Music Man

One of those tunes which will be familiar to most people, but it is unlikely that they will know what it is, is Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie, who was born 150 years ago this year.  It's a slow hypnotic piece and indeed it is hard to see any connection with the title, as Gymnopaedia was an ancient Greek festival of naked war-dancing, but there you are.  Satie wrote three of them, but only No. 1 has achieved any popularity.  Very much ahead of his time, he is now seen as the originator of the minimalistic movement in music.  I like his stuff because it's undemanding and easy to play!  Perhaps second favourite of his is a simple waltz tune called Je te veux which is currently being used as background for a Cesar dog-food advert.