What Makes Erik Satie’s Gymnopédie SO GENIUS?!

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As always, thank you so much for watching, and thank you to all of you that leave comments.

[@matt_phistopheles]

This is one of the rare cases where the repeat is absolutely essential part of the music. In the first round our mind is taken on a mysterious journey without a clear harmonic direction. In the second round the mind has accepted the absence of a harmonic center as the new normality and it really starts to feel at home. Listening to a 'conventional' piece of music right after this one feels uncomfortably in your face. At least this is how I feel about this piece and that is one reason why I really love the music of Satie.

[@dot5730]

im too fucking high for this shit ill respond tomororw

[@ekcrisp1]

not so rare

[@dot5730]

yeah i agree

[@lanehowell605]

I Love Your Description ~!💜

[@ognjendzomba4364]

Nicely said

[@hawkbirdtree3660]

This was written in a time when music was becoming more about the performer than the music itself. Satie was a true artist

[@goofoffchannel]

I resent that. The music should be paramount

[@michaeltagor4238]

I LOVE how his music is never not relevant, every few months/weeks I found people talking about Erik's music on the internet and it warms my heart, he's a legend and should always be remembered as one

[@eriksatieofficiel]

Thank you my friend.

[@przemysawkusmierczyk9513]

@@eriksatieofficiel We thank you, Mr. Satie. By the way, would you declare yourself a Colorist or Melodist?

[@eriksatieofficiel]

@@przemysawkusmierczyk9513 A colourist (but only in white)

[@BillGreenAZ]

I discovered this piece on my phone, as a song for an alarm.

[@adamjacksonmedia]

Satire is like Ringo from the Beatles. He’s not interested in displaying his instrumental athleticism. But what he composes as a piece of music is perfection. And holy smokes… that was one of the most moving renditions of Gymnopedie I’ve ever heard!!

[@usageunit]

I'm a piano beginner and literally just made a recording of this a few days ago. Learning the notes is easy enough, but making it sound good is a lot harder. It's definitely a piece that makes you appreciate dynamics and perfect the synchronization of your key presses.

[@888-dial-a-djentertainment3]

I am drawn back to Satie again and again. You are spot on. This piece is unusual. It seems simplistic and it is not. It has depth, it’s hauntingly beautiful in its slowness, in it’s melody and in it’s movement. Thanks for playing it and discussing it and illuminating why this piece is a gem and why Satie is brilliant.

[@bidoofismyking8962]

I feel the same way about Doctor Gradus as Parnassum

[@jameslovelady7751]

So happy to find a pianist who appreciates quiet beauty as well as virtuosity. Thank you.

[@Scriabinfan593]

Satie is an underrated genius. Personally, I think he belongs with names like Beethoven, Debussy, Schoenberg, Stravinsky because his music revolutionized western music.

[@eriksatieofficiel]

I'm blushing rn

[@pabloricardodetarragon2649]

He is not underrated. he is simply different. Satie is appreciated by millions of people, played by thousands of musicians, studied in hundreds of music schools, and a lot of compositors have been inspired by him. Aldo Ciccolini registered astounding records of Satie's compositions, even the lesser known as Enfantillages Pittoresques which were sold by hundreds of thousands.

[@NoName-zn1sb]

"changed music history" yer gonna need a time machine to do that

[@wh0racle3]

calm down there. I like Satie too but he is not up there with Beethoven lol

[@eriksatieofficiel]

@@wh0racle3 who's beathovnen

[@shelterit]

Love your version. Been a Satie nut my whole life, got countless versions of all his music, and I swear his music is the one that I find people most often get wrong; there's a tenderness to it that needs to be coupled with madness, where madness is allowing the notes to breathe and sing, madness for the player in particular. Thanks! Loved it, including your own piece that has that Satie spirit.

[@sitarnut]

Right on, Bro... grooving on Satie since 1972 introduced to him with the Blood Sweat and Tears LP and then wonderfully, Frank Glazer's three LP VOX BOX set. Satie seems a delicious madness I need. Another primo LP is the Camarata Group on the "Velvet Gentleman" LP - Peace out.

[@Balleehuuu]

Thank you for give someone like me with no background in music an insight on why I may love this piece so much, without knowing why.

[@owlperchedsilo3745]

Satie's music has to be the deepest of all the great classical composers. his music takes me somewhere else whenever i listen. makes you feel sad in a good way...haunting, i love music like that. Satie is the King of Melancholy.

[@father3dollarbill]

People say that but I never heard or felt melancholy or sadness or anything of the sort.

[@owlperchedsilo3745]

@@father3dollarbill , it's everywhere in Satie's music, everywhere.

