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BIS

Skalkottas: Sinfonietta, Concerto & Suite / Fidetzis, Athens Philharmonia

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Details

Composer
SKALKOTTAS, NIKOS
Artist
Fidetzis, Demertzis, Varvaresos
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Feb 07, 2020
Catalog #
BIS-2434
UPC
7318599924342

About

This programme of previously unrecorded works illustrates a highly distinctive aspect of Nikos Skalkottas as a composer: The ‘neoclassical’ Skalkottas goes hand in hand with the ‘national’ and the ‘modernist’ composer, the common denominators being perfect architecture of form, harmonic refinement and skillful orchestration. The opening Sinfonietta in B flat major is a typical example of the composer’s ‘neoclassical’ side. In four movements and with a duration of 25 minutes, it was written in 1948, during Skalkottas’s final years. It is followed by the Suite for Violin and Chamber Orchestra and the Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra, examples of the composer’s atonal idiom. Both works were among the many that disappeared after the composer left Berlin in 1933. The remaining pieces demonstrate Skalkottas’s involvement with the project of exploring the traditional music of Greece. The Cretan folk song Digenés in his Last Agony was transcribed and harmonized by Skalkottas – for this release a recording from 1930 of the voice of Eleftherios Venizelos, the Greek Prime Minister at the time, has been superimposed over the newly recorded orchestral accompaniment. The two marches are original compositions, but follow Greek models, while the Nine Greek Dances are Skalkottas’s orchestrations of published folk songs. Simple and functional, they are in no way reminiscent of his great work, the 36 Greek Dances for large orchestra, but still reveal the composer’s refined aesthetic approach. In a labor of love, the music is performed by conductor Byron Fidetzis and violinist Georgios Demertzis, who have both made important contributions to the Skalkottas discography, as well as pianist Vassilis Varvaresos and the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra, making their first appearance on BIS.

Tracklist 25 tracks

  1. 1 Ι. Andante sostenuto - Allegro 06:53
    Track
    1
    Title
    Ι. Andante sostenuto - Allegro
    Duration
    06:53
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  2. 2 ΙΙ. Andantino triste 06:36
    Track
    2
    Title
    ΙΙ. Andantino triste
    Duration
    06:36
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  3. 3 ΙΙΙ. Scherzino: Molto vivace 05:13
    Track
    3
    Title
    ΙΙΙ. Scherzino: Molto vivace
    Duration
    05:13
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  4. 4 ΙV. Finale: Vivacissimo 07:05
    Track
    4
    Title
    ΙV. Finale: Vivacissimo
    Duration
    07:05
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  5. 5 Allegro giusto - 03:19
    Track
    5
    Title
    Allegro giusto -
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis, Vassilis Varvaresos
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  6. 6 Andante sostenuto - 03:11
    Track
    6
    Title
    Andante sostenuto -
    Duration
    03:11
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis, Vassilis Varvaresos
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  7. 7 Allegro vivo - 00:56
    Track
    7
    Title
    Allegro vivo -
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis, Vassilis Varvaresos
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  8. 8 Andante sostenuto - 00:41
    Track
    8
    Title
    Andante sostenuto -
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis, Vassilis Varvaresos
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  9. 9 Allegro 02:52
    Track
    9
    Title
    Allegro
    Duration
    02:52
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis, Vassilis Varvaresos
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  10. 10 I. Allegro moderato 01:20
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    01:20
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  11. 11 II. Moderato maestoso 02:04
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Moderato maestoso
    Duration
    02:04
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  12. 12 III. Allegretto vivace 01:43
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Allegretto vivace
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  13. 13 IV. Andante sostenuto 03:06
    Track
    13
    Title
    IV. Andante sostenuto
    Duration
    03:06
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Georgios Demertzis
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  14. 14 Digenés in his Last Agony (arr. Y. Samprovalakis for voice and orchestra) 02:26
    Track
    14
    Title
    Digenés in his Last Agony (arr. Y. Samprovalakis for voice and orchestra)
    Duration
    02:26
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Performer
    Eleftherios Venizelos
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  15. 15 Ancient Greek March, AK 11d (version for chamber orchestra) 02:15
    Track
    15
    Title
    Ancient Greek March, AK 11d (version for chamber orchestra)
    Duration
    02:15
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  16. 16 March (1947) [Musical Archive of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women manuscript] 01:19
    Track
    16
    Title
    March (1947) [Musical Archive of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women manuscript]
    Duration
    01:19
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  17. 17 The Vlach Woman 01:17
    Track
    17
    Title
    The Vlach Woman
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  18. 18 The Maypole 01:28
    Track
    18
    Title
    The Maypole
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  19. 19 Mount Pelion Dance 01:36
    Track
    19
    Title
    Mount Pelion Dance
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  20. 20 High up on Kostilata 01:27
    Track
    20
    Title
    High up on Kostilata
    Duration
    01:27
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  21. 21 Corfiot Dance 01:13
    Track
    21
    Title
    Corfiot Dance
    Duration
    01:13
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  22. 22 Up the street 00:57
    Track
    22
    Title
    Up the street
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  23. 23 Lioúlios 05:38
    Track
    23
    Title
    Lioúlios
    Duration
    05:38
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  24. 24 Paraskevoúla 02:20
    Track
    24
    Title
    Paraskevoúla
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis
  25. 25 Physoúni 01:48
    Track
    25
    Title
    Physoúni
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Nikos Skalkottas
    Ensemble
    Athens Philharmonia Orchestra
    Conductor
    Byron Fidetzis