Estimated from our difficulty score, not taken from an exam syllabus. Checked against 333 works on the ABRSM syllabus: the exact grade is right 7 times out of 10, and within one grade 99 times out of 100.
Difficulty estimate by MusicCoach on a scale of 1 to 100.
Most works cluster between 45 and 65: a small score gap often marks a real step. The highlighted bar shows this work among those for the same instrument.
The MusicCoach difficulty measures a work's overall demands (technique, reading, stamina) on a shared 0-100 scale, consolidated from editorial and pedagogical reference points (Henle, exam syllabuses, curation) and our own analyses. It measures neither musical value nor the practice time YOU will need: two musicians of the same level can experience the same work very differently depending on their strengths (hands used to octaves, quick sight-reading…). The confidence reflects how many reference points sit behind the score and how well they agree — a lightly documented score is flagged “to validate”. For a truly personal bearing, the diagnostic and your space compare each work to YOUR estimated level, which the score alone cannot do.
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This Gnossienne No. 3 has a contemplative, slightly floating character, with harmonic suspensions that make the melody seem to hover above the pulse. You will need to focus on Tempo rubato (3.1/5): that here means measured temporal inflections, slight anticipation and delay that preserve the melodic line, with the concrete gesture of stretching or compressing individual beats while keeping phrase integrity. The Sustain pedal (Pédale de sustain) (3.1/5) is also crucial to connect the harmonies without blurring them, requiring precise pedal releases and well-timed changes synchronized with sustained notes. This piece belongs to Satie’s Gnossiennes for solo piano, which hold a distinctive place in his output as reflective, sonically exploratory works at the turn of the 19th to 20th century.