Nikos Skalkottas (1904-1949) was a Greek composer of 20th-century classical music born in Chalcis on the Greek island of Euboela. An important feature of Skalkottas's music is the presence of Greek folk material in his works. For a period, he professionally transcribed and analyzed Greek folksongs and integrated these folk elements into his compositions, most notable in his famous collection of Greek Dances for orchestra. Skalkottas died on September 19, 1949 in Athens as a result of a neglected constricted hernia. Practically his entire output remained unknown, unpublished and unperformed during his life. In the 1950s his music was championed by his lifelong friend, conductor Dimitris Mitropoulos, who put together a short suite of 4 Greek Dances for Orchestra which he played and recorded with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1994 the first complete recording by a Greek conductor of all 36 Greek Dances for Orchestra was recorded by Byron Fidetzis and released by Lyra Records. Unfortunately the sound quality of this release is less than stellar, even though it is a digital recording, which is a pity because the performance is extraordinary, eons better than the recent BIS recording with the BBC Symphony. I came into possession of a DAT of the original recording session and decided to try a 24 bit remaster in the hope of improving the sound quality. Apparently it was the mastering of the Lyra CD, not the original recording that was the problem since now one can hear the astonishing playing Fidetzis was able to get out of this provincial orchestra in a much more balanced and vibrant sound. If you have never heard Skalkottas’ Greek Dances for Orchestra before, you are in for a special treat. Nikos Skalkottas was arguably Greece’s greatest classical composer of the first half of the 20th Century and he left behind extensive research on Greek folk music that allowed later Greek composers like Hadjidakis & Theodorakis to incorporate folk elements into their great concert and film music as well. I hope you find much to enjoy in these 36 Greek Dances by Nikos Skalkottas, a composer who took very seriously the duty of all modern Greek artists and composers, which is to carry on the traditions and innovations of the civilization that invented most of the performing arts and literature, a fact that most of Europe and the West needs to be reminded in light of recent events.

NIKOS SKALKOTTAS: 36 Greek Dances for Orchestra
The Urals State Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Byron Fidetzis
FLAC:
https://mega.co.nz/#!vtlXlbRT!FNZsHdvoywYOYGKt1UvQ9CnG3ugXakZYkCL_N9d nwY0



A young Nikos Skalkottas:

Every post a gem steviefromalaska, top quality work, thanks.. will feed back when i get chance

Thank you.

...the civilization that invented most of the performing arts and literature, a fact
that most of Europe and the West needs to be reminded in light of recent events.

I am always grateful for your comments, Stevie.
Thank you very much for the greatest Greek classical composer.
The sound is excellent!

Thank you!

Thank you share!

This is a remarkable and delightful rarity, thank you sharing it steviefromalaska!

Oh neat, thank you!

Thanks.

Lots of bravo!

Thanks - sounds very interesting!