new BOOK/CD
OPUS ALEXANDRINUM
H MΟΥΣΙΚΗ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΑΣ
MUSICAL ACTIVITY OF THE GREEKS AT ALEXANDRIA AD AEGYPTUM
Τhe Hellenic Foundation for Culture presents the “OPUS ALEXANDRINUM – Musical Activity of the Greeks at Alexandria ad Aegyptum”, based on research carried out by flute soloist Natalia Gerakis. Opus Alexandrinum examines the musical life and the classical music production of the Greek community of Alexandria from the last decades of the 19th until the mid-20th century.
Apostolos Palios (piano), Natalia Gerakis (flute), Irini Karaianni (mezzo-soprano) perform works by Greek composers, born or raised in Alexandria and Greeks with a notable musical activity there (Spyridon Papastathopoulos, Panagiotis Tsabounaras, Petros Ioannidis, Maria Sideratou, Janni Christou, Michalis Rozakis, Giannis Avgerinos), as well as compositions by Dimitris Mitropoulos, Argyris Kounadis, and Thodoros Antoniou, Kostis Kritsotakis inspired by the poetry of the Alexandrian poet Constantine P. Cavafy.
Opus Alexandrinum website
www.hfc-worldwide.org/athens/opus-alexandrinum
Recording to listen: here
Book to download: here
Recorded works
Spyridon Papadopoulos (Dimitsana 1875 – Alexandria 1942)
Cupid and Aging
for singing and piano, around 1915
on lyrics by Ioannis Kipreou
popular song published in Alexandria
Panayotis Tsabounaras (Corfu before 1880 – Naxos after 1950)
On the Boat – Barcarola
for singing and piano, 191…
Italian air, arranged and lyrics by Panaiotis Tsabounaras
Petros Ι. Ιoannidis (Crete beginning of 20th century – Australia after 1960)
I’m getting drunk for your sake (tango)
for singing and piano, 1941
lyrics by Mimis Traiforos
Maria Sideratou (beginning of 20th century – after 1960)
Isabelle – 1st Melody
for piano solo, around 1930
Dimitris Mitropoulos (Athens 1896 – Milano 1960)
from 14 (10) Inventions on poems by C.P. Cavafy
for singing and piano (performed by flute and piano), 1925-1926
Invention No. 7 (6) – Grey, Passacaglia a 3 Voci
Invention No. 11 (7) – On the Road, Preludio (Scherzino) a 1 Voce
Invention No. 13 (9) – So much I gazed, Pedale a 3 Voci
Invention No. 8 (5) – Days of 1903, Passacaglia a 2 voci
Invention No. 14 (10) – I went, Coda (Finale) a 2 Voci
Argiris Kounadis (Constantinople 1924 – Freiburg 2011)
Three Poems by Constantine Cavafy
Ι. Voices, ΙΙ. Return, ΙΙΙ. Away
for singing and piano (performed by flute and piano), 1981
Jani Christou (Heliopolis, Cairo 1926 – Athina 1970)
from Six Songs on poetry by T.S. Eliot
for mezzo-soprano and piano (performed by flute and piano), 1955
No. 4 – Eyes that Last I Saw in Tears
No. 5 – The Wind Sprang Up at Four o’Clock
Thodoros Antoniou (Athens 1935-2018)
In 31 BC in Alexandria
from «Eleven Narrations on poems by Constantine Cavafy»
for singing and piano, 1983
Michalis Rozakis (Alexandria 1946 – Athens 2009)
Metamorphoses
for piano solo, 198…
Giannis Avgerinos (Alexandria 1949)
Nocturne and Dance
for piano solo, 1978
Kostis Kritsotakis (Athens 1973)
Ionic Dances
for flute and piano, 1995
based on the poem “Ionic” by Constantine P. Cavafy
Interpreters
Apostolos Palios • piano
Natalia Gerakis • flute
Irini Karaianni • mezzo-soprano
Released by: Hellenic Foundation for Culture
Recording: Sound Studio of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens | January 2021
Recording producer: Kostas Katsantonis