Stephan Koncz’ “A New Satiesfaction” (Gymnopédie No. 1): A Melancholic Musette After Satie
With their sense of serene detachment, hypnotic repeating rhythms, and harmonic stasis, Erik Satie’s Trois Gymnopédies opened the door to a dreamy new world, previously unimagined. Composed in 1888, the brief, atmospheric solo piano works anticipated ambient and experimental music of the late 20th century. The composer and theorist, John Cage, declared Satie’s innovations to be “indispensable.” The iconic Gymnopédies have influenced numerous works, from Stephen Sondheim songs such as Barcelona, to Janet Jackson’s 2001 …