Gymnopédies Nos. 1-3
Erik Satie's atmospheric piano pieces, Gymnopédies?, mark an important moment in music history. By writing music that avoids generating either momentum or tension, Satie was rejecting many of the romantic ideas that were prominent in his day. Rather than try to excite the emotions of his audience, Satie chose instead to create music that does not demand to be followed closely, but allows the audience to sit back and enjoy each colorful moment as it happens. This idea would be picked up on by many young composers, including Debussy. This popularity among composers has lead to many differently orchestrated versions of the Gymnopédies, including the version heard in our 40 for 40.
Image Credit:
portrait by Suzanne Valadon