Trois Gymnopédies, trois vues

Some historians talk about the short 20th century, meaning that the real break with the previous century occurred with the first shots of World War I. That may be true, but in another sense, the long 20th century began with Erik Satie's 3 Gymnopédies—the granddaddy of ambient, minimalism, maybe even jazz (stuff's kinda blue, after all). And to me at least, they suggest a subjective, interior space that cuts against the old paradigm for this kind of stuff.

These pieces don't feel connected to any particular time or place. So in the Modernist spirit, I'm thinking why not get all cubist and offer three very different ways of looking at one of them. Here's the faithful piano version, performed by an eminent Satie interpreter.

Aldo Ciccolini - Trois Gymnopédies: Lent et Douloureux

And here's the Yesterday's Future version, late-'70s style. Music for evening contemplation in space cities. Best thing Gary Numan ever did.

Gary Numan - Trois Gymnopédies: Lent et Douloureux

And in a nice inversion of mood, here's the candyland J-pop version. Satie goes Animé.

Pine*am - Gymnopédie 0.1