Greek unsung composers

[Christopher]

In researching Kalafati (see separate thread) I found that the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra has a Youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9p_Bp106n8bWM9shRmDiEw

Under their conductor Byron Fidetzis (Βύρων Φιδετζής) they seem to have been enthusiastically performing and recording Greek composers, particularly from the era that we like.

From their channel I have noted the following:

Petros Petridis (1892‐1977) - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Πέτρος_Πετρίδης_(συνθέτης)
Πέτρος Πετρίδης (1892-1977)
Variations on a Byzantine liturgic chant for string orchestra / Παραλλαγές πάνω στο Βυζαντινό θέμα «Κύριε των Δυνάμεων» για ορχήστρα εγχόρδων - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgMgPzxWdNU

Demetrios Lialios (1869-1940) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrios_Lialios
Δημήτριος Λιάλιος (1869-1940)
Missa pro defunctis in B-minor / Missa pro defunctis σε σι-ελάσσονα
II. Graduale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuqN_qe0kDw
ΙII. Dies irae - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FABp3EUv9Fo
IV. Tuba mirum – V. Recordare - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9peDXV3_v4
IX. Sanctus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hce1UCoz9GM
X. Benedictus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW74Ihz5xWw
other excerpts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS4l-gMMEwE

Dimitrios Lialios (1869-1940)
Δημήτριος Λιάλιος (1869‐1940)
Overture in Oriental Style / Ανατολική Εισαγωγή - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAGfILzT6_A

Theofrastos Sakellaridis (1884-1950) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophrastos_Sakellaridis
Θεόφραστος Σακελλαρίδης (1884-1950)
Perouze / Περουζέ (opera in 2 acts, 1911)
Libretto: George Tsokopoulos / Λιμπρέτο: Γεωργίου Τσοκόπουλου
Act 1 – The Entrance of the King of the Gypsies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0YIIOwjyZE
Act 1 – The Fishermen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnAGUFBsESU
Act 1 – The Enchanting Song of Perouze - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reNDfPeqs-A
Act 2 – The Quarrel between Thanos and Anthoula - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNcw-Zpp858
Act 2 - Fairy of the Coast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ51P3cLTgo
Act 2 - The Feast of the Gypsies - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Aq-6VVMrAI

Dionissios Rodotheatos (1849‐1892) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysius_Rodotheatos
Διονύσιος Ροδοθεάτος (1849‐1892)
Athalia ‐ symphonic poem / Αθαλία ‐ συμφωνικό ποίημα - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le1cRBpOKGE

Manolis Kalomiris (1883-1962) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manolis_Kalomiris
Mανώλης Καλομοίρης (1883-1962)
Rhapsody for Piano No 1 / Ραψωδία για Πιάνο αρ.1 (1921) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwNkqYK-unc

Eleni Lampiri (aka Lambiri, 1889-1960) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleni_Lambiri
Ελένη Λαμπίρη (1889-1960)
Symphony in B minor / Συμφωνία σε σι ελάσσονα (1920-21) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp1_ArEaOBk

Mario Foskarina-Damaskinou (1850-1921) - https://www.eleftheria.gr/m/πρόσωπα/item/185873-η-θεσσαλιώτισσα-της-μαριώς-φοσκαρίνα.html (bio)
Μαριώ Φωσκαρίνα-Δαμασκηνού (1850-1921)
Venetian Suite / Βενετσιάνικη Σουίτα - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnX4i1ywGuo
L' Aldeana (vilanella) / L' Aldeana (βιλανέλλα) (1888) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0p3xNrNroc

Marios Varvoglis (1885-1967) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marios_Varvoglis
Μάριος Βάρβογλης (1885-1967)
Suite Pastorale / Ποιμενική σουίτα
1. Andante religioso - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw-47WYBQ0U
2. Andante tranquillo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njb4Fy7gC20
3. Allegro moderato - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHfZpL0YTKI

Georgios Axiotis (1875-1924) – https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Γεώργιος_Αξιώτης
Γεώργιος Αξιώτης (1875-1924)
Sunset - https://www.youtube.comwatch?v=gBJje3oYqxQ

Pavlos Karrer (aka Carrer, 1829-1896) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlos_Carrer
Παύλος Καρρέρ (1829-1896)
Marco Bozzari (opera, also called "Markos Votzaris") / Μάρκος Βότζαρης
Intro e Canzonetta di Marco - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE5QNLebQ1A
Scena e giuramento, Finale 1mo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ7-Jzj9XOI
Raconto del Soprano - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAOLLRrtt3E
Finale 3rd act - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfYfhZAEXis

Domenikos Padova (1817-1892) - https://www.corfuland.gr/el/diafora/kerkyra/domenikos-padobas-enas-simantikos-moysikodidaskalos-tis-eptanisiakis-sxolis.html (bio)
Δομένικος Παδοβάς (1817-1892)
Dirce / Δίρκη (opera) - Introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bUvM2ATqas

[eschiss1]

I think we can agree that Mitropoulos while unsung as a composer has a name that was once very familiar (should still be for some of us) as a conductor of unsung music (unsung in its real sense, not the limited sense in this forum - that is, while he may not have done much for little-known music composed in the mid-to-late 19th century in the European tradition, it doesn't follow that he stuck to the standard classics, either; his conducting and repertoire was full of music few people had heard before yet.)

