BIS-CD-I024STEREO IED D] Total playing time: 65'39 SKALKOTTAS, Nikos 0eo4-ts4s) Sonata for Solo Violin (tszs) (MaryunMusic) 12'48 tr L Allegrofurioso, quasi Presto 2'.33 tr 11.Adagietto z',42 tr Ill. Allegro ritmctto t'4r tr IY. Adagio - Allegro molto Moderato 5'40 Sonatina No. I for Violin and Piano (1929)rvo E II. Andantino 2'50 Sonatina No.2 for Violin and Piano 119291rvr,r 6',42 tr I. Allegro 2',13 tr II. Andante 2'20 tr IlL Allegro vivac:e 2',01 Sonatina No.3 for Piano and Violin (ts:s) (MarsunMusic) 11,28 tr I. Allegro giusto 2',55 @ II. Andante 5'06 E I1l. Maestoso - Vivace 3',11 Sonatina No.4 for Piano and Violin (l935) @aryunMusic) 13'13 tr I. Moderatr.t 3'26 Llg Il. Adagio 6',49 [4 1ll. Allegro moderato 2',51 Little Chorale and Fugue (c.1936131?)(MaryunMusic) z',56 E Adasio 1'16 @ Moderato 1'40 tr March of the Little Soldiers (c.193613'7?)(MaryilnMusic) 0'50 Moderato ritmato E Nocturne (c.1936137?) (MarsunMusit) 4',53 Andante @ Rondo (c.1936137?) tMaryunMusic) 1'18 Allegro deciso @ Gavotte (1939)rup 1'36 Bienmodtrl E Scherzo1c. l94o?r 'w., )t)1 Allegro molto vivace @ Menuetto Cantato (c.l94o'!)rurt z',14 Molto moderato - Trio Georgios Demertzis,violin Maria Asteriadou, piano INSTRUMENTARIUM Violin:Johannes Cuypers l80l GrandPiano: Steinway D Pianotechnician: Osten Haggmark Nikos Skalkottas: A brief biography evolution as a composer follows certain invariable axes Nikos Skalkottas was bom in Halkis in 190,1 and died in that denne his confrontation with the historical, technical Athens in 1949. Very early on he started violin lessons and musical challenges of his epoch, throughout his life. with his father and uncle. He continued studying ar the He founded his compositional self-sufficiency and his Athens Conseilatory, graduaring in 1920. From l92l to compositional contemplation on his own forces. He 1933 he lived in Berlin, where he first took violin lessons remained, to the end, u'honest'musician. Although he with Willy Hess. In 1923 he decided to give up his creer came to know Schoenberg's dodecaphonic system, Skal- as a violinist and become a composer. He studied com kottas shaped his own dodecaphonic idioms and also posilion with Paul Kahn, Paul Juon, Kurt Weill, Philipp wlote tonal works using specific tonal idioms, but remain- Jarnach and Arnold Schoenberg. In 1933, when Hitler ing recognizable to the end and always of real originality came to power. Skalkottas returned to Athens, where he The extant music of Skalkottas classilies him as one emed a living playing in different orchestras. of the greatest composers of the twentieth century and, Skalkottas's early works, most of those he uote in definitely, the greatest Greek composer of his time, one 'put Berlin and some of those written in Athens, are lost. The who can Greece onto the musical map'. while he was earliest of his works available to us today date from 1922 still alive, his music remained relatively unknown. After 24: piano compositions and the orchestration of Creld, his death, thmks to the effons of a group of friends of rhe Fert by Dimitri Mitropoulos. Among the later works composer, with the dominant figure of Yiannis Papaioan- written in Berlin arc the Sonata for solo yioliu, several nou, Skalkottas's music became better known. About works for piano, chamber music and some symphonic 195.1-55, when his music was first perfomed abroad, the works. During the period l93l-1934 Skalkottas composed compo\er look hi. place rmong lhe mosl imponant uom- nothing. He stafted composing again in Athens, continuing posers of the inter-war dodecaphonic avant-gfide. Since until he died. His cuvre comprises symphonic works that time, Skalkottas's name has remained pan oi the con- (Greek Dances, the symphonic overture R en!'n of UlJsses, temporary musical scene, though with varying fortunes the fairy drama Mayday Spell. the SeLond Symphoni<' depending on the initiatives taken largely on the Creek Srrte. the ballet The Maiden and Death, the Classical side. Symphony for winds, a Sinfoniena and several concertos), chamber music, and vocal works. Skalkottas died unex- Skalkottas as a violinist. pectedly in l9zl9, leaving some of his symphonic works His works for solo violin and for violin and piano with incomplete orchestration. Skalkottas was bom into a family of folk musicians. We Besides his musical work, Skalkottascompiled an im- know that one of his ancestors played the nddle on the portant theoretical work, consisting of several'musical island of Tinos. His father and uncle played many instru, articles', a trcatise on orchestration. musical analyses md ments. the liddle being one of them. Young Nikos leuned so on. These texts ue often very difficult to read and they to play quite early in his life. It would be reasonable