Description
A set of children's pieces Satie wrote in 1913, this suite takes childhood as its theme, portraying early memories with a mix of irony and nostalgia. It has three pieces: a little prelude to the day, a lullaby, and a march of the grand staircase.
Centred on C major, each of the three has its own character. Technically accessible, the music nonetheless hides Satie's characteristic unexpected harmonic turns within its simple figures, keeping the listener engaged. At about three minutes fifty seconds and some 936 notes, playing the whole suite through shows the range of his humour.
Rated for beginners, its range is narrow enough to fit even a 49-key keyboard, and the hands move little, which is part of what makes it approachable. The challenge is to play calmly through the surprising chord changes. Slowing the playback to hear each harmonic turn, watching the hand colours for each hand's role, and looping one piece at a time with A-B lets you enjoy this side of Satie as you finish it.
A broad collection of standalone piano pieces not belonging to any specific set, offering hundreds of varied character pieces to explore and compare.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Erik Satie (1866-1925)
Erik Satie was a French composer from Honfleur who worked in Montmartre's cabarets while pursuing a highly individual musical aesthetic. Known for spare, understated music and whimsically titled works, he later influenced minimalist and ambient music. This site includes the Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes, along with "Danse maigre."
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