Giannis A. Papaioannou - Composer
Giannis Andreou Papaioannou was born on January 6, 1910 in Kavala and died on May 11, 1989 in Athens. His family came from Lesvos and had a long tradition in the Arts and Sciences. His grandfather, Comninos Amanitis, was a noted musicologist of the 19th century.
Giannis A. Papaioannou began his musical studies at the age of six learning to play the piano on his own. Later at the " Hellenic Odeion " of Athens he carried on with his piano studies under Marika Laspopoulou and studied composition with Alecos Contis. In 1934 he graduated with degrees in Piano, Theory and Composition. During the academic year 1928 - 1929 he attended Emilios Riades ' class for a short period.
His development, however, is mainly the outcome of his own personal work and research; in fact, he considered himself practically self - taught, especially as far as recent compositional techniques were concerned. During the years 1949 -1950, as a UNESCO scholarship holder, he visited several important music centres in Europe, where he came in touch with recent compositional trends. He also worked with Arthur Honegger in Paris for about a year. Furthermore, throughout his career, Papaioannou never ceased to get informed about current styles.
From 1951 to 1961 he taught Music History at the " Anavryta " National School, while from 1954 to 1976 he was Professor of Advanced Music Theory and Composition at the " Hellenic Odeion " of Athens. Meanwhile, he gave private lessons in Music Theory and Composition. It was a practice that started when he was young and went on until his death. The personal relationship he developed with each of his pupils, as well as the thoroughness of his method of transmitting knowledge have been characteristic of Papaioannou ' s teaching. His educational contribution is considered most important, since he was the first - and for a long time the only one - in Greece to teach recent compositional techniques along with the traditional ones. Most of the notable Greek composers, musicologists and conductors belonging to the younger generation have been his students. He began to write music at the age of 13 or 14, he has however, destroyed most of the works prior to 1932 considering them no more than a preparatory stage of his compositional activity. Having initially adopted the use of " advanced harmony ", he subsequently went through atonality, the twelve - tone system, serial and post - serial techniques to finally crystallize into his own personal sonal style style.
Yannis A. Papaioannou himself has distinguished the following main periods in the course of his creative development:
a) 1932 - 1944 Impressionistic trends
b) 1944 - 1952 Approach to Folklore and the Greek " National School ", use of elements of Byzantine Music
c) 1953 - 1965 Twelve - tone system and " recent techniques "
d) 1966 - 1989 " Entirely personal style ".
Most of his works have repeatedly been been performed both in Greece and abroad (West Germany, England, Sweden, Hungary, Italy, the United States etc.), and have been broadcast by a great number of radio stations.
In 1953 his Symphony No 3 was awarded a prize at the " International Competition Queen Elisabeth of Belgium " in Brussels. In 1970 he was honoured by the University of Vienna with the " Gottfried von Herder " award.
In 1983 the Academy of Athens conferred upon him the " Highest Award in Fine Arts ". He was a founding member and, from 1964 to 1975, chairman of the " Hellenic Association of Contemporary Music " (H. A. C. M.) and of the Greek Section of the International Society of Contemporary Music (I. S. C. M.). From 1948 until late in his life he was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Greek Composers Union.
Through his work and his teaching, Yannis A. Papaioannou has greatly contributed to the development of Contemporary Music in Greece and may be regarded as one of the most important 20th century composers in this country.
