Sicilianos, Yorgos

Sicilianos, Yorgos, Greek composer; b. Athens, Aug. 29, 1922. He studied harmony with Varvoglis at the Hellenic Cons. and with Sklavos at the Athens Cons. (until 1943); then went to Rome, where he took a course with Pizzetti at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia (1951–53); supplemented his music education at the Paris Cons. (1953–54), where he studied with Milhaud and Aubin. He received a Fulbright scholarship to continue his training with Piston at Harvard Univ., Blacher at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, and Persichetti at the Juilliard School of Music in N.Y. (1955–56). Upon his return to Greece, he occupied various educational and administrative posts. He was head of music services for the National Broadcasting Inst. (1960–61; 1979), and taught at Pierce Coll. in Athens (from 1967). His style of composition is classical in format, pandiatonic in harmony, and intricately polyphonic in contrapuntal and fugal developments.

Works

DRAMATIC: Ballet: The Pearl (1957); Tanagra for 2 Pianos and Percussion (Athens, April 21, 1958; orch. version, Athens, Feb. 5, 1962); Bacchantes (Athens, Jan. 11, 1960). ORCH .: Sym. (1941–47); Sym. No. 1 (1955–56; N.Y., March 1, 1958); Prelude and Dance (Athens Radio, Sept. 1, 1948); The Revelation of the Fifth Seal, symphonic poem (1951; Athens, May 11, 1952); Concertino for 5 Winds and Strings (Rome, June 9, 1953); Concerto for Orchestra (Athens, Nov. 28, 1954); Synthesis for 2 String Orchs. and Percussion (Athens, Nov. 26, 1962; based on the String Quartet No. 3, 1957–62); Cello Concerto (1963); Variations on 4 Rhythmical Themes (1963); Perspectives for 4 Orch. Groups (1966); Episodia for 17 Instruments (1964–67); Antiphona for Strings, Brass, and Percussion (1976). CHAMBER: 4 string quartets (1951; 1954–55; 1957–62; 1967); Study for Tuba (1974); Schemata for 6 Percussion (1976). Piano: 3 sonatas (1939); 8 Children’s Miniatures (1963); (8) Études compositionnelles (1972–73; rev. as 6 études for Piano and Orch., 1975). VOCAL: Stasimon II for Mezzo-soprano, Women’s Voices, and Orch. (1965); Episodes II for Double Chorus, Piano, Double Bass, Percussion, and Tape (1971); Epitaphion: in memoriam Nikos Marangopoulos for Chorus, Children’s Voices, Narrator, and Orch. (1971); Parable for Chorus, Flute, Tuba, Percussion, and Tape (1973); 6 Songs for Mezzo-soprano or Baritone and Piano (1975); Moonlight Sonata, cantata for Mezzo-soprano, Clarinet, Viola, and Guitar (1976–77).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire