Erik Satie, Gymnopédie no 1 ( & The Ames window 😯)

Probably the most well known piece by Erik Satie.
I played it once before, on my piano. But was not satisfied with it back then.
And also this meditative piece is a good opportunity to demonstrate my home made version of the well know optical illusion "Ames Window" 😃, invented and discovered by American scientist Adelbert Ames Jr. (1880 - 1955).
It is usually shown while hanging on a thread, but in this way, standing up and letting it slowly spin on a plateau, it also works very good 👍🏻😯

[@petervanoss9207]

Satie, heerlijk om in slaap te vallen❤

[@simonvanthoff]

Dankjewel Peter! 🎹👍🏻

[@johnnyTT123]

🎹 mooi!

[@mabdub]

Thank you. Sometimes there is a great beauty in sadness.

[@simonvanthoff]

Thank you! I know many people see this well known piece as "sad music" but I myself must admit I always have seen it as tranquil, peaceful, somewhat melancholic, but still a peaceful piano piece.
It looks simple, but in my humble opinion it's only deceptively easy....and harder to interpret and play free but controlled than one might suspect.
Kind regards, Simon 🎹

[@Thomas-zp8gv]

Prachtig Satie in combinatie met de “Ames Window”! Het draait perfect nu!

[@simonvanthoff]

Dank Thom! Ja, deze keer was de hele entourage en opzet wat meer werk als de upload itself :-) maar het is een mooie combi !

[@pianothingsmusic]

Your intense and deep interpretation is really impressive, wonderful 👏🏻

[@simonvanthoff]

Thank you so much !
🎹👍🏻🥹 Simon

[@juliane_steinwachs-zeil]

Beautifully played, dear Simon! With so much peace, I enjoyed it! 😊
Your optical illusion “Ames Window” is fascinating!! 👌 😄

[@simonvanthoff]

Thanks for all your kind responses! Yes, it's one of my favorites of Satie (well, for who not? :-) as are his Gnossiennes. And not easy to play ! (Although it looks easy, true, but as you notice with many many pupils: it's not....but also for me, in this take, I always have to concentrate, to flow, to be precise).
The fascinating optical illusion is indeed wonderful !! I finally made it myself, it was totally not hard to do, but it somehow did not happen yet :-) just print an example twice (they're somewhere on the net), put it on (thin) cardboard, cut it out precisely, glue together, find a little something to pin it on, and find a slowly rotating base (eBay for example).
It's a magnificent illusion which you have to experience yourself to believe it !
Kind regards, Simon 🎹