ro reveal a deep thinker who elaborates into philosophical assume that he first leamt to play by ear and by impro idealism and clearly masters the technical and philo- vrslng. sophical principles on which his music is based. We know little about Skalkoftas's violin studies in Skalkottas soon shaped the personal features of his Athens and Berlin. In Athens he was regarded as a promis- musical wdting so that any influence of his teachers was ing violinist and was sent to Berlin to study on a scholar soon creatively assimilated into a muner of composition slrip. However, Skalkottas himself infbms us that it was that is absolutely personal md recognizable. Thus - in the Hess who encouraged him to tum to composition. From light of the works that are available ro us - Skalkotras's his leners, especially those he wrote around the age of 25, it is evident that Skalkottas was strongl) opposed to the Sonata for Solo Violin (1925) 'the branch of music perceived as virtuosi' at that lime. He The date ol composition of this work has come down to us differed radicalll fiom the vinuosit) cultivated during his through Skalkottas's letters to his friend Nell;' Askitopou- time and s,ould never become a virtuoso himself. tt simply lou. ro whom he dedicated it. The lirst relerence to this did not suit him. On the other hand he ofien pla)ed lhe work is made in a letler by Skalkonas to Askitopoulou. violin professionally at ca16s.as an enteftainer.and some dated 24th June 1925: I will only describe what today has times the piano in a similar capacit)'. been like. It was nice becauseI was almost alone. I man- His theoretical texts of a later era, especially an article ageclto work. I held my violin lovingly. I bathed in piano entitled lioiia Techniclue (not dated: should be placed music. plal ing Bach tbr hours. Then I longingly took the around 1934-35) shedssome light on Skalkottas s relation- pencil and started composing. To add something to the 'The 'to ship with his instrument.He $rites: riolin plaler sonatadrat belongs to you'. The expression add some- who touches this instrunrent after his studies can question thing to the sonata' is a possible indication that he started the certainty of what he was taught. Bf ieaving aside the cornposing this $'ork a few days earlier. perhaps on 22nd truth of virtuosity. the violinist can Inove on to new con or 23rd June. The impression given of the composer is of a clu\ion. a. lo the techniqucof thi. in.lrument. nran in a state of intellectual excitement, a state which There are two pieces ol evidence concerning Skal- eives binh to the beginning of many works at the same komas s violin-playing abilities after his retum to Greece. lime (on the same day Skalkottas shned a Srile for violin One comes from his colleagues at the orchestra. The)' talk and piaoo, intending to dedicate it to Nelly, too). He about a violinisl with excellent sight-reading and a ver) shunles from one piece to another. from one musical study 'honest' style of playing. The second comes from Pa- to the next, from the composition of a new work to the paioannou, who had played the FoLttth Sonatina fot \iolrn translation of a modern German poem into Greek, and and piano with the composer around 1943 'l'l and had then goes on to deal with his mail that includes a whole been impressed by Skalkottas s violin playing. He ob host oi recipients. Of the works ol the period. the .lo/tdl4 serves that Skalkottas showed astonishing vifiuosit): He ltn Solo violin is one that is known to haYe been com played difficult passagesextremely last. possessinggreat ple(ed. Skalkottas sent it to Askitopoulou at the end of accuricy. llne tone and rhythmic quality, and exceptional September in the same year. This explains how the work expressive ability. especially in the sloq parts. A spccial $as preserved.while all his other compositions liom that and unusual feature of Skalkottas'sviolin playinS was his period. that the composer either kept at his house or dis- vibrato. which was truly slou': his 6nger moved very slow- patched10 different addresses.have been losi. ly. so that a clear and transparent sound was produced. The Sondtd for Solo ltiolin is the first decisivel,v more reminiscent ol the flute lhan of a string instrument. $ature work of Skalkottas to have been saved lt is also Besides the uorks included in this recording. Skal- the lirst one written in a consistently modern idiom. Hou' \\e kottas also wrote a.Sdrdla for violin and piano, two'little e\er. it .y.lemalicalll remrin. a t(tni4ur rntt ltt.nt writing suiles', in 19,16and 1949 respectively (the secondof these do not knos' how long Skalkonas had already been is probably the last piece he ever composed) and certain in such a modern or mature style.