The gentle elegance of this piece transports its listeners into a dreamlike state, a quiet place away from the stresses of life. As such, it makes a fine piece for a recital, concert, or even as background music for dining or special occasions.
This guitar transcription is in the key of A major.
Such peace as this work brings to its audience was rarely experienced by the composer himself. Erik Satie (1866-1925) had a difficult time throughout his life. For all the recognition he received later in life as a composer, it is almost unimaginable that he had to leave the Paris Conservatoire twice due to what his professors dubbed as “untalented,” even “lazy.”
Though he had many connections with the Parisian arts and political community, he had a difficult time connecting with people on a more intimate level. By most reports, he had but one serious relationship, which lasted only six months.
An outside-the box thinker, however, he experimented with many music prototypes of music, including minimalism and furniture music (music that would blend into the background),
He died, impoverished, of complications due to alcoholism.
Spot Practice Clip:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/8ONcZvJMlGE[/youtube]This is a good passage to work on your horizontal stretches. The stretch from the seventh fret bar to the E on the first string, twelfth fret, is one of the largest stretches across the frets that you might encounter. After the open string chord, note that the F# on the first string is played with a bar in order to prepare for the next chord (a G major chord) that requires a bar on the third fret.
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