Erik Satie’s Gymnopedie No. 1, one of three such pieces, is hauntingly simple. Audiences all over the world continue to enjoy the spare quality of this work, as it is free of ornaments, moving eighth notes, embellishments, and superfluous opportunities to demonstrate technical prowess. The composer’s instructions to the performer suggest that it be played slow and dolorously, marked by pain and sorrow.
The piano solo opens with a four-bar introduction, followed by a soaring theme that is repeated. The repeated melody leads into a middle section that occurs like a conversation. It is as if a statement had been uttered, and the following melody said something and then waited for a response. This is notable because the first ending is mostly written in major chords, despite its modal resolution. The response to this first statement is a repeat of the introduction and a reiteration of the soaring theme. However, the second ending is written in minor chords, and the impression is one of hope in the first half of the piece and resignation or acceptance at the end of it.
There are plenty of chances for the listener to apply meanings and motives to the structure of this music. Its simplicity is gorgeous yet solemn, somber and meditative. The note clusters comprising the chords on the second beats of the measures have a chromatic quality that surprises the ear. The final cadence comes with the satisfaction of a real ending, and the melody continues in the mind long after the piece has finished. Perhaps this piano solo asks more questions than it answers, and that is why it has been a favorite among soloists and audiences for decades.