SONG OF THE DAY
“Gymnopédie No. 1” – Orchestration by Debussy with original piano setting by Satie (1898)
INTERESTING FACTS (from wikipedia)
РThe Gymnop̩dies, published in Paris starting in 1888, are three piano compositions written by French composer and pianist Erik Satie.
– These short, atmospheric pieces are written in 3/4 time, with each sharing a common theme and structure.
РCollectively, the Gymnop̩dies are regarded as the precursors to modern ambient music Рgentle yet somewhat eccentric pieces which, when composed, defied the classical tradition
– The work was based upon the poetry of J.P. Contamine de Latour (1867–1926), who wrote Les Antiques (“The Ancient”), a poem containing these lines:
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– The Gymnopédies are the first compositions with which Erik Satie tried to cut himself loose from the conventional 19th century “salon music” environment of his father and stepmother.
– The anecdote of Satie introducing himself as a “gymnopaedist” in December 1887 runs as follows: the first time Satie visited the Chat Noir cabaret, he was introduced to its director, Rodolphe Salis, famous for serving sharp comments. Being coerced to mention his profession, Satie, lacking any recognizable professional occupation, presented himself as a “gymnopaedist”, supposedly in an attempt to outwit the director.
– In August 1888, the “First Gymnopédie” was published, accompanied by the verse of Contamine quoted above. However, it remains uncertain whether the poem was composed before the music, or whether Contamine intended the verse as a tribute to his friend, who had now completed both a set of sarabands and gymnopédies.
– Later the same year the “Third Gymnopédie” was published. There was, however, no publication of the “Second Gymnopédie” until 7 years later, with several announcements of an impending publication of this gymnopédie being made in the Chat Noir and Auberge du Clou periodicals.
– By the end of 1896 Satie’s popularity and financial situation were ebbing. Claude Debussy, whose popularity was rising at the time, helped draw public attention to the work of his friend. Debussy expressed his belief that the “Second Gymnopédie” did not lend itself to orchestration. (Orchestrations of this gymnopédie were only realised many decades later, by other composers, and without being frequently performed). Thus, on February 1897, Debussy orchestrated the Third and First only, reversing the numbering: “First Gymnopédie” (original piano setting by Satie) → “Third Gymnopédie” (orchestration by Debussy) & “Third Gymnopédie” (original piano setting by Satie) → “First Gymnopédie” (orchestration by Debussy). The score was then published in 1898