Then again, I say may not, but he -did- record Rabaud's "Procession nocturne" way back in 1950 (Columbia ML 2170) well before the CD recording of same... (and performed, and recorded either commercially or for broadcast, works by Chausson, Busoni, Lalo (Roi d'Ys overture and Symphonie espagnole, the latter at least in a 1957 radio recording?), and others (including what may have been one of the earlier recordings of Weber's symphonies, don't know?) in addition to the Sessions, Schoenberg, Berg, Krenek, Mahler, Skalkottas (piano concerto, choruses), [Leon] Kirchner, Vaughan Williams (symphony no.4, radio recording, 1956-haven't heard, but listed in Cadensa), etc that I myself tend to associate him with....

[Christopher]

Then again, I say may not, but he -did- record Rabaud's "Procession nocturne" ....

Thanks Eric, interesting.  He's someone I knew nothing about.

A totally separate question, but what do you mean when you put "- -" around a word (as in the above)?  I have been meaning to ask you that forever!

[Mark Thomas]

In addition to Carrer's opera Marco Bozzari, the indefatigable Byron Fidetzis has posted on YouTube recordings of three more operas by Carrer: Despo, I kyra Phrossini and Marathon Salamis. All are reminiscent of early-to-mid period Verdi, but are melodically undistinguished and bland. The same can be said of Fidetzis' recordings on YouTube of a number of operas by Spyros Samaris (1861-1917): La Biondinetta, La Martire, Rhea and Tigra (unfinished), which come from the end of the 19th century. Performances are enthusiastic but unpolished and the recording quality is quite tolerable. 

[Alan Howe]

I'm afraid I have had to delete Mitropoulos' Concerto Grosso, as well as Kalomiris' Violin Concertino and 'At St. Lukas' Monastery', as they fell well outside our stylistic remit.

A reminder: please would all contributors refer music that falls outside our suggested time limits to the moderators FIRST, i.e. before posting.

I particularly liked Axiotis' rather beautiful 'Sunset', but I'm bound to say that there's very little here of great interest. As Mark indicates, K/Carrer seems to have swallowed middle-period Verdi whole. Mind you, really good performances might just rescue his music. Otherwise, I'd have him up before the beak on a charge of grand larceny!

Just my opinion, of course - sorry, Christopher.

[eschiss1]

ambiguous, I'm afraid and unneeded here... I could have used did (sometimes I mean italics, or boldface, or underline, but here I forget this has markup)

[Christopher]

Just my opinion, of course - sorry, Christopher.

er - why are you apologising?  I didn't write the pieces! 

I didn't listen to all the pieces as I was actually searching for other things (Kalafati....), I went by the composers' dates as my guide.  Sorry if it turned out some of them were rather scratchy.  (As I've said before, I think unsungs of our era should always be posted up when people come across them - there are other listeners who might absolutely love them, as everyone is different. I don't necessarily like everything that I post.)

Mr Fidetzis, conductor of the orchestra, may well be the gatekeeper to the Kalafati pieces that we now know to have been recorded (his Symphony, "Legenda", and Polonaise) - I wonder if he is contactable and persuadable....

[Christopher]

I particularly liked Axiotis' rather beautiful 'Sunset'

Axiotis was born in Mariupol, in present-day Ukraine. 

Kalafati was born in Yevpatoriya, in Crimea, present-day Ukraine.

Maybe having that Slavic connection adds that certain something.

[Christopher]

I had another look today at the youtube channel of the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9p_Bp106n8bWM9shRmDiEw) to see what they have been up to.  Since the posts above, they have recorded music by the following composers whose dates indicate that they could be, or might be of interest (some are on the cusp, eg born in 1890s). Caveat - unchecked, but thought I would list for the record. 

Antonios Liveralis (1814-1842) - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ιωσήφ_Λιμπεράλης
Dionysios Lavrangas (aka Lavragkas, 1860-1941) - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Διονύσιος_Λαυράγκας
Nikolaos Chalikiopoulos-Mantzaros (1795-1872) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaos_Mantzaros
Andreas Nezeritis (1897-1980) - https://www.sem.org.gr/index.php/en/andreas-nezeritis
Nikolaos Metaxas Tzanis (1825-1907) - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Νικόλαος_Μεταξάς-Τζανής
Marcos Mastrekinis (1865-1942) - https://www.greekencyclopedia.com/mastrekinis-markos-zakynthos-1867-athina-1942-p17559.html
Alexander Greck (1876-1959) - https://www.apho.gr/innerpage/244/en
Dimitrios Andronis (1866-1918) - https://femantzaros.com/i-filarmoniki/viografika/viografiko-dimitriou-androni/
Petros Petridis (1892‐1977) - https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Πέτρος_Πετρίδης_(συνθέτης)

Plus some newly recorded pieces by composers already listed above on this thread:
Marios Varvoglis (1885-1967) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marios_Varvoglis
Theophrastos Sakellaridis (1883-1950) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theophrastos_Sakellaridis
Georgios Axiotis (1875-1924) – https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/Γεώργιος_Αξιώτης

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks Christopher - definitely worth a look/listen.

[Christopher]

well, no guarantees, note my caveat! 

[semloh]

This is certainly a great site to explore. Thanks, Christopher.
I listened to the Concerto for Orchestra by a young Andronis - a very interesting piece for 1885. Is it my imagination, or did I hear a few bars of the main theme from Gone With the Wind in the last 2 or 3 minutes?