Sunday Classics - Satie's Gymnopedie #1

This is a beautiful piece that you are probably familiar with - even if you've never heard the name. I know it's on a couple of my "relaxing classics" cds and on at least one of Muffin's "bed time music" cds. It's so lovely and mellow. There are several versions - I'm posting the orchestral version, but you may have heard the piano version or the guitar version. It's the melody that is important, but I love the orchestral version for all of the harmony.

I was introduced to this song on a mix-tape that was given to me by my first true love. My family and his had been friends since we were very little but he was about five years older than me and therefore we never spent much time together. Then, the summer when I was 15 and he had just turned 21 we were both life guards together at the local country club.

We had similar taste in music and, of course, the family connection - so we got along really well. Sunday mornings were my favorite. We always opened the pool together because everyone else was in church. Then, because everyone else was in church, we spent about two hours listening to music and talking about the world we live in, and life in general.

He introduced me to Depeche Mode as well as other moody music and I fell for him. Heart and Soul. Though he started dating a woman five years older than him, I harbored a a huge crush that I'm pretty sure everyone knew about. We remained friends, even when I moved away. We used to write letters and one time he sent me a mix-tape with some songs that he thought I would like. This was one of them.

We've lost touch, but I'll always carry a torch for my first and strongest summer love. Maybe one day I'll write more about it. It was special, he was special and because of that this music will always have a special place in my heart.