[@pjmlegrande]

@@father3dollarbillI agree, definitely not sad. It’s incredibly evocative of a contemplative mood for me…I’m not thinking consciously of anything, but experiencing everything around me on a deep sensory level. When hearing the piece, I often have a picture in my mind of walking across a field toward some trees on a light overcast spring day. The diffused sunlight has a slight glow, imbuing everything with a strange vividness. Sort of a synesthetic experience.

[@kimlodrodawa123]

@owlperchedsilo3745, If you read the story about Satie and a little history of time and era from where he grew up and lived, then I think you will better understand this sadness and yet joy there is mixed in such a fantastic way. The suffering Satie went through, certainly shines in his music.

[@owlperchedsilo3745]

@@kimlodrodawa123 , i have probably read everything on Satie, super fascinating.

[@soilmanted]

Satie may have claimed that he was trying to create "background music," but this particular piece is something that pulls me in, and has me listening more intently, and focused, than anything else I can think of. It produces a feeling of wonderment: just what is it that I am hearing? Especially those dotted half notes from the left hand, sometimes just speaking "all by themselves," that draw me into listening to the timbre of the piano strings that have been struck to produce them, all the harmonics produced by those 2 or 3 unison-tuned strings producing the "note." I can't explain exactly what it is that I am trying to communicate, but those single tones function for my "inner ear" the way that chords usually do, and awaken my "internal sound;" my "internal sound" resonates with the tone produced by the piano strings. It is kind of as if, by listening to this "background music" one is directed to listen to one's self (notice I did not write _oneself)_ and not so much to the music. So yes, "meditative." Part of the enjoyment of listening to this pieces is this particular piano, the timbre of this piano that Nahre Sol is using. The lower register seems very nice, even on my inexpensive little speakers.

[@myriamdeclercq1320]

It strikes me that your goal is to write background music for your dogs... Wonderful! Three years ago I used the first minute of this gentle melody as a background to a short video I had recorded of my old Spanish greyhound who meanwhile had died. To me it was the only music I could have used because of her tender and poised nature. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@mabdub]

Your inspired addition at the end is extremely beautiful I wish you would expand where you were going. I'm sure that Satie would have loved your development because it makes so much sense and isn't over done, you've respectfully kept the true flavor of the original music. You play with such grace.

[@II-V-I]

You can never be sure about what Satie would've liked. I guess he would have made the rule that you could only play the postlude every 754th time and naked sitting on the roof of a gothic cathedral 😂

[@ivankolobov9502]

Satie is by far my favorite. He has so much to offer, his nocturnes are something out of this world.

[@LYLEWOLD]

To my ear, Satie sounds like a hint of Jazz and Ragtime that would follow. I love this piece, and everything Satie I've ever heard. My favorite pianist to play Satie is Klara Kormendi (she plays on many of Naxos' Satie recordings). I think your version captures the pathos and wistfulness the way hers does, and is equally good. Thanks for adding to my love for Satie.

[@oneirdaathnaram1376]

Dear Nahre, You have such a great gift of explaining hidden functionalities of music in such an understandable way. The elegance by which you propagate the secrets of music always touches me. Thank you so much. A.

[@paulalancaster1]

I've heard this piece performed maybe hundreds of times by now, but never more beautifully than this - possibly never as beautifully AS this. Just when I thought this overworked warhorse of the piano literature had no more to offer me, here comes Nahre to demonstrate quite otherwise. Just leaned back in my chair and sighed gently with pleasure through the whole piece. And, it added so much value for me to see your hands on the keys and to follow along on the score. If there are better examples of successfully combining education and aesthetic beauty, I don't know about them. Thanks so much, Nahre.

[@tommonk7651]

I'm not a musician and can't play anything, but I really love this piece. I've got a number of recordings of it. One thing I notice that pianists seem to have trouble with is varying the tempo of the piece. I think the tempo is really hard to get right. It's "simplicity" sets it apart from much of classical music, as you pointed out. It's just so relaxing and contemplative.... Lovely homage.

[@AJC508]

Whenever I hear this, my mind sees jellyfish swimming. No idea why. A fantastic piece of music. Pared down to the extreme, yet full of emotion. Masterful.

[@ikibaru]

Back then when I was still teenager, this is the only classical music that I really enjoyed listen to, as it could take my mind wondering. It evokes a peculiar feeling like missing someone/something that I never met - in a loving kinda way. It's right in the feels. Isn't that the true magic of music? Underrated, indeed. Thank you for this video!

