The commission to compose one of the works dedicated to the Olympic Games in Barcelona came from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). From the initially large scenario suggested by the President of the IOC, Mr. Samaranch, I came up with the idea to write a work about the history of the Olympic Games.
Whilst I composed, I allowed myself to be inspired by the consideration that content and form of a musical work addressing millions of sports aficionados should be simple, that it should resemble a song as much as possible.
For this reason I chose the suite as form and the song as "content"; the orchestral arrangement is correspondingly simple.
In 1987 I had already successfully tried something similar with the ZORBAS ballet.
The application of previously written melodic motifs - that is, my songs - in both this and the other work, should not be Interpreted as a retreat, but rather as a document of my conviction that my songs have at least a timeless value apart from their success they had upon their initial publication.
And such is the case with the CANTO OLYMPICO, as I have finally entitled this work, a symphonic-orchestral suite in seven movements.
There are three soloists: a tenor, a baritone and a pianist. And the chorus plays a prominent role similar to that in CANTO GENERAL; and when I say chorus, this stands for the meaning of the poetic text.
Philosophically, but also formally, the CANTO OLYMPICO aims at developing not only the Olympic idea but also the dimension of timelessness that stems from the soul of the Greek people, its creators. As In my last two works, the opera MEDEA and the ZORBAS ballet, the CANTO OLYMPICO has a hellenocentric core which conforms with my character as well as my upbringing.
To close, I would like to thank my colleagues who have helped me in the creation of this work: Dimitra Manda, Lukas Karytinos, Andonis Karageorgiou, Frangiskos Voutsinos, Elena Mouzala, Vangelis Hatzisimos and the Symphony Orchestra and Choir of the Greek Public Broadcasting Company and their director Vassilis Riziotis.
© Mikis Theodorakis, 1992
CANTO OLYMPICO, AST 287
Composition: 1990-1991 in Athens
1. SONGS OF PRAISE
a. Ode to Zeus
b. Ode to Apollo
c. Ode to the First Olympic Victor
2. THE OLYMPIC GAMES
a. Preparation
b. The Games begin
3. VICTORY
4. WAR
5. THE DOWNFALL OF THE GAMES.
THE MIDDLE AGES. OLYMPIA AND
THE OLYMPIC IDEA
6. REBIRTH OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES
a. The Beginning of a new Epoch
b. Rocks, Unite
7. HYMNE TO THE EARTH
Poems:
Dimitra Manda (1. 5)
Mikis Theodorakis (2, 3, 4, 6b)
Theodorakis / Manda (6a, 7)
Creation: 23.7.1992: Liceo Barcelona (5th part)
2.8.1992 Festival de Cathage, Tunisie (complete)
Vangelis Hadjissimos, Frangiskos Voutsinos (singers), Elena Mouzala (piano)
Orchestra and Choir of ERT, dir.: Loukas Karytinos
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