Satie, Debussy and Stravinsky at a dinner in Debussy's apartment in June 1910

A Party at Debussy's House.

These photographs show three composers who did much to shape the face of music at the beginning of the twentieth century: Erik Satie, Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky.

The first photograph was taken by Stravinsky, the second by Satie. Stravinsky sits in the armchair, with Debussy to his right; in the other photograph Debussy is again on the right, and Satie on the left. Both snapshots were taken in the study of Claude Debussy's flat by the Bois de Boulogne, at a dinner in June 1910. Stravinsky was the youngest of the trio, at that moment 28; Satie was 44, and Debussy 48.

All three are bound by a single thread, that of impressionism: Satie as the founder of the style in music, Debussy as its continuer and the head of musical impressionism, and Stravinsky as its heir and follower in Russia. A difficult friendship-cum-enmity and a companionship-cum-rivalry united them; they corresponded and inspired one another.

"Satie appealed to me at first sight. A subtle little piece of work, he was wholly filled with slyness and a clever spite," wrote Stravinsky of Satie, who called him the great Stravinsky and Prince Igor.