Description
The second of the three Gymnopédies. Where the first is marked "slow and painful," this one is marked "slow and sad." The three stand in the relation of the same material viewed from slightly different angles; played in sequence they feel like one landscape seen at different hours.
The pattern of the triple-time accompaniment is unchanged from the first. Only the intervals of the melody and the choice of harmony differ, and that alone accounts for the change of expression. Some 370 notes are spread across more than three minutes, so the time between the notes makes up much of the music.
There is no fast motion, but the piece falls easily into monotony. The key is how the left-hand chords are sounded: strike every note equally and the accompaniment comes too far forward, so anchor the bass and place the chords lightly. If all three are played together, decide in advance how the colour will differ from the first — that is what gives each its own character.
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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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