Once you hear Erik Satie’s GymnopĂ©die No. 1, you nevÂer forÂget it. Not that popÂuÂlar culÂture would let you forÂget it: the piece has been, and conÂtinÂues to be, reinÂterÂpretÂed and samÂpled by musiÂcians workÂing in a variÂety of genÂres from pop to elecÂtronÂic to metÂal. In verÂsions that sound close to what Satie would have intendÂed when he comÂposed it in 1888, it’s also been feaÂtured in countÂless films and teleÂviÂsion shows. It’s even heard with some freÂquenÂcy in YouTube videos, though in the case of the one from The Music ProÂfesÂsor above, it’s not just the soundÂtrack, but also the subÂject. Using an annoÂtatÂed score, it explains just what makes the piece so endurÂing and influÂenÂtial.
Upon “a simÂple iambic rhythm with two ambiguÂous major 7th chords,” GymnopĂ©die No. 1 introÂduces a melody that “floats above an ausÂtere proÂcesÂsion of notes,” then “moves down the octave from F# to F#.” With its lack of a clear key, as well as its lack of develÂopÂment and draÂma that the orchesÂtral music of the day would have trained lisÂtenÂers to expect, the piece was “as shockÂing as the dance of naked SparÂtans it was meant to evoke.”
The melody makes its turns, but nevÂer quite arrives at its seemÂing desÂtiÂnaÂtions, going around in cirÂcles instead — before, all of a sudÂden, swervÂing into the “minor and disÂsoÂnant” before endÂing in “proÂfound melanÂcholy.”
Despite music in genÂerÂal havÂing long since assimÂiÂlatÂed the darÂing qualÂiÂties of GymnopĂ©die No. 1, the origÂiÂnal piece still catchÂes our ears — in its subÂtle way — whenÂevÂer it comes on. So, in anothÂer way, do the less recÂogÂnizÂable and more experÂiÂmenÂtal GnossiÂennes with which Satie folÂlowed them up. In the video above, the Music ProÂfesÂsor proÂvides a visuÂal explaÂnaÂtion of GnossiÂenne No. 1, durÂing whose perÂforÂmance “soft disÂsoÂnance hangs in the air” while “a curiÂous melody floats over genÂtle synÂcoÂpaÂtions in the left hand” over just two chords. The score comes with “surÂreÂal comÂments”: “Très luisant,” “Du bout de la penÂsĂ©e,” “PosÂtulez en vous-mĂŞme,” “QuesÂtionez.” Satie is often credÂitÂed with pioÂneerÂing what would become ambiÂent music; could these be proÂto-Oblique StrateÂgies?
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
LisÂten to NevÂer-Before-Heard Works by Erik Satie, PerÂformed 100 Years After His Death
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities and the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles. FolÂlow him on the social netÂwork forÂmerÂly known as TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.
