Gymnopedie no 1 - cinematic music video

I play Gymnopedie no 1 written by Erik Satie on this video. This time I decided to record more of a concept video for it, let me tell you why.
I was recording this piece a few weeks ago and I experienced something truly special. I played the piece just fine, but I couldn't get it right. Something was off. No matter how calmly I tried to play, it was too much. Until I really let everything go, all the stress and all the perfectionism and I just simply played it.
I played it way slower than I've heard anyone ever did. And it felt just right. Satie was kinda the OG lofi guy, the father of background music. This music was meant to be played in a steady, sostenuto way, still, with no momentum I believe. Every time I tried adding something, a little dynamics or momentum here an there, the piece was lost. Somethimes the best we can do for a music is to do nothing at all. To intervene as little as we can, to just let the piece happen.
I wanted to record a video that supports what I found out about this music, and for this is something that is continuosly going but still at once, I wanted to show it as a piece of background music in the city of Budapest. Nothing monumental, it just flows, as the people happen to be here and there, being busy livign their life, doing their things. The idea here was to grab this essence of the piece and record a video that supports what I think about it.
Hope this resonates with you!
Cameraman: Capy :D
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[@beatrixguitar]

This was our first time recording like this with Capy, it was such a nice experience! We had no idea what we were doing but I think it tured out to be great :) Consider supporting my work on Patreon so we can make more videos like this one! www.patreon.com/beatrixguitar Be sure to read the description for a little extra context!

[@Stefano50]

Thank you! Like many of us here......... Satie is very dear to my heart........... ............and, in particular the Gymnopédies AND........ you honored this music so beautifully and with such lovely sensitivity. Mille grazie!!

[@pottedrodenttube]

I've heard very rushed versions of Satie's pieces, they never sound right to me, the feeling is lost when played too fast.

[@beatrixguitar]

I do agree! The challenge of this piece is that it’s so simple and we have to calm down to be able to play it, it requires you to be very still and content. The more you try to move it, the more it slips away.

[@andredegelder7383]

WoW, soo beautiful...thx you🎈

[@vlodeklukasz1065]

@@beatrixguitar Satie was a Rosicrucian, a child of his times, and somehow incorporated mysticism into his music. So it's not about peace and contentment, but about conveying a secret. A mixture of nostalgia and hope. If played well, the listener should cry. A sense of spiritual relief. Moreover, the Gnosienne cycle directly suggests what his music is. It's not simple, it's appropriate.

[@BrianSikorski]

I have Gymnopedie No. 1 as my wake up alarm in the morning. It's such a gental song to wake you up and believe in the possibly of a new day before you get out of bed and the day begins. Great video!

[@fortissimoX]

"Until I really let everything go, all the stress and all the perfectionism and I just simply played it." "Sometimes the best we can do for a music is to do nothing at all. To intervene as little as we can, to just let the piece happen." Yep, music is not only about practicing your instrument and analyzing everything. Those words you've written point in fact to the real essence of music. I hope that you'll find a way to nurture that feeling throughout your whole life. Btw, I've had some beautiful moments in Budapest, and that city has a special place in my heart. This video was therefore quite emotional for me... thank you. I wish you all the best.

[@clixandru]

Beautiful song and beautiful images. You both did some great work. I like your self-criticism. :) ("Until I really let everything go, all the stress and all the perfectionism and I just simply played it.").

[@franksabatino7576]

Thanks Beatrix. You have found the stillness in this piece.

[@ArfhanUsman-hk1im]

Wow excellent 😳👍

[@georgerodionov5941]

Hypnotizing

[@kevinmaillet4712]

Excellent!!!!! Very beautifully done!!!!!! Bravo!!! ❤❤❤

[@mikelnavarro69]

Mesmerising!!😍😍😍😍😍🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Oh no! A concept video? Liked. Lots. Very lots.

[@johannesnel8060]

Great video. Lovely piece of music. One of my favorites. Budapest is a beautiful city.

[@newsongguitarcollaboration4614]

Wonderful thank you❤

[@beatrixguitar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@fuffy442]

I love the harmonics! Great choice.