CHAMBER MUSIC
1937 NOCTURNE for Flute, Viola and Harp AKI-D 38
1937 SERENADE for Violin and Piano AKI-D 31
1937 MINUETTO for Violin and Piano AKI-D 39a
1937 NOCTURNE for Harp AKI-D 27
1937 SERENADE for Cello and Piano AKI-D 27α
1938 PASTORALE Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp AKI-D 48
1938 ROMANESCA for Flute, Viola and Harp AKI-D 50
1938 INTERMEZZO for Harp AKI-D 51
1939 PRELUDE for Harp AKI-D 63
1941 SARABANDE for Violin and Piano AKI-D 83
1942 PASTORAL for Violin and Piano AKI-D 85
1944 ISLAND DANCE "OF MYTILENE" for Violin and Piano AKI-D 102
1954 SUITE for Violin and Piano Aki-D-142
1959 SUITE for Guitar AKI-D 161
1960 THE MILLIONS OF MARCO POLO Incidental Music for Voices and Guitar AKI-D 163
1961 ARCHAIC for Two Guitars AKI-D 172
1967 TRIO for Flute, Viola and Guitar AKI-D 190
1970 NARRATION for Violin Solo AKI-D 196
1971 LA PARLATA D’ARLECCHINO for Solo Tuba AKI-D199
1972 PORTRAIT for Solo Tuba AKI-D 201
1973 RICERCAR A TRE VOCI for Organ AKI-D 204
1975 "ICHOMORPHES" (SOUNDFORMS) for Solo Violin AKI-D 209
1977 ENGRAVING for Horn and Piano AKI-D 213
1978 LOVE-CONFESSION OF MINOTAURUS for Tuba and Piano AKI-D 215
1982 DUO for Violin and Cello AKI-D 222
1984 PEGASUS for Flute Solo AKI-D 227
1985 "POLYMORPHON" (MULTIFORM) for Violin and Harp AKI-D 231
1986 "METOPE" (PEDIMENT) for Clarinet and Harp AKI-D 235
1987 "AETOMA" (PEDIMENT-FRONTON) for Four Flutes AKI-D 244
1987 PEGASUS for Flute and Piano AKI-D 227α
1987 CARYATID for Organ AKI-D 245
1988 SONATA fur Cello and Piano AKI-D 246
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
1946 NOCTURNE for Chamber Orchestra AKI-D 106α
1956 ANTIGONE Suite for Chamber Orchestra AKI-D 144α
STRING ORCHESTRA
1945 SUNSET for String Orchestra AKI-D 112
1947 TRIPTYCH for String Orchestra AKI-D 118
ORCHESTRA
1937 AGNOS Dramatic Idyll with a Prologue and 2 Parts AKI-D 30
1945 VASSILIS ARVANITIS - Symphonic Legend in Eleven Pictures AKI-D 107
1947 MATINS OF THE SOULS - Symphonic Poem AKI-D 119
1952 PIRATES Ballet AKI-D 131b
1954 ANTIGONE Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 144
1956 HELLAS - Symphonic Poem for Orchestra and Narrator AKI-D 149
1960 INDIA Suite for Orchestra AKI-D 166
1963 CONCERTO for Orchestra Aki-D 145
1965 ANTIGONE Ballet in four Pictures for Orchestra AKI-D 181
PIANO
1932 PRELUDIO & FUGA for two Pianos AKI-D 2
1934 ALLEGRO IN S DITHEMATIC FORM for Piano AKI-D 14
1935 LONELINESS Prelude, Five Variations for Piano with Narration AKI-D 16
1936 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 17
1936 HUMOURISTIC SUITE for Piano AKI-D 18
1936 PRELUDE for Piano AKI-D 26
1937 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 35
1937 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 37
1937 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 40
1937 PRELUDE for Piano AKI-D 43
1938 "DANSEUSE" (Female dancer) for Piano AKI-D 49
1938 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 52
1939 SYLPHIDS Prelude for Piano AKI-D 65
1939 PRELUDE for Piano AKI-D 66
1939 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 68
1940 PRELUDE for Piano AKI-D 80
1942 NOCTURNAL FANTASY for Piano AKI-D 87
1945 NOCTURNE for Piano AKI-D 106
1945 SPRING FANTASY for Piano AKI-D 108
1945 LIBERATION OF A SLAVE WOMAN "Choreographic" Tableau for Piano AKI-D 110
1958 SONATA for Piano AKI-D 154
VOICE AND PIANO
1931 SUMMER RAIN Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 1[Cοmtesse de Noailles]
