Gymnopédie n°1 + Valse-Ballet, Erik Satie

Gymnopédie n°1 is without doubt Satie’s best-known work, and there are many arrangements for guitar and other instruments. Here we offer an arrangement for guitar duet, strictly faithful to the original score. The original key and tessitura have been preserved. Guitar 1 sings the melody while Guitar 2 plays the accompaniment; for the latter, the E and A strings have been lowered to D and G respectively, to get closer to the airy, sustained harmonies of the piano.

The Valse-Ballet was one of the very first scores Satie composed, at the age of 19. Whereas the Gymnopédie is a “slow and painful” waltz full of melancholy, the Valse-Ballet contrasts with its character as a bouncy, playful ritornello. In this arrangement, the two guitars take turns singing the melody and each rivals the other in virtuosity. The transcription is in the original key.

Both scores are available in standard staff and tablature; both of them include the main score and the separated parts.