I was listening to Classic FM this morning, and heard Lang Lang playing Satie's Gossienne No.1. He made it sound quite easy, which is of course the skill of playing well, however it sounds as if it may be possible for me to try it.

I've found this web site that has the sheet music: http://www.mfiles.co.uk/scores/Gnossienne1.pdf This is copyrighted to Jim Paterson.

I've also found this site: http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_in...895&page=01 where the music is copyrighted to G Schirmer.

I find that a little confusing because Satie died in 1925, so I would have thought that the copyright would still be owned by his estate.

I'm afraid that sheet music copyright is a bit of a mystery to me. Can anyone shed any light on this?

I think it's 70 years in Britain that the composer has to have been dead before the copywrite no longer belongs to their estate. If that's correct, in 1995 the rights would change. In smoe countries the length of time is shorter/longer too (for some reason I have a feeling that in Canada it's only 50 years? Don't know why I think that though).

(Disclaimer: I am no intellectual property lawyer )

Thanks. That makes sense.

I have a second question. I'd quite like to make this my summer project, to play for my teacher at the beginning of next term. I don't want her to be cringing and wishing that I hadn't tried this. Does anyone have any advice as to how to make it sound more like Lang Lang, and less like some of the YouTube recordings I have seen?!

Hi Judith,

I play the Gnossiennes when I need to chill out, and the No.1 is the only one I can play by heart! Anyway, Satie wrote it without bar lines, so you need a good sense of tempo throughout as obviously there is no time signature. (Although it looks 4/4 to me). My copy's performance direction is lento, but it can have a tendency to sound very dreary and - dare I say it- boring! I speed it up- just a little- on occassion. Use your pedal to sustain the F in the left hand.
I observe all the dynamics as written and try to interpret Saties own directions in the way I think he might have intended them. i.e. "Shining" I take as being light in touch and maybe a bit of scherzo. "Questionning" speaks for itself really. Towards the end it says "On the tip of the tongue" which I play as mp into piano to finish.
Listen to a recording if you have one, as this will help too.

I have a book with all six in. It's the Salabert Editions book, which my tutor ordered for me at my local music shop. If you need any further info, PM me and I will try and help.

Go for it. I enjoy playing them!

I play them all too, not as boring as the Gymnopedies.
I cant add much to what Daisy Chain says as I agree. But certainly its not Lento, I tend to play it like a slow dance.

Thanks DaisyC and F#. I started working on it yesterday, and quite enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to my practice later today.

Good for you! I hope you enjoy learning it.

I've played this in the past. I'd say less is more - don't do an overly romantic hackneyed 'Clair de Lune' style rendition of it. Try and give it a spontaneous feel; without playing unconfidently, be inquisitive and exploratory in your style, a sort of 'where does this go next? ahh, I'll send it here'. If you play it thus, it will keep the audience's interest and avoid your concerns about it being a trite 'YouTube performance' .

this may well be heresy but i have replayed both gymnopedie no.1 and clair de lune in a number of different styles - from an original style performance with a few of my own touches, right through into some pretty full-on contemporary remixes. I would be interested in anyones opinion.

http://www.remixdj.co.uk/remixes/gymnopedie/

http://www.remixdj.co.uk/remixes/clair-de-lune/