3 Gymnopedies

Three Gymnopedies comprises:

1. Lent et douloueux
2. Lent et trist
3. Lent et Grave

Erik Satie (1866 - 1925) composed Trois Gymnopedies in 1888. They are undoubtably some of his most famous pieces for the piano. A gymnopedie was a dance performed by young men in ancient Sparta at celebrations of the same name. These festivities were dedicated to Apollo and Diana and at the same time commemorated the victories and fallen soldiers of Thyrea. It is assumed, however, that Satie was not influenced so much by the ancient world, as by its revivalism in architecture and literature, the so-called Neo-Grec style, a fashion that developed during the reign of Napoleon III. 

The Trois Gymnopedies are slow waltzes with a clear compositional structure - a distinct melody and accompaniment. They also reveal Satie's proximity to cabaret, It seems in these arrangements entirely appropriate to allocate the melody instrument to the melody of the right hand  of Satie's original pieces for the piano. Otherwise the music has remained unchanged. The phrasing marks of the original version have also been retained. Players may want to use their own taste regarding the placement of legato marks. 

The range of the tenor recorder is quite consistent with the original settings of the Gymnopedies. Because of its high range, the Gymnopedie 2 is best suited to an alto recorder. When played on a soprano recorder, the melody sounds an octave higher than the original. It is also possible tp play the Gymnopdeie 2 on a soprano recorder at the original pitch by reading it down at octave.  Sylvia C. Rosin. 

_Score 11 pp. Part 4 pp._