Gymnopedie No. 1

Erik Satie

Gymnopédie No. 1 arranged for vibraphone

by Jim Casella

Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie arr. Jim Casella © 2010 Tapspace Publications LLC (ASCAP), Portland, Oregon.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Printed in USA. www.tapspace.com

Notice of Liability: Any duplication, adaptation, or arrangement of any text or composition contained herein requires the written consent of the copyright owner. No part of any composition contained herein may be photocopied or reproduced in any way without permission. Unauthorized uses are an infringement of the U.S. Copyright Act and are punishable by law.

TSPCS-22

Level: Medium Approximate playing time: 3’30”

Gymnopédie No. 1

Erik Satie (1866 - 1925) arranged by Jim Casella

pp

Slow and Tender (q = approx 72)

Vibraphone

3Œ & b 4 ˙˙˙ ˙™

Œ ˙ ˙™ ˙˙

Œ ˙ ˙˙ ˙™

pp

Œ œ

Œ ˙ ˙˙ ˙™

sim.

Note: Pedal every bar unless otherwise noted.

œ ¿ œ œ ¿ œ œ ¿œ ¿œ œ ˙ ˙™ ˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ

pp

9

f

& b ˙™ ˙˙ œ °

˙™ ˙ & b œ ˙˙

18

˙™ b & Œ b˙˙˙ ˙™ °

25

32

&b

˙™

˙˙ œ ˙

˙™¿˙ ¿ œ ˙

ø

˙™ ˙ œ ˙ ° ˙ œ Œ ¿b˙˙˙ ˙™ ˙ ˙™

˙˙ œ ˙

∑ ¿¿˙˙˙ œ

∑˙ œ ˙˙

ø

˙ ™ ˙˙˙ œ

ø

œ ¿œ œ ¿ œ œ œ ¿ œ ¿œ ˙™ ˙ ˙˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙˙ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ ˙

˙ ™ ¿ ˙˙ œ ¿b ˙

œ bœ ¿œ bb˙˙˙ œ

œ ¿ œ˙ ¿ œ œ ˙

Œ œ

p

ø

œ¿ œ bœ ¿ b˙˙˙ œ

œ ¿ œ ¿œ ˙˙˙ œ

œ œ

¿ œ˙ ¿ bœ b˙

œ œ ¿œ ˙˙ œ ˙

œ ¿ œ˙ ¿œ ˙ œ ˙

œ ¿œ œ ˙ œ ˙ ˙™

œ °

b˙˙˙

˙ ˙™ œœ œœœœ b˙˙ ™™™™ ˙ œœ ¿

˙™ ˙ œ ˙˙ œ bœ ¿ œ ˙˙ œ ˙

˙ œ

¿b˙˙˙ ˙ ˙™ ˙ ™™™ j˙ ˙ œ

© 2010 Tapspace Publications, LLC (ASCAP). All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Printed in USA. Please notify publisher of all performances. www.tapspace.com

œ ø

2

Gymnopédie No. 1 – Satie, arr. Casella

pp

40

&b

˙˙∑ œ ˙

˙˙∑ œ ˙

pp

48

˙™ & b œ ˙˙˙

57

˙™¿˙ ¿ œ ˙

˙ œ b & ¿ b˙˙ œ ˙˙

65

& b b˙˙˙ œ ˙

ø

˙™ ˙ œ ˙

°

b˙™

˙˙∑ œ ˙

pp

f

& b ˙™ ˙˙ œ °

72

˙˙∑ œ ˙

¿ œ œ ¿œ œ œ Œ ˙ œ ¿ œ˙ ¿œ ˙™ ˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙ œ ˙˙ œ œ œ ˙

ø

∑˙ œ ˙˙

˙ ™ ˙˙˙ œ

œ bœ ¿œ bb˙˙˙ œ

œ ¿ bbœ˙ ¿ b œ b˙ œ ˙

∑ ¿¿˙˙˙ œ

ø

œ œ¿ œ œ ¿ œ œ ¿ œ˙ ¿ œ ˙™ ˙ Œ ˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ œ ˙˙ œ œ œ

˙™ ˙ œ ˙˙

p

ø

∑ ˙˙ b œ ˙

œ¿ œ bœ ¿ b˙˙˙ œ

œ ¿œ˙ ¿ bœ b˙˙ œ

™ œ ¿ œ˙ ¿bœ œ ¿ œ œ œ bœ˙ ¿ œ ˙ ˙ b˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ œ b˙ œ œ œ ° œ œ ¿œ ˙˙ œ ˙

˙™

œ °

b˙˙˙

œ œ˙ ¿ bœ b˙ ™ œœ bb˙˙ œ œ œ

˙

¿b˙˙˙ œ ˙

œœ b˙˙˙ ™™™ œœ ˙ ™ ø ø

˙™

œ ø

˙˙ œ ˙

˙™ b˙ ™ ˙˙ ™ ™ TSPCS-20

Notes Gymnopedie No. 1 is one of three short piano pieces written by French composer and pianist Erik Satie (1866-1925). This is perhaps Satie’s most treasured and popular work, which may have introduced a unique flavor of ambience and harmonic function for its time. While seemingly repetitive and simple, there is a complexity in how the music alternates between two primary major seventh chords while still leaving a sense of mystery and uncertainty as to which direction it will take the listener.

This arrangement for vibraphone closely follows the original piano piece, although several challenges were presented in making this happen. First, the key of the piece has been changed from its original in D to F to better fit the range of a standard vibraphone. On paper it looks rather simple; however, the technicalities discussed below create a subtlely challenging piece requiring sensitivity and precision.

On the piano, the melodic line is separated from the harmonic accompaniment by a distance on the large keyboard which makes these voices distinguishable. Because the vibraphone is limited to three octaves, it was particularly challenging to voice the piece so that the harmonic accompaniment didn’t clash or overlap with the melody. As such, the soloist should take care to play the accompaniment parts more delicately and to use a more prounounced touch on the melody to help differentiate these lines. In general, the melody can be easily identified in the score by stems which face upward. Experimenting with graduated mallets may also be an option to consider.

Unless otherwise specified, pedaling should occur on every measure. Due to the sustained nature of the harmonic accompaniment, pedal dampening is not the only method used to cancel sustained pitches from ringing together. Several cases of mallet dampening are employed so that changing notes (melodically or harmonically) don’t clash with those that precede them. Mallet dampening is marked with an X on the staff line (or space) following the note that needs to be dampened. In most cases this would occur silently as the next note is being struck. However, there are times this is not possible since all mallets are engaged in striking a chord. In these instances the note should be dampened immediately following the chord rather than simultaneously with it. This may take a little coordination to master.

Gymnopédie No. 1 is rarely performed in straight time with no ebbs or flows. Adding an expressive degree of tempo flexibility will help bring more life to the piece. Specific markings for accelerando or rallentando are intentionally not used so that each performer can make their own unique statement with it. There are several recordings of performances by great pianists available if you’re looking for ideas or inspiration.