[@terenzo50]

Always a pleasure. He was certainly ahead of his time and wonderfully eccentric. Next came Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky.

[@donaldaxel]

Excentric? He had two grands - perhaps got one free and put it on top of the one he aldready had. Can anyone verify this story?

[@dustinholland6700]

@@donaldaxel That's some of the least of his absurdities. Have you heard about his supposed diet and daily schedule, or his various fashion choices throught his life, or, of course, the umbrella thing?

[@sakuragi9607]

Debussy the best

[@TheloniousCube]

Weren't he and Debussy contemporaries?

[@terenzo50]

@@TheloniousCube Yup.

[@thegoodgeneral]

While I think your postlude goes against the spirit of Gymnopedie, it’s one of the most beautiful things I think you’ve written.

[@caimansaurus5564]

yeah... as if she just couldn't resist adding more than satie would have added, but the piece comes out brilliantly in the process.

[@Galactu5]

That was the point. She said she would take some of the elements and expand on them. She didn't keep the spirit of it, she kept some of the compositional elements. You are right that it was damn beautiful, and I immediately looked for the first comment that said so. 😊

[@DaveTexas]

I absolutely adore your postlude! It truly fits the mood and tone of Satie’s piece while also being original and different.

[@Pipewrench5]

If you have little interest in playing or listening to piano, this video offers a full glass of appreciation. Her voice style and delivery, the grace of her finger movements and the quality of the tone being presented by her mind and hands offers a level of peace that is a gift from God!!!

[@patlilburn5251]

I feel like Studio Ghibli owes M. Satie a lot - this has that same dreamy blissful or sad feel that their sound tracks (plus images) generate. I really liked your defence of Sadie’s music and although I have no background or training, the clips of much more famous pieces of the same time period really made your point. Your improv was lovely and I loved seeing the dog featured here as in the short. I actually think music that dogs love is a very worthy goal, because they deserve it and if you could do it you’d feel fantastic. Thanks for this whole thing, I really appreciate.

[@patlilburn5251]

I listened again to your hommage just now and it’s lovely. I hope it is tremendously satisfying to write and play something like that because it’s really a treat to hear.

[@Mudge07]

I think mention of Joe Hisaishi is relevant to many lovers of music with their range of deeply memorable themes both Satie and Hisaishi both have created. In the age when film media was in its early development, Satie, indeed Gymnopedies would’ve been a perfect match for co-creatives. As identified in the musical analysis and biography of Erik, he would’ve been a challenge to work with on many levels, his style was unique and groundbreaking and all this was in the an artistic maelstrom that was Paris in the early 20th century.

[@Lundy.Fastnet.Irish_Sea]

​@@Mudge07Joe Hisaishi is basically Ghibli's household composer.

[@JoriDiculous]

I have loved Gymnopedie since i was a kid. Took me years before i found out what that wonderful quirky thing was. And of course after i found who wrote it i found all his other amazing works as well, like Gnossienne. Both pieces are so simple and complex all at once. Even more so when you listen to all of them. Not sure how many of Gymnopedie , but Gnossienne is at least 1 - 5: For some lovely Versions: John & Steve Hackett - Shades of Satie. (Guitar & Flute).

[@eriksatieofficiel]

I have composed three Gymnopédies and seven Gnossiennes. All on my channel.

[@mikedevlin2048]

Simple art is rarely simple… ❤ One of my favourite versions of this is on Alice Sarah Ott’s “Nightfall” 👌🏻

[@ericrobertsmusic]

Your channel has pulled me back into the classical piano days of my youth. I really enjoy your thoughtful theory analysis and your playing is quite beautiful.

[@wellurban]

“Elegantly weird” is such a great summation of Satie! I enjoyed your slightly jazzy extrapolations, and it reminds me of how well Satie’s work lends itself to jazz interpretations. In particular, the Jacques Loussier Trio recorded some excellent renditions of the Gymnopedies and Gnossienes, and though they take the music away from the concept of furniture music, they’re beautiful in their own way.

[@TeagueChrystie]

Still easily in my top three music KZbinrs ever. Love this piece, loving the analysis.

[@rgarlinyc]

Wonderful. just wonderful Ms Sol - i thoroughly enjoyed your exposition and then the performance of Satie's piece itself. Your added hommage à Satie was a joyous and unexpected addition - a pure delight. So elegant, calming - I closed my eyes and felt I was floating... Thanks a gazillion! 💖👏🏻

[@davidwhite2949]

He’s definitely a genius. One of my favorite French composers from the impressionist period

[@stratfanstl]

It's fascinating to hear someone not only perform music with such nuance but explain how the original composer straddled the point between conventions of their time and places counter to those conventions to create something of lasting value.

