Éric (Erik) Alfred Leslie Satie (1866–1925) was born in Honfleur, Normandy, where he had his first music
lessons with a local organist. He entered the Paris Conservatory at age 13, where he was considered lazy as a pianist but talented
as a composer. In December 1887, Satie was introduced as a "gymnopédiste" to the director of the cabaret Le Chat Noir in
Montmartre, and he began playing the piano there several weeks later. The word
gymnopédie was used in a poem,
“Les Antiques,” by J P Contamine de Latour, probably relating to a dance. “Trois Gymnopédies” were
originally written for piano in 1888 after he read the 1862 novel, “Salammbô,” by Gustave Flaubert. The first
and third pieces were published separately in 1888; the second, 1895. The set of three was published in 1898 by Baudoux.
Warren Gillette Allred (1932–1979) was born in Wyoming and studied organ
at the Dan Felser School of Music and at the University of New Mexico. He served as organist of the LDS Church in Albuquerque
and the LDS and Episcopal Churches in Anchorage, Alaska. He later taught piano and organ privately in California. Moderately easy.