# Boris Papandopulo



## contra7

Hi everyone! I want to introduce you to this great, prodigious, but not so popular composer.









*Boris Papandopulo* (Honnef am Rhein, February 25, 1906 - Zagreb, October 16, 1991), Croatian composer and conductor. He was one of the greatest Croatian composers of all the time.

He wroted more than 440 opus numbers. His first composition he wrote during his study in Zagreb and it was "In petto degli amanti" for soprano and chamber orchestra. He was marked as talented, profilic, curious and homorous composer. Some of his popular works are: (from early days: ) operas "Sunčanica (Sun Maiden)" and "Amfitrion", oratorio "Muka gospodina našega Isukrsta (The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ)", Sinfonietta for string orchestra, Introduzione, Ariosa, Danza for Cello and Piano, (later works: ) Credo, "Osor Requiem", "Osor mystery" and many more... He tried his hand at all types of classical music: Ballets: "Zlato", "Teuta", "Kraljevo", Orchestra music: "Istarske freske", "Vrlino kolo", Afternoon Symphony, Hommage a Bach, Prelude for large orchestra..., Concertante: Two Concerto grossos, Concerto da Camera op. 11 (written for his mother Maja Strozzi-Pečić), Violin Concerto, several Piano Concertos, Harpsichord Concerto... Chamber: Clarinet Quintet, Six String Quartets, Three Yugoslavian Dances for Guitar, Rapsodia Concertante for Cello and Piano, Passacaglia for Organ, Osam studija (8 Etudes) for Piano, Scherzo Fantastico for Piano... Vocal: Čakavska Suita for (High) Voice and Orchestra, Croatian Mass in D minor, Varaždin Rhapsody and many more... In his compositions he employs symbols and elements of national and Croatian folk music.

Here are some recordings for example to hear his beautiful music. I'm sure he deserves place next to Bartok, Janček, Kodaly and similar composers. Enjoy!


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## contra7

And some more...


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## joen_cph

Yes, he seems to be a composer with a lot of melodic talent, and underrepresented in the recording catalogues. The Danza above is the Finale of the "Rhapsodie Concertante" for Cello and Piano, which should be of interest for anyone who likes Kodaly´s cello music:


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## Sotoy

Is this guy a Greek?? Papadopoulos is definitely a greek name.....


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## joen_cph

Though partly Greek, he is mainly thought of as Croatian these days http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Papandopulo

The former Yougoslavia-area is a bit of a black spot on the usual classical music map, in spite of having quite a lot of 20th century composers.


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## contra7

Sotoy said:


> Is this guy a Greek?? Papadopoulos is definitely a greek name.....


He has a Greek-Croatian origin (his father was Greek and mother was Croatian opera singer), but he is definitely Croatian composer. He lived all his life in Croatia and as I wroted: "In his compositions he employs symbols and elements of national and Croatian folk music."


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## arpeggio

A concerto for bassoon and mandolins? Awesome!


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