[@kianom894]

Nahre you have such an amazing gift in sharing your musical insights with the world, I am mesmerised by your feather like hand movements over the keyboards. I loved your compositions on definite genres/ composers, and thank you for your innovative, gentle & constructive approach in making classical music relevant. At the age 50 I’ve started learning piano again, you are truly an artistic motivation to many others….. bravo😊

[@Uxcis]

"...satie's music is dismissed because it lacks form, virtuosity and gravitas" Imagine being able to write a piece of music that is this amazing, regardless of whether or not it is virtuosic, has form or gravitas.. How do people not understand that THAT is a big part of what makes him so legendary.

[@channalbert]

I cannot explain how gorgeous that hommage is.

[@ShelbyBryant]

Your original composition at the end- the hommage - is beautiful

[@freethinker79]

Had heard Gymnopedie 1 here and there for years, but never knew who the composer was until fairly recently. Once I found out it was Mr. Satie, I did a deep dive into his entire works, and have never looked back! He's easily my favorite composer now. Nothing else in the "classical" genre moves me quite like the way his music does. Everything else just seems lackluster in comparison, of course with a few exceptions here and there. He really is in a league all his own. And I'm glad to see him finally getting the credit he always deserved.

[@JamesGowan]

Wonderful video! I appreciated your performance of his music and so much of your version! Brilliance!

[@mrdjangofreeman5560]

Extraordinary ! Thank you ! What a beautiful trait d'union between classical and jazz music. Soooo nicely played and brilliant comments !

[@lisadonovanlukas]

I loved listening to your insights and your beautiful playing. Magical. I also love your wonderful Postlude! 🎶♥️

[@slummymind6169]

Love this melancholic peace. Also a fantastic hommage at the end.

[@Steinmetal4]

"Not ambitious"... great way to put it and why I kinda slept on this one in my younger years. You only really learn that "life is about just being, not trying to be anything" stuff until later. Incidently, that's when this song starts to have appeal.

[@BillGreenAZ]

I like how you say we don't even know in places which chord Satie is playing in. I especially like the progression of chords in such a small space, especially the minor chords.

[@PabloVestory]

Great video analysis and playing, as always, thank you so much! That superb composition of yours Hommage a Satie very well could be hommage to Bill Evans and Lyle Mays too! 🙂

[@johnogilmorejr6691]

This has been my favorite piece of music since I first heard it over 50 years ago. It's become a dear old friend. Thank you for this delightful exploration and explanation and your homage too.

[@Zhinarkos]

I like Satie exactly because of the background quality in his pieces. I'm usually lazy when I'm trying to choose music to serve as white noise because the pieces need to straddle a fine line between interesting and uninteresting. Gymnopedies and gnossiennes fill this description for me perfectly. The first time I heard the "theme" for the new It movie (the track is called every 27 years, written by Benjamin Wallfisch) I was thinking "this sounds like Satie". I'm also very bored at always trying to figure out a background music when I want one *and* I'm also bored with the usual lofi girl (good as it maybe) or rainymood.

[@eriksatieofficiel]

You should check the rest of my music. Especially Socrate.

[@frankspears4597]

Excellent as always

[@daveallen5065]

Bill Evan's Peace Piece was clearly inspired by Satie and has all the jazz elements that you talked about

[@rickomuzik]

Beautiful Nahre!

[@bevygaines]

I just love the utter peacefulness of Erik Satie's Gymnopedie.❤

[@devostm]

I absolutely love your original music, Nahre! Thank you for the upload!

[@ishd59]

Brilliant Hommage! Love your way of delving into these pieces

[@fhl60]

Amazing! Thank you! 🎉 Just when I needed this. ❤

[@ucntcit]

i was mesmerized by this and its good to see you doing well. satie was my kind of composer because, at least in this piece, he made music from himself and not from structure. coming from that more natural place provides music that can be more felt than structured music.

[@edgarmatias]

Always loved this piece. Thank you for so artfully presenting & performing it, and your lovely hommage.

[@grahammcrae4277]

I such a fan of these videos. She’s a great narrator, insider, teacher, interpreter to the world of piano. Glad to have subscribed.

[@ForgiaG]

Absolutely loved the postlude you created! So beautiful, expressive, and Satie-esque. I also really like the format you've been making your videos recently, even more fluid and organized!

[@terryallen7356]

Beautiful. Both Satie's and your composition.

