[Usagi]

I recently dusted off an old recording of Trois Gymnopedies by Erik Satie. It is a powerful yet simple solo piano piece that should belong in everyone’s music collection (recordings are in concerto as well). Forewarning; feelings of depression will overwhelm the most stable mind.

If you have recently been through a bitter divorce, lost a child, experienced any severe mental trauma, or you're just simply unstable, I urge you to pass on this recording and listen to something a little more..........upbeat; say It's a Small World After All.

Listen at your own risk.

Trois Gymnopedies ~ Erik Satie

......[size=small]"God, why hast thou forsaken me?"[/size]

 

[JohnFerrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usagi It is a powerful yet simple solo piano piece that should belong in everyone’s music collection (recordings are in concerto as well).

I like Satie's Gymnopedies and find it calming like Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel. It's not really, really, sad like Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings.

.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnFerrier I like Satie's Gymnopedies and find it calming like Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel. It's not really, really, sad like Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. .

True, but The Adagio for Strings unfortunatley has been so overplayed in movies that it has lost some of its emitional impact.

Glad somebody else around here likes Moroton Feldman.

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usagi I recently dusted off an old recording of Trios Gymnopedies by Erik Satie. It is a powerful yet simple solo piano piece that should belong in everyone’s music collection (recordings are in concerto as well). Forewarning; feelings of depression will overwhelm the most stable mind.

Agree on it being a very nice piece of work. I didn't find it depressing though - together with Bach's Goldberg Variations, it is music I listen to when I need to calm myself down. I find it very serene. Satie's Gnossiennes is also very nice and perhaps slightly more bouncy.

Anyone know of a good / definitive performance of Gymnopedies? I just got mine off the rack randomly, not knowing which one to get. Not that I saw alot of choice readily available in the classical dept in HMV.

 

[Usagi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubei Anyone know of a good / definitive performance of Gymnopedies? I just got mine off the rack randomly, not knowing which one to get. Not that I saw alot of choice readily available in the classical dept in HMV.

Aldo Ciccolini
A myriad of versions exist. You could check out iTunes for demos if nothing else.

 

[Bunnyears]

First of all it's not Trios Gymnopedies but "Trois Gymnopedies" -- which means Three Gymnopedies. Gymnopedie was actually a nonsense word like jabberwocky, made up by the composer. Gnosienne was also a nonsense word that Satie made up as well.

For a great interpretation as well as a very nice, compact selection of Satie's music you can't do better than Pascal Rogé's recording. The sound quality isn't the best, but Rogé's interpretations are reference. For a more complete selection of his work and also a sparkling, dry wit paired with impeccable technique and great sound quality there are two recordings for sale by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. One is a cd of selections (The Magic of Satie) and the other is a boxed set of The Complete Solo Piano Music. Both of those recordings are also available through yourmusic.com. Just put Thibaudet into the artist search and they should come up.

 

[JohnFerrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears For a great interpretation as well as a very nice, compact selection of Satie's music you can't do better than Pascal Rogé's recording. The sound quality isn't the best, but Rogé's interpretations are reference.

Don't mind an older recording for a great performance. The samples are touching.

CD Universe, as usual, has a better price.
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7062290

 

[Usagi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears First of all it's not Trios Gymnopedies but "Trois Gymnopedies" -- which means Three Gymnopedies. Gymnopedie was actually a nonsense word like jabberwocky, made up by the composer. Gnosienne was also a nonsense word that Satie made up as well.

Actually etymology dictates Gymnopedie is a derivative of the word Gymnopaedia, which means Ancient Greek Dance. This dance originated in the seventh century and consisted of young nude males dancing and performing various other naked athletics for an audience at the Blue Oyster Bar. Okay, I'm kidding about the bar.

In any case, I appreciate the spelling correction.

 

[Bunnyears]

If "gymnopedie" were merely the transliteration of a Greek word then there wouldn't have been the questions about the meaning of the word which the composer himself said was "made up."

BTW, gymnopaedic means having young that are naked when hatched, no relation to any Greek dance.

Gymnopaedic

\Gym`no*p[ae]d"ic\ ((?), a. [Gr. gymno`s naked + ?, ?, a child.] (Zo["o]l.) Having young that are naked when hatched; psilop[ae]dic; -- said of certain birds.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

 

[Epicurean]

Satie is by far my favorite piano composer and I can even play some of his works myself. I have this record called The Best of Erik Satie with Klara Körmendi as the performer that I like a lot. Körmendi plays at a little faster tempo than most I've heard which I personally find very nice. The record serves well as an introduction to Satie and also contains orchestral versions of the three gymnopedies. And the cd was cheap too

 

[Usagi]

I believe we see a common factor here, that being “naked”. Maybe the root word of Gymnopedies is used to describe the composition of the three pieces. Interesting that the words I could use to describe the three pieces would be raw, stripped, naked, almost bare.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Usagi Actually etymology dictates Gymnopedie is a derivative of the word Gymnopaedia, which means Ancient Greek Dance. This dance originated in the seventh century and consisted of young nude males dancing and performing various other naked athletics for an audience at the Blue Oyster Bar. Okay, I'm kidding about the bar. In any case, I appreciate the spelling correction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears If "gymnopedie" were merely the transliteration of a Greek word then there wouldn't have been the questions about the meaning of the word which the composer himself said was "made up." BTW, gymnopaedic means having young that are naked when hatched, no relation to any Greek dance. Gymnopaedic \Gym`no*p[ae]d"ic\ ((?), a. [Gr. gymno`s naked + ?, ?, a child.] (Zo["o]l.) Having young that are naked when hatched; psilop[ae]dic; -- said of certain birds. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

 

[Bunnyears]

The point is that "gymnopedie" can mean whatever you want it to mean. It's a word invented by the composer -- just like "gnossienne."

Btw, I prefer his Sonatine Bureaucratique.

 

[musicmind]

Old thread but its one of my faves too so I'll exhume it for Satie's sake

I have the Thibaudet piano recordings, as well some John Williams classical guitar recordings of the Satie gems, but my most favourite is the recording by Steve and John Hackett playing acoustic guitar and flute on "Sketches of Satie".

 

[FalconP]

Trois Gymnopedies has been orchestrated by Debussy and Roland-Manuel. The orchestrated version is less naked, but just as graceful.

I'd say Gnossiennes is Satie at his most mysterious and melodic. Indeed many of his earlier pieces (Ogives, Sarabandes) are pleasingly melodic. The late pieces are quirkier, more individualistic and takes time to really appreciate.

I like my Ciccolin 5 CD-set -- near complete collection, fine digital sound, and can be had for very low price. The Thibaudet is highly acclaimed and I'd like to give it a try.

 

[Dimitris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears /img/forum/go_quote.gif If "gymnopedie" were merely the transliteration of a Greek word then there wouldn't have been the questions about the meaning of the word which the composer himself said was "made up." BTW, gymnopaedic means having young that are naked when hatched, no relation to any Greek dance. Gymnopaedic \Gym`no*p[ae]d"ic\ ((?), a. [Gr. gymno`s naked + ?, ?, a child.] (Zo["o]l.) Having young that are naked when hatched; psilop[ae]dic; -- said of certain birds. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

I was attracted to this thread by the title so let me give my 2 cents as native greek! Gymnopaidie or gymnopaidies could mean doing something naked mainly an outdoor activity. I say could because such a word doesn't exist.

Paedic might mean a child in modern greek but in ancient times it was used to refer to an activity like Athlopaidie was used in order to describe an event where sports were practiced.