The piece's title came from a made-up profession Satie invented for himself, the Gymnopédist. The following year, Satie gave that title to three short piano pieces, named Gymnopédies. The first of these three short and atmospheric pieces is probably the most celebrated. The melody uses deliberate, but mild, dissonances against the harmony, producing a melancholy effect that matches the performance instructions, which are to play "Slow and painfully" (Lent et douloureux).