The music scene took notice of Erik Satie (1866-1925) all of a sudden: The world premiere of his ballet Parade on 18 May 1917 caused quite a scandal. The production which involved Sergey Diaghilev with his 'Ballets Russes' Pablo Picasso (scenery and costumes) Jean Cocteau (story) as well as Léonide Massine (choreography) divided the music scene of Paris yet made the composer widely known. Satie who hardly had had any solid musical training and lived in Paris for almost all his life developed a new musical style in deliberate rejection of the 'Wagnérisme' of his time. Classical form models new harmonies stylistic ease meditative and clownish elements amalgamated in an original way the perfect example being his 3 Gymnopédies of 1888 the first of which was here arranged for a solo instrument with Piano accompaniment: Thus it is now possible even for non-pianists to play this famous miniature by Satie. Thanks to its easy playability it can also be used for educational purposes.

arranged for Viola and Piano-Classical Highlights presents the best known and most popular pieces from the classical repertoire in arrangements for solo instrument with Piano accompaniment. This wide-ranging selection of music provides an introduction to classical masterpieces by Handel and Bach to Schubert Mendelssohn Schumann and Wagner and then to Faure Elgar Debussy and Satie. Anyone looking for additional material for advanced instrumental tuition for audition pieces or encores to play at concerts will find this a treasure trove of highlights from the classical repertoire.