With his unusual programs and his universal musical thinking, Iván Fischer has long been one of the BRSO’s most highly esteemed guest conductors. This time, the focus is on the French repertoire with Satie’s statuesque simplicity.

The three Gymnopédies are piano pieces and are among the most famous works by Erik Satie. Claude Debussy, a close friend of Satie, was enthusiastic about these piano pieces and orchestrated the first and third Gymnopédies in 1896. You can hear now Gymnopédie No. 1 here in this orchestral version by Claude Debussy.