The Golden Dance Store







The Golden Dance Store offers high-quality handbell sheet music for solo and ensemble ringers at a reasonable cost, as well as Michèle's CDs, DVDs, instructional videos, & accompaniment tracks.


Gymnopédie No. 1
by Erik Satie
arr. by Michèle Sharik


Erik Satie (1866-1925) was regarded as an iconoclast during his lifetime, someone who went against popular ideas and institutions. Typical of his musical output are outrageous titles such as Chilled Pieces, Flabby Preludes (for a Dog), and Dried up Embryos. He also wrote a score actually in the shape of a pear because a critic said his work was "formless". He used instruments such as typewriter, steamship whistle, and air-raid siren. Written in 1888, the title Gymnopédie refers to ritual exercises performed by ancient Greek athletes (think yoga or tai chi) and, given his temperament, it's very possible that Satie meant the title to be humorously sarcastic — a response to all the pieces that his contemporaries were writing titled "Étude" which means "exercise" in the sense of a "study".

In 1896, Claude Debussy orchestrated two of Satie's Gymnopédies, and it is from that orchestration that this arrangement is adapted.

Note: This arrangement is compatible for performance with the orchestral score.

Gymnopédie No. 1


Note: This is PDF sheet music that you must download and print after purchasing.



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File size 573 kb
Please review our License Agreement before downloading
  • Instrumentation: solo handbells and piano (or harp)
  • Key: D major
  • Bells Used: E5-A6
  • Price: $5.00
  • Date last updated: Feb 08, 2008
  • ASCAP Reference Number: 163612
  • ASCAP Title Code: 070054652
  • Catalog Number: TGD1003

Sheet Music
What do you get when you download this music?
  • a full score (showing both handbell and keyboard parts);
  • a "clean" copy (ie. no choreography) of the solo handbell part;
  • a copy of the solo handbell part with suggested choreography written in;
  • an optional part for suspended cymbal or triangle; and
  • a copy of our License Terms.
Included on the CD Chimera

Chimera CD

Listen to an excerpt! Listen to an excerpt!