1932 ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS Song for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano AKI-D 5 [D. P. Leontis]
1933 EVENING Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 6 [K. Velmyras]
1933 MYTILENE Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 8 [Mirtiotissa]
1933 FATME Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 10 [T. Tagore]
1934 THE FISHING BOAT Song for two Female Voices and Piano AKI-D 15 [G. Drosinis]
1936 DUSK Song for Alto and Piano AKI-D 19 [L. Mavilis]
1936 SEPERATION Song for Alto and Piano AKI-D 20 [D. Zevgoli]
1936 LOVE AND DEATH Song for Alto and Piano AKI-D 21 [L. Mavilis]
1937 LEGEND Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 33 [M. Alexas]
1937 THE HUNTER Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 34 [M. Alexas]
1937 HOLY VISION 4 Songs for Soprano and Piano AKI-D 36 [M. Alexas]
1937 I KNOW A TOWN Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 41 [S. Skipis]
1937 DELUSION Song for Soprano and Piano AKI-D 42 [S. Skipis]
1938 MELTEMI Song for Soprano and Piano AKI-D 53 [P. Nirvanas]
1938 SWEET NIGHT Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 55 [Ar. Karavas]
1938 SUNSET Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 56 [V. Chaniotis]
1939 LONE SPRING "Epigram" for Voice and Piano AKI-D 61 [L. Porphyras]
1940 LIGHT SOUL Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 74 [I. Gryparis]
1940 SPRING-TIME Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 79 [M. Alexas]
1940 WILD JOY Song for Soprano and Piano AKI-D 82 [I. Gryparis]
1942 YOUR KISSES HAD THE FIRE Song for Bass and Piano AKI-D 86 [I. Gryparis]
1943 THE LEAVES KEEP FALLING... Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 89 [I. Gryparis]
1943 A SWEET-VOICED WOMAN SINGING (But not even the silver bells) AKI-D 90 [I. Gryparis]
1943 WHY THIS JOY Song for Lyric Tenor and Piano AKI-D 91 [I. Gryparis]
1943 THE OLIVE TREE Song for Lyric Tenor and Piano AKI-D 92 [L. Porphyras]
1944 FAREWELL ROSES Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 99 [K. Palamas]
1944 THE JASMINS Song for Soprano and Piano AKI-D 100 [K. Palamas]
1944 THE AUTUMN LILIES Song for Baritone and Piano AKI-D 101 [K. Palamas]
1945 SOME STEPS... Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 104 [K. Palamas]
1945 THE FIRE IS NO LONGER BURNING IN THE FIREPLACE Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 105 [K. Palamas]
1945 WHITE FLOWERS Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 109 [K. Palamas]
1945 WHITE-BONNETED WORKING WOMEN Song for Soprano and Piano AKI-D 111 [K. Palamas]
1945 MARCH LEAVES Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 113 [L. Porphyras]
1946 THREE SISTERS Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 115 [I. Gryparis]
1948 MAIDEN'S LONGING Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 124 [M. Malakasis]
1953 CANDLES Song for Voice and Piano AKI-D 141 [C.P. Cavafy]
1959 THE PENTASYLLABICS for Voice and Piano AKI-D 162 [K. Palamas]
1970 PROMETHEUS for Baritone and Piano AKI-D 197 [Aeschylus]
1974 THREE SONGS on Poems of C. P. Cavafy for Mezzo Soprano and Piano AKI-D 206
1986 4 SONGS for Tenor and Piano AKI-D 236 [G. Kotsiras/ Olga Fotsi]
1989 TWO SONGS on poems of Lord Byron for Voice and piano AKI-D 247
CHORUS & PIANO
1933 DAPHNIS AND CHLOE Song for Choir and Orchestra or Piano AKI-D 9 [G. Drosynis]
1985 HYMN FOR THE ARISTOTELIAN UNIVERSITY OF SALONIKA for Choir and Piano AKI-D 146 [S.G. Kapsomenos]
VOICE & ORCHESTRA or PIANO
1938 MELTEMI Song for Voice and Piano or Orchestra AKI-D 53 [P. Nirvanas]