[@beatrixguitar]

Thanks a lot!

[@WestwoodC21]

Beautiful video. Nice footage of Budapest too. Your feeling about the composition makes a lot of sense.

[@katanafourzeronine]

Oh no, it's Gymnopedie, one of my favorite musical compositions ever. Someone save me!

[@rabendranath]

One of my all-time favorite pieces played sensitively and beautifully... Bravo!! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@cirofuerst4828]

The video really suits the music perfectly. Truly beautiful!

[@beatrixguitar]

Thank you very much!

[@Gadzinisko]

I like this new artistic direction.

[@beatrixguitar]

Thanks! It was fun to learn to do this on our own with Capy 😁 there surely gonna be more

[@rankles9]

Quite beautiful. Sensitive. Played with a real feeling for the music. I loved the harmonics.

[@xoxb2]

Capy did an excellent job - it's beautifully shot!

[@BartVersteeg]

Great playing Beatrix! And the video goes well with the music.❤

[@beatrixguitar]

Glad you think so!

[@mine2k8r]

Truly beautiful. ♥ I think it's the best version of Gymnopedie no1 I ever heard.

[@beatrixguitar]

Aw thank you! I’m really happy you feel that way!

[@stevenhorton7457]

Beautiful i love this Satie piece its awesome❤

[@asharpbflat7179]

Too beautiful. Always loved this tune. ❤️ My family had distant relatives in this beautiful city. Been there two times as a child. I'm scared to contact them 😔

[@mer1red]

The first part is very, very nice. The second still follows the approach that has become a habit among guitarists: playing the melody an octave higher. I don't know who started this, but it breaks the original intention of the composer. That is slow, sorrowful, monotonous, musique d'ameublement (by which he meant: music that does not demand or require the attention of the listener). Melody p or pp. This video comes closer than many other guitar interpretations to this background music style, which you also mention in the description, and in general it breathes that idea very good. That's why i like it. But the second part with high notes is still there, suggesting variation an a slight climax. Personally I play everything as the first part, as in the score. I know of only one interpretation on guitar available on KZbin that imho follows this, as do most piano players. Search for: flixization Gymnopedie 1 Satie. Flixization is the name of a channel. I don't give a link because of KZbins Artificial Stupidity.

[@williamb.3997]

Serene is the best word for this. Beautiful too (also the architectures and surrounding areas).

[@johnsnyder7021]

I enjoyed the concept very much. Music and videography were a perfect blend. Thank you.

[@katanafourzeronine]

I am leaving an algorithm boosting comment on the video. I hear it helps a lot. Also the video is beautiful, my hat's off to both you and Capy.

[@beatrixguitar]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@Gabriel_Domingues]

simp

[@WCGP]

Lovely video and my favorite part is seeing you play. All the best, Will.

[@beatrixguitar]

Glad you enjoyed it Will! 😄

[@arthusLawitBeta]

I am learning that piece, absolutelly loved your interpretation, I totally agree with it.

[@claudecaillate8724]

Beautiful ❤️ I'm going to try playing it.

[@DaveDickens]

Beautiful, I have tried to play this but I realise I took it too fast. Thank you. Cheers Dave

[@1963kingfisher]

Just Amazing. Love the performance

[@seehearthink]

My favorite character is the guitar player! 😂😊

[@beatrixguitar]

😂fair enough

[@jonprudhomme7694]

One of my favorite pieces. Play it on my guitar often. Nicely done!

[@LostSoulAscension]

This slow is so difficult! So much time to think and worry and freak out about every note's tone quality and not making a mistake! What a beautiful video! Bravo! ❤

[@wimkok8246]

Yes it is! Playing serene and slow, and beautiful is very difficult.

[@tobiasnilsson8934]

Appreciates the tempo, the soothing feeling! I also play it in a similar way. Thanks a lot for sharing! //Tobias

[@nywoe]

Lovely video, what a beautiful city 😍

[@beatrixguitar]

It really is! Thanks!

