WORKS FOR NARRATOR AND ORCHESTRA
Index Page || The Composer Page
IN SAINT LUKE’S MONASTERY
Symphonic poem with narrator
Poem by Angelos Sikelianos
1937
Orchestra: 2 2 3 2 – 4 2 3 1 – Timpani, Percussion, Harp, Celesta, Strings.
First Performance: 24 May 1937
Olympia Theatre, Athens
Conducted by Leonidas Zoras
Narrator: Tzavalas Karousos
Publication:
Full score: Unpublished.
Arrangement for narrator, violin and piano: Manolis Kalomiris, Athens 1959.
Discography:
Manolis Kalomiris:
Rhapsody No. 1 (arr. G. Pierné for orchestra) & No. 2 "Song to the Night" (arr. B. Fidetzis for orchestra) / Lyrics (Songs of Sikelianos) / In St. Luke's Monastery / Minas the Rebel / The Death of the Valiant Woman.
[Link]
Russian State Symphonic Cappella
Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra
Byron Fidetzis, conductor
Eva Kotamanidou, narrator
Julia Souglakou, soprano
2010, Naxos 8.572451
For more information about the works of the CD, click at the left of Naxos’ page “About this recording”.
For the lyrics of Saint Luke’s monastery translated in English at “Lyrics”.
The original poem in Greek here [Link]
In the version for narrator, violin and piano, the indication “Symphonic poem”, which appears on the manuscript of the orchestral version, is missing. This arrangement was made in 1938.
[Note by Fivos Anoyanakis]
Sikelianos, Angelos
[link] (1884 – 1951), lyric poet and author of several tragedies, who has been called “the greatest poet of Greece proper since Palamas”. Proponent of a philosophy of universal brotherhood, he sought unsuccessfully to revive the ancient pacifistic spirit of the Delphic Amphyctionies through the creation of a world centre of modern mystic – intellectual orientation at Delphi. He organised the first Delphic Festival in 1927, which was repeated only once (1930). The collection of Lyrika (Lyric Life) of 1938 contains some of his finest poems, three of which were set to music by Kalomiris.
[Notes by Maria Voelker-Kamarinea]
Tzavalas Karousos (real name Karousos Tzavalas) was born on September 8, 1904 in Lefkada, Greece. He was a leading actor at the National Theatre of Greece. Especially known for his interpretation in the Greek films Phaedra (1962), Zalongo, To kastro tis lefterias (1959) and Antigoni (1961), his career ended abruptly after he was exiled by the Greek military junta. He died on January 3, 1969 in Paris, France.
Audio
Manolis Kalomiris: In Saint Luke's Monastery
[Link]
Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra
Byron Fidetzis, conductor
Eva Kotamanidou, narrator
