This recording of a second collection of chamber music works by Mikis Theodorakis includes pieces which established him in the opinion of fellow musicians as a composer who served these classical forms faithfully, but with imagination and inventiveness.
The Trio (1) is yet another work which conveys the intensity and nuances of troubled times from its pages. Composed in February 1947, it is surprising for its wide variety of ideas. The individual roles of the instruments are clear-cut, as they partake in a mature dialogue, referring to everything that must have been on the composer's mind during at that time. What distinguishes the Trio is the coexistence of conflicts of a purely musical or aesthetic, but also of an emotional or philosophical nature. And isn't this the requirement which a piece needs to fulfill in order to have a personality? The sum of a composer's declared intentions is always unique, and when these are stated fluently, and -why not- appealingly, even succulently, listeners will become caught up in it, following the sequence of meaning and thus identifying themselves with the music.
It is no coincidence that the two Sonatinas belonged to the works of Theodorakis which are performed most frequently. Now here is succulent music for you. It shows how Theodorakis dealt with the major issue of Hellenism, which has been a concern for all Greek composers, from the 19th century to the present day.
The Greek Nationalist Music School expressed many viewpoints, and in practice every composer who had subscribed to its manifesto articulated these aspirations in a different way.
Perhaps a measure of the value of the most significant composers of the National School is the fact that their quest was never concluded. Kalomiris' (1883-1962) Sonata for violin and piano (1948) is still full of suggestions, and this is precisely why it is so difficult to interpret. The works for violin and piano from the modern school function as mere etudes when they touch upon the theme of Hellenism.
Theodorakis' Sonatinas constitute a most healthy expression of Hellenism in the middle of the 20th century, when all trends were busy restructuring themselves. The Sonatinas do not look back, they are forward-looking and succeed in reestablishing a Modern Greek musical vocabulary in the international "textbooks". Clear thoughts, free of worry and weight, full of light and life. A balance is struck between many extreme opposites, which were typical of the composer in those years, and the fact that this is achieved in a natural fashion enhances the attractiveness of the music. It is worth remembering the contribution made by Manos Hatzidakis to the third movement of the 1st Sonatina. Hatzidakis added an intercalated episode in the final part - as attested to by Theodorakis himself - by using his pencil to put a musical mark on time, thus helping us to understand the relation of the two.
The December Pieces (2) which followed are nothing oither than the musical pages of a diary - frescoes depicting dramatic impressions. A monument made of songs without words, but with the dimensions of a psychographic essay endeavoring to record not simply emotions but entire emotional sequences. I am not aware of many works which are historically inked to such a specific chronicle, and which finally express something so vast and deep that it effortlessly surpasses its starting point.
It is difficult to distinguish the boundaries of the form of a study which the composer himself refers to in connection with his work, from the need to record his life experience during those years: documents of an era jotted down in a notebook, Dure musical thought, a chronicle of events and emotions.
If all of the aforesaid do not constitute sufficient grounds to allow us to welcome these works into he 21th century repertory as masterpieces, then all I can do is urge readers to listen to them.
Just one more thought, based on queries, which may help the mind move more quickly towards the truth: What would Greek chamber music be like if these works had been established as part of the repertory? How many composers might have found answers in the solutions suggested by Theodorakis in the late 1940's? How would the various musical trends and schools have developed?
By endeavoring to respond to questions from the past in the light of our knowledge and with an open mind, we can better understand the future as well.
Philippos Tsalahouris
REFERENCES
(1.) It was composed together with the Sextet for Piano, Flute and String Quartet. These two pieces are Theodorakis' two most mature works from that period.
The Trio was a "gift" to Tatsis Apostolidis. It was composed in the period from January 12th to February 23rd, 1947, and was first performed at the Kentrikon Theater at the historic concert of April 8th, 1952, the very first concert presenting works by Mikis Theodorakis. The piece was performed by Byron Cholasis [violin), Christos Garoufalias [cello) and Konstantinos Kydoniatis [piano].
(2.) The full title of this work is Four Pieces for the Month of December, and the first, entitled The Gathering on December Third, was composed for baritone and piano. The piece was written in Athens during the tragic December of 1945 and the first days of the New Year in 1946. The first two parts of the work were first performed at the Club of the Hellenic-Soviet Association, in the Spring of 1946.
Excerpts of the booklet with "Chamber Works" (II) by Mikis Theodorakis
LEGEND CLASSICS 2201655972
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