[@susannekalejaiye4351]

Really enjoyed this!

[@MethenySco]

It resonates with me, musically and visually. It’s hard to play this slowly, and in fact rarely do we hear music played this slowly… Great stuff.

[@laszloteczar8880]

Igazán szép lett! Mind a zenei, mind a képi anyag tekintetében. Gratulálok!

[@Nourhane-dy3eb]

Gorgeous ❤️🍓

[@aminhyper]

No way . This video is masterpiece

[@davidha7096]

Excellent!

[@Kithara-]

what a beautiful video

[@stevemalone1246]

Resonates with me very much - Thanks for sharing the moments

[@ChrisBrown-oo4bf]

So nice. Just got to sit back and listen to some wonderful sounds. Beautiful piece and beautiful playing.

[@beatrixguitar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@benmyths]

that is one helluva guitar case

[@user-kn1jg6pg6m]

Hourra!! The first film was coming👏!!😄😅 It's good❤.

[@timothymills733]

Very nice video. This was a bit too slow for my tastes, though I do think most people play it too fast. I guess I am Goldilocks, so somewhere in the middle 🙂 I can relate to your experience when working on it. I think Satie's music is some of the most difficult to play well as the small details are what elevate it.

[@christossakellaridis9029]

I walked these streets a very long time ago as a student....Budapest still is very beautiful. Thanks for the video.

[@hippomancy]

I think you nailed it. aced it. slayed it. whatever the cool kids say these days to state approbation. nice video, too

[@Linhjoe]

Beautiful video and playing. 0:30 2:03

[@haroldmendoza5834]

Amazing! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@katanafourzeronine]

I always come back to this video when I feel stressed.

[@ajlcunha]

The video fits the music so graciously. One of my favourite song ever. Thank you.

[@bassholic705]

Pigeons!!!! 4 seconds in and I'm already happy!

[@beatrixguitar]

Fun fact: the pigeons weren’t part of the plan originally, after I edited the whole thing I felt like “damn we need pigeons at the beginning”, so 5 days after recording the whole video I went back to record pigeons at the same place because I couldn’t find them near where I live and I knew there will be pigeons at the tram station 🫠

[@peterprince2304]

quelle son ! Stylé !

[@Dmytriy_Om]

I liked video! Especially first half, don't know, maybe I have seen too much men playing guitar :) But not walking through the city going to play)

[@arthusLawitBeta]

Yeah, I am your fan!

[@keithbaumgardner8460]

Oh, this is so good. It just breathes

[@Trinity30585]

Pulled the harmonics out baby. Love it!❤

[@niner8tangojuliet149]

Lovely

[@wimkok8246]

The beginning or just the end of a beautiful movie. Like this one, but than with the suggestion of lifes lived...

[@DSW964]

Really beautiful❤- Especially enjoyed the beginning as it gives me that nostalgic living in Europe during the 80’s vibes and somehow also reminds me of last year’s trip to Japan. Yearning for some travel to a faraway place soon…

[@vagamorneval8451]

tres joli, merci.

[@kendrom]

Very cool video, Beatrix. I really enjoyed that. :)

[@srm4christ]

Oh my goodness!... How everyone else "disappears" when you start to play 😍😭😍

[@ToastandJam52]

Absolutely marvellous!!!!! I love playing that tune too. I could play/listen to it for all eternity. It is so beautiful. Did you play your own arrangement?

[@Epiminide]

That's impressive! Really suggestive, and the dynamic is awesome :) Not sure if this is due to my headphones.. but it seems to me that the note of the bass strings immediately after the pick is slightly higher than usual. Is this made on purpose? This creates an incredibly nice effect while the note converges to the right pitch together with the other ones!

[@aquilino1984]

Beautifully played. I like your and Brandon Ackers interpretation the most.

