by ibilola esho
Gymnopédie: n. a “nude dance, accompanied by song, which youthful Spartan maidens danced on specific occasions”
It’s no secret that Netflix's latest original miniseries The Queen’s Gambit has gained massive critical acclaim for the sensational portrayal of a Beth Harmon, a fine, young chess genius who decimates every major chess player in her path as she struggles with independence, drug and alcohol dependencies. The show has been praised for its immense attention to detail in regards to the fashion, makeup, and scenery; even the acute level of skill the chess players portray was carefully choreographed and crafted so that every move is playable. While all these aspects of the show excel in an unparalleled way, I particularly noticed the careful use of music to convey a certain unexplainable emotions that can only be felt, experienced, and transcended through the depths of human existence.
After rewatching the series (due to its sheer excellence of course), the most stunning use of music, in my opinion, lies in the moment Alma, the adoptive mother of Beth, finds out the shocking news that her “husband” (he’s really more of a sadistic chauvinist than any form of human being) has been “permanently detained” to Denver. By this time, we have some background information on Alma, and we see from her previous interactions with her “husband” that she lives her life as a trapped housewife stuck as a pawn (pun intended) in her own story. She is clearly very emotionally restrained and constricted, her only form of recourse being her Grandmother June’s piano and her new adoptive daughter.
Now the scene opens with Alma already playing the piano, alluding to the fact that she has probably been processing the events of her “husband”’s departure for some time, before Beth comes down the stairs. Three beer cans rest on the piano, referencing her use of alcohol as an escape from her painful reality. She plays Gymnopédie No.1 by Erik Satie, rather slowly too, perhaps emphasizing the weighted feeling of emotions she sifts through. Surprisingly, she can speak to Beth effortlessly while in this deep emotional state, perhaps showing her learned ability to continue life through the immense pain.
However, even all these small details in Alma’s playing is not even the most significant part of the scene. In fact, most of the details lie in the song itself and the composer behind it. Erik Satie (1866-1925) was a french composer known for his “furniture music”, meant to be played in the background as an enhancer. He detached himself from the other composers of his time, including Claude Debussey and Maurice Ravel, employing the use of repetitive chords and progressions as well as an unsettling dissonance that evokes a feeling of uncertainty coupled with pain and guilt. As Alma plays the song, viewers receive an insight into her emotional state by empathizing with the restrained happiness, unrelenting pain, and feeling of reluctant acceptance in regards to her dire situation. In a deep dive into the comment section of Gymnopédie No. 1, I found many listeners describing the song as “sad but happy”, “lonely but not lonely”, and “walking home alone from your [parent’s] funeral, pondering what’s next; how much time is left; what is life,” almost too perfectly depicting Alma’s feelings in this moment.
Gymnopédie No.1 perfectly encapsulates everything Alma feels in that moment, and it’s all wrapped up beautifully into one song, and one scene. The careful consideration, and meticulous detail contained in this scene truly defines the utter greatness in this show, and how music and other elements help tell the story of a character on a deeper, intricate level.