# Nikos Skalkottas



## Ut Pictura

He has become one of my favourite composers. His Largo Sinfonico is an astonishing construction - comparable in type and intensity to Mahler's 9th symphony adagio.

BIS label has recorded all his works. 

He, although worlds apart, is like Emily Dickinson who wrote her poetry in secret. Some of Skalkottas's acquaintances did not even know he was a composer!


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## Guest

I first heard his "Little Suite" for strings, the first twelve-tone piece I ever liked right off. (Followed shortly by Santorsola's two guitar concerto.)

There was never much on LP, so I'm glad for all the music of Skalkottas that's shown up on CD. (All but that delightful _Little Suite._ I haven't found that yet on CD.)

But I'm listening to that _Largo Sinfonico_ now, because I can. That's a fine piece, to be sure.


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## Ut Pictura

Some Guy, that suite is available on CD - the BIS recording which includes the piano concerto no 2. Here is link: http://www.bis.se/index.php?op=album&aID=BIS-SACD-1484


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## emiellucifuge

He was pupil of Schoenberg no?

My composition teacher actually wrote her thesis as an analysis of a piece by Skalkottas:

http://www.nasopoulou.eu/writings/Skalkottas thesis.pdf


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## Ut Pictura

I just bought the CD which has 'The Maiden and Death' suite - which the thesis you refer to analyses, so that is great, will read it closely, THANKS! 

The CD arrived yesterday, listened to it a few times already. Skalkottas has a magic sound that is addictive. It was that 'sound' that caught my attention many years ago while on holiday in Greece. 
I was eating at a restaurant on the island of Santorini where they were playing this exquisite string work. I was so mesmerised by the sound that I made a point to find out who the composer was. It was Skalkottas whom I had never heard of. Today he is an integral part of my music collection.

Yes he was a student of Schonberg.


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## Guest

Ut, thank you so much. I don't know how I've missed that one. I'm buying it now.


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## millionrainbows

Skalkottas was a string player, and it shows in the string quartets. He was a student of Schoenberg, and got into disagreement with him about the use of the 12-tone system, so we may be hearing a distinct, genetic mutation of 12-tone in him...it sounds atonal, but not pointillistic or empty; always full, lyrical, rich...those are my first impressions. I need to get more of his stuff.


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