The Work

The practice of Gurdjieff's ideas is generally referred to as "The Work." This codeword is now used by a large variety of methods and organisations, only some of which have historical ties that can be traced back to Gurdjieff. Such an explosive growth has its risks. Gurdjieff's teachings are being popularised, if not distorted, often without mentioning their source. Diametrically opposed, is an inclination towards dogmatism among his more ardent followers and students. "The light in one man blinds another," as André Breton formulated so aptly, although in another context.
Gurdjieff left behind an unfinished ballet, his three books, over 200 musical compositions and at least 250 Movements. A unique diversity, and yet, the expression of one organic and coherent body of thought. Fifty years after his death, an entire library of books has been written about his ideas. His music, however, has not reached a large audience yet and, until this day, the Movements have remained virtually unknown outside a small circle of initiates. These discrepancies are regrettable because the books, music and Movements were not only expressions of the same vision, they are complementary to each other -representing intellect, heart and body- and were certainly intended that way by Gurdjieff.
The most remarkable aspect of this music is that it was the result of a unique collaboration. De Hartmann notated and harmonised the themes that Gurdjieff dictated to him, an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of music. Only slightly less remarkable is the fact that the musical sources Gurdjieff drew upon -ethnic music as well as the various rituals of remote monastic brotherhoods- were transmuted with one bold sweep into the well-tempered keyboard of a piano. This process made available a repertoire of music from various Eastern sources that would have remained unknown to Western ears otherwise. In this synthesis of Eastern and Western music resounds the echo of the task that Gurdjieff had set himself: to combine the wisdom of the East with the knowledge of the West.