Sonata for Violin and Piano (1948)
by
George Leotsakos.
I. Agitato
II.
Andantino piacevole
III. Finale
Chamber music
has never been in particular favour with composers of the Greek National
School. Their work-lists, if not their best achievements, consist mainly of
symphonic works opulently scored, of songs with piano accompaniment, and of
piano pieces. Kalomiris’ contribution in the field of chamber music, literally
a pioneering one, is relatively small yet highly important.
Immediately
after he settled (1910) in Greece, in 1911 he participated as a pianist in the Hellenic Quintet, founded that yaer,
which also included Georgios Horafas and Mihali Kazazis (violins), Filoktitis
Economidis (viola) and Rudolf Geidenberger (cello), and which on 23.2.1914,
with the participation of mezzo-soprano Irene Skepers, performed a world
premiere (Athens Conservatory hall) of the earliest of the composer’s chamber
music compositions, the Quintet with
voice.
In the
purely creative field, Kalomiris composed four chamber music works in all,
besides using chamber music media to accompany the voice in two song-cycles,
both based on thexts by Kostis Palamas and both dated 1943: From the Cycle of the Quatrains, for
voice and viola, and Some tender words,
for voice, harp and clarinet. These four works are: 1) The uintet with voice (1912), for piano, string quartet and a
mezzo-soprano singing a setting of Lorenzos Mavillis well-known poem Lethe as well as folk verses. 2) The Trio, for piano, violin and violoncello
(1921). 3) The Fantasy Quartet (1921,
revised 1954), for harp, flute, english horn and viola, and 4) The Sonata for violin and piano.
In these
works, Kalomiris appears preoccupied with essentially the same problem: how to
subdue to the formal discipline of the traditional sonata form his rich melodic
invention, which overflows with pathos, often driving him to expand
chromatically his initial inspirations, based upon the modes and rythms of
Greek folk music. With the exception perhaps of the Fantasy Quartet, the title of which seems to allow for a more
relaxed treatment of his broad melodic lines, the problem seems to be approached
in more or less different ways in the other three works: From the skilful
elaboration of the two beautiful main themes, folk-like and strictly diatonical
in the first movement of the Quintet with
voice - one of the earliest known surviving sonata-form movements in Greek
music, along with Mitropoulos’s Sonata
for piano and violin of approximately the same date - we are led to the lofty,
contrapunctal handicraft of the Trio,
which is sometimes reminiscent of Bruckner (Scherzo) and finally in the Sonata for violinand piano (1948), in
which the problem is tackled once again, now in full maturity.
It is a
work of cyclic form (i.e. one in which related thematic material is used in all
or some of the movements) and in three movements:
a) An Adagio, in 5/8 rhythm and on a «G minor»
mode, based on two principal subjects: 1) A broad, lyrical, typically
«Kalomiric» melody, which includes characteristic intervals of diminished
fourths (bars 9-22) and 2) a secondary subject, rhythmically more prominent and
intense (bars 32-46).
The order
of appearance seems to reverse the customary practice in sonata form, where the
first subject is usually more intense, energetic and «masculine», while the
second one is more lyrical, subdued and «feminine». Its dance-like character
reminds one of the 7/8 «con slancio»
subject, in the 1st movement of the Levendia
Symphony. Masterfully elaborated towards breathtaking climaxes, these two
subjects at times change roles, the first becoming rhythmically more sinewy and
the second assuming a more lyrical character.
b) An Andantino piacevole in 7/8 rhythm, on a
«C sharp minor» mode and in ternary (A-B-A´) form. A starts with two easy-glowing melodies (piano-right hand, violin)
in counterpoint over sustained piano (left hand) chords. Each one of these
melodies seems to claim thematic prominence over the other. In the last A´ section of the movement they reappear in inverted form, i.e. the piano
(right-hand) melody is taken up by the violin and vice versa. In the middle B section however the two main thematic
elements of the first movement are heard once again, somewhat modified
rhythmically and melodically, though first the secondary rhythmical subject,
then the main, lyrical one.
c) Vivo, in
2/4 rhythm, on the “G minor” mode again. Here the thematic elements of the
first movement reappear in a manner resembling the role of “couplets”, to the
rhythmically vivid main subject of the movement, a rondo. Once again they are
rhythmically and melodically somewhat modified to suit the tonal and rhythmical
conditions of this movement, the rhythmical tension of which is somewhat
tempered by a lyrical melody in “B flat minor” mode, vaguely reminiscent of the
initial violin melody in the 2nd movement.
Despite the
rich flow of melody in this work, Kalomiris proves to be exceptionally able in
achieving delicate contrasts of densities and tone – colours between the two
instruments, at times obtaining transparence in his writing which serves to
alleviate pathos as well as to enhance the purely musical emotion. (The work,
dedicated to pianist Aliki and her violinist husband Georgios Lycoudis, who
provided for the bowing and fingering of the violin part, was published by the
composer, Athens, 1950).
George
Leotsakos