1940 WILD JOY Song for Soprano and Orchestra AKI-D 82 [I. Gryparis]
1940 THE LEAVES KEEP FALLING... Song for Voice and Piano or Orchestra AKI-D 89 [I. Gryparis]
1943 WILD JOY Song for Soprano and Piano or Orchestra AKI-D 82 [I. Gryparis]
1943 THE SWEET-VOICED WOMAN SINGING (but not even the silver bells) Song for Sopr. & Piano or Orch. AKI-D 90 [I.Gryparis]
1943 THE JASMINS Song for Soprano and Piano or Orchestra AKI-D 100 [K. Palmas]
1944 THE OLIVE TREE Song for Lyric Tenor and Piano or Orchestra AKI-D 92 [I. Gryparis]
CHORUS
1940 QUIET ARE THE DREAMS for Choir AKI-D 78
1945 BY THE MARSH VILLAGES 4-part Harmonization of a folk song AKI-D 103
1948 LAST LEAF Song for Three-Part Women's Choir AKI-D 122 [I. Gryparis]
CHORUS & ENSEMBLE
1938 AURORAL Song for Choir and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 44 [K. Trikoglidis]
1938 LULLABY Song for Women ‘s Choir and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 45 [I. Gryparis]
1938 MOONLIGHT Song for Women ‘s Choir and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 46
1939 SMILE Song for Women's Choir and Instrumental Ensemble or Piano AKI-D 64 [F. Spantharis]
1939 NOCTURNE Song for Women ‘s Choir and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 71
1940 CLOUDS Song for Choir and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 77
1940 PRELUDE AND CHORAL for Choir and String Orchestra AKI-D 98 [Byzantine Chant]
1955 THE STEPS Song for Mixed Choir and 10 Instruments AKI-D 188 [C. P. Cafavy]
1957 PHILOCTETES Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 152 [Sophocles]
1960 THE PERSIANS Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 164 (CHOIR AND ENSEMBLE) [Aeschylus]
1967 THE "FOTOFRAKTIS" (The light barrier) Song for Choir, Voices and Instrum. Ens. AKI-D 223 [A. Empirikos]
1982 "ENCONIUM" Cantata for Narrator, Soloists, Choir and Instrum. Ensemble AKI-D 230 [G. Kotsiras]
VOICE & ENSEMBLE
1961 OEDIPUS REX Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 171 [Sophocles]
1961 YERMA Incidental Music for Voice and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 169 [F. G. Lorca]
1966 THREE SONGS for Mezzo Soprano and Instrumental Ensemble. AKI-D 184 [C. P. Cafavy]
1986 A POET IN THE SEA Song for Soprano and Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 232 [A. Zakinthinos]
VOICE
1946 THE KAKAVA FAIR Song for Female Voice Solo AKI-D 114 [K. Palamas]
1956 ANTIGONE Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 150a [Sophocles]
1960 HYMN TO AGIASSOS READING ROOM Song for Voice Solo AKI-D 167 [E.G. Christopharis]
ENSEMBLE
1952 AMAZONS Choreographic Tableau for Seven Instruments AKI-D 137
1956 ANTIGONE Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 150
1957 ACROPOLIS Music for the Film "The Acropolis of Athens’’ AKI-D 151
1959 OEDIPUS REX Music for the Tragedy AKI-D 156
1960 LOST CIVILIZATIONS Radio Music for Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 165
1970 FIVE CHARACTERS FOR BRASS QUINTET AKI-D 195
1986 PRELUDE TO A JOURNEY for Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 238α
PIANO or INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE
1952 WINTER Choreodrama for Piano or Instrumental Ensemble AKI-D 135a
27/11/2019 Concert Tribute to Giannis A. Papaioannou (1910-1989)
Philipos Nakas Conservatory honors the great composer and teacher Giannis Andreou Papaioannou, thirty years after his death.
Conductor : Alexis Agrafiotis
The tribute was organized under the auspices of the Union of Greek Musicians.