Les Trois Valses du Précieux Dégoûté

Three short movements of pure, undiluted Satie — now for wind quintet.

Composed in 1914 for solo piano, Les Trois Valses du Précieux Dégoûté is Satie at his most sardonic: experimental harmonies, strangely static rhythms, and radically miniaturized forms held together with wit and satiric precision. Steven Paxton's transcription for wind quintet (flute/piccolo, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon) translates that character idiomatically — the dry humor and harmonic oddity land just as well across five winds as they do on a single keyboard.

• Three compact movements — each a self-contained study in Satie's singular voice
• Experimental harmonies and static rhythms that reward attentive listeners
• A distinctive programming choice that stands out on any recital
• Idiomatic writing for standard wind quintet instrumentation

For ensembles looking to program something genuinely unusual — something that makes an audience lean in — this is it.

Composer: Erik Satie (1914)
Arranger: Steven Paxton
Instrumentation: Flute/Piccolo, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon