Nine Greek Dances

From Wind Repertory Project
Nikos Skalkottas

Nikos Skalkottas (ed. Gunther Schuller, Joles)


General Info

Year: 1934-36 / 1940-42 / 1990
Duration: c. 21:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Mangun Music, through G. Schirmer
Cost: Score and Parts - Rental


Movements

1. Epirotikos (Dance from Epirus)
2. Peleponnisiakos (Dance from Peleponnisia)
3. Kalamatianos (Dance from Kalamata)
4. Mariori mou (My Mariori)
5. Pedia ke Pios to Petaxe (Boys, Who Threw it?)
6. Kritikos (Dance from Crete)
7. Sifneikos (Dance from Sifnos)
8. Makedonikos (Dance from Macedonia)
9. Enas Aitos (An Eagle)


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II-III
English Horn
Bassoon I-II-III
Bb Clarinet (9)
Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
B-flat Cornet I-II
Horn in F (6)
Trombone I-II-III-IV
Euphonium I-II(Bass Clef & Treble Clef)
Tuba (4)
String Bass I-II
Timpani
Percussion (4 players), including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Crotales
  • Orchestra Bells
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Tam-Tam
  • Tambourine
  • Tom Toms (3)
  • Wood Block


Errata

  • Percussion III, mvt. VI, m.25: Reh. 25 indicator appears one measure too early.
  • Percussion III, mvt. VII, m.66: Delete 3/4 meter signature.
  • Percussion III, mvt. VII, m.67: Common time should read 3/4.
  • Percussion III, mvt. VII, m.68: Add common time meter signature.


Program Notes

Although Nikos Skalkottas is best known for his numerous 12-tone orchestral works and concerti, he was also an avid collector of Greek folk and dance music -- one might say the Bartok of Greece. The Greek Dances are part of a series of 36 Greek dances that Skalkottas composed during 1934-36, originally for symphony orchestra. He arranged groups of these for various instruments upon request, such as string orchestra, string quartet, and violin and piano. Sometime in 1940-42 Skalkottas arranged nine of these dances for a military band in Athens. It seems, however, that they were never performed during these years, nor indeed at any time before his death. Perhaps the main reason they were not performed in the band version is that no instrumental parts seem to have been produced. The Skalkottas Archives in Greece contain only his manuscript scores.

- Program Note from Thornton Wind Ensemble concert program, 28 October 2016


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

  • Lenox, Gina M. "Nine Greek Dances. Nikos Skalkottas (1904–1949), edited by Gunther Schuller (b. 1925)." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band, Volume 7, edited by Richard Miles. GIA Publications, 2009, pp. 906–914.
  • Skalkottas, N.; Schuller, G. (1991?). Nine Greek Dances : (1934-36, arr. 1940-42) for wind orchestra. Margun Music: Newton Center, Mass.