paris) has been preparing a dossier with several studies regarding this work and its executions. This dossier, which has not been published, is intended to contain a full analysis and a facsimile reproduction of the original score. The team at MakerBot Industries has programmed one of their robots to perform Vexations. It was performed for the public for the
piano