[@jameschristiansson3137]

Nailed it. I normally can't enjoy this piece any longer because it has been overused in movies, TV, and television commercials. The tempo here is beautiful. You play great, girl, but would your mom recognize it's you on the radio? In this case yes. (Nod to Les Paul)

[@PluckingAmateurs]

Love it. Many play this at a faster tempo, This is the way I would play it, just without the harmonics, because I'm not at that level yet, really good job :)

[@user-sw8fk3mm7x]

I absolutely love your arrangement, especially the harmonics in the second half. Is the tab for your arrangement available for purchase? Brava!

[@Arckaro]

Nice

[@beatrixguitar]

Name your favourite character from the video! 😃 Mine are the girls playing table tennis at 1:10 and the little girl at 3:03, so adorable.

[@LiamWakefield]

I thought the most remarkable thing about her was how she transformed into a pigeon, then back and obviously settled of bird as her final form because she disappeared (into the sky, I presume) by the end.

[@LiamWakefield]

A functioning public transport system that gets people into and back out of the city in relative comfort is my favourite character, though.

[@javierdiazsantana]

Very nice Kovacs. I would like to ask for you to play La fille aux cheveux de lin by Debussy, there are a couple of classical guitar arrangements, one in my channel based in Julian Bream's arrangement. Hope you're well

[@Hippopotiverse]

beautiful 😘🥰

[@beatrixguitar]

Thank you! 🤗

[@aminhyper]

Wow

[@antoniodavi207]

❤❤❤❤

[@Luizanselmojr]

👏👏👏

[@Juju-qf5zo]

nice

[@Gabriel_Domingues]

omg sandals

[@samuelnieves2840]

...💕

[@luke7ung]

This is actually my 2nd favourite, the 1st is Gnossiennes 1, so this is close enough. LOL

[@99Gara99]

Sounds like a song from final fantsy 7 (sorry to be the one to make this comment)

[@twobitmage]

Do you have tabs for this? Or at least a link to some tabs? This is one of my favorite pieces of classical music ever.

[@claudecaillate8724]

Merci !

[@beatrixguitar]

Thank you for your kind support!

[@tiborhorvath9845]

Számomra ez "álomszép" - hozzátéve, hogy azért nem minden álom szép.. :) Teljesen a hatása alá kerültem, van az egészben valami különleges, valami "varázslatos".. :) Említést érdemel az utcazenélés helyszíne: Vigadó tér (a háttérben a nagy épület a Pesti Vigadó), a szökőkútnál a szobor neve pedig a Vízcsorgató gyerekek kútja (The Fountain of Water Pouring Children). :)

[@eklingt13]

How many hours do you practise? love from India.

[@vadims2236]

A guitar is a handheld piano.

[@a7xwii]

Is that a real Carbon fiber case?

[@beatrixguitar]

It iiiis! So pretty, right? I’ve got it from GEWA, best case I’ve ever had

[@a7xwii]

@@beatrixguitar just looked it up. Cheaper than I thought it would be.

[@libertypastor1307]

So sorry to only enjoy the video without the sound, 'cause I love to hear you play. But I cannot bear to listen to Gymnopedies anymore - ever since I learned what the name means. ( _gymno,_ naked + _pedo,_ children = naked children ) I cant bear to listen to music written by someone thinking about, looking at, or molesting children! If it comes up on the radio, I have to turn it off because it brings up horrible memories of all the stories of pedophile crimes I have watched on TV through the years! What they do to children is so evil and horrible, that I no longer care how good the music was before. I hate it now. No offense to those who don't know, though.

[@mer1red]

Please don't judge the past through the eyes of the present. The word gymnopedie refers to an ancient Greek tradition where sports, competitions etc were done without clothes. Pedie denotes such events where young men where the participants. This has no relationship with pedophilia or sexual child abuse. Satie, the strange guy he was, just used the word as a droll reference, a kind of dry joke. Don't take it so serious.

[@kimlodrodawa123]

Still off! Sorry. You totally ruin the beauty of that piece. - Try listen to Anne Queffélec playing it on Piano. ------ So far the only one I have heard, being able to play Erik Satie in a proper way IMHO. Also read the history of Satie and investigate the life and time when and where Satie lived. I am sure it could help you a lot. In the wish it can help improve your playing. ❤🙏