[@gohangoku3447]

I only play piano as a hobby and have zero idea about notes & co., but taught myself to play by "listening" (no idea how else to describe it). What I want to say is: When I played Satie for the first time, even I as a layman thought "something is different here. something is so mysterious here that I can't describe it". The melodies just somehow go into the subconscious and nudge something there. It's just indescribable.

[@jtmongy51]

I was first introduced to Satie by Blood Sweat and Tears on their first album (back in the late 60s). Having listened to many takes on this work, Gymnopedie Nr 1 never grow tired of listening to the subtle changes in the performance as different pianists' approach the work. I consider this work to be one of the most beautiful compositions. Nahre's analysis was excellent; the work is complex and she does a fantastic job of presenting the simple complexity that Satie created.

[@christophfaulkner7295]

Wonderful as always, Nahre. I particularly enjoyed the mention of the modal ambiguity and analysis mapping.

[@declarkson]

2 geniuses in one incredibly beautiful rendering. Just beautiful.

[@nostaticatall]

Thank you for bringing us another fantastic video, Nahre! Beautiful performances, and your Hommage a Satie is just gorgeous!

[@faevoryn6578]

Loved the Satie inspired jazz at the end! ❤

[@damland1357]

I’m learning this piece right now!! Couldn’t be better timing, thank you Nahre! ❤

[@greenvelvet]

Just goes to show, the more simple a piece is, the more you can be absorbed into it. Virtuosity doesn't automatically equate musicality

[@signature103]

Wonderful description and homage piece. Chords. Discords. Jazzy ending. Lovely. Thank you.

[@brady5829]

Feels like one day, I will see "Sol" in big text on the front of a programme, and read about this youtube channel inside it. Phenomenal postlude, I would definitely purchase an album of you performing the Gymnopedies with your additions.

[@cledo44]

Great tutorial Nahre!!! Thanks 🙏

[@garaughty]

Awesome insights as always... brilliant improv Nahre !

[@okbutwhatisit]

Thank you, this was wonderful and educational. Your postlude is gorgeous, dreamy... Loved it ❤

[@koenraad4618]

A couple of years ago I heard Satie for the first time from a collection of French composers. Satie's music is special, so easy going and essential, it does something other music does not.

[@barbaratyler2183]

So glad you picked this piece for analysis…it is one of my all-time favorites. Your variation at the end was amazing and gorgeous to listen to.

[@wiesorix]

Oh yeah, classic Nahre greatness: insightful explanation of the theory, beautiful performance and an amazing own composition at the end. Love it!

[@wittwfiii]

The beauty in the tones of the piano.

[@Ojasanflow]

You are so creative Thank you so much for sharing bring me stimulation ,inspiration 🎶💜

[@EK-hy5mc]

This was an incredible and very validating lesson re: simplicity vs virtuosity in classical music. Your postlude was absolutely magical! I hope it’s on your next album Nahre!! ❤

[@mcfahk]

Brilliant stuff, as usual. Thank you!

[@stevegideon5419]

Simply lovely

[@peterdalby8019]

Beautiful homage Nahre!❤

[@GizzyDillespee]

Wow thanks for choosing this one!

[@lazydancerdaisy]

Wooow Nahre, amazing always amazing!!!!

[@pjdahmen]

So Great Tutorial and thank you so much. Well done

[@68aries]

One of my favorite pieces. I'm glad you discussed it.

[@boomerdell]

Absolutely brilliant. Thank you!

[@ken37]

You are absolutely fantastic!! You can’t fathom how much I enjoyed your presentation, especially the homage to Satie that you composed- Keep it up please!!

[@fredmcveigh9877]

Bravo !!!. Fantastic .

[@nedgrant918]

It has no Development: a reaction to centuries of German Baroque and Classical Music. It was truly Revolutionary.

[@paulsimon6544]

Nahre Sol is a genius!

[@mikes41720]

Thanks for this, Nahre! Always loved this piece from Satie. One of my favorites!

[@shegsdev]

Beautiful piece of art Thank you

[@TonyKindred-pd8kw]

That was lovely Nahre.

[@matthieujoly]

I really do enjoy the music, and how you add/annotate the it ! Thanks a lot !

[@tonyleeglenn]

Nahre - I love your jazz-inspired homage at the end. Wow. You have a great channel, and I really enjoyed this video.

[@jamailone3080]

Sometimes, simplest things are the most difficult things to do... and she proved that... once again, amazing work Nahre Sol

[@CaptainCaveman782]

One I got a concert pianist as my piano teacher, I realise everything is way one more complicated than I imagine. :)

[@rmoraespinto]

Splendid. And your composition is clear light.

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

One of my favourite pieces, this. It has a wistful quality that is so rare.