Dimitris Dragatakis (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: Δημήτρης Δραγατάκης; 22 January 1914 – 18 December 2001) was a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
of
classical music
Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
and Greek art music.
He was born in
Platanoussa
Platanoussa ( el, Πλατανούσσα, before 1927: Ραψίστα - ''Rapsista'') is a village and a community in the municipal unit of Katsanochoria, Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. The community consists of the villages Platanoussa, ...
,
Epirus
sq, Epiri rup, Epiru
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Historical region
, image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...
in 1914 and studied the
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
from 1930 to 1939 at the
Greek National Conservatory in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
. Later on, he switched to the viola and from 1949 started composition lessons with Leonidas Zoras and
Manolis Kalomiris
Manolis Kalomiris ( el, Μανώλης Καλομοίρης; December 14, 1883, Smyrna – April 3, 1962, Athens) was a Greek classical composer. He was the founder of the Greek National School of Music.
Biography
Born in Smyrna, he attended sch ...
, receiving his diploma in 1955.
He is considered one of
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
's most important modern composers, with a personal musical idiom that is both mature and laconic. Influenced by the
musical traditions of Greece (in particular
the ones of his native Epirus) and ancient
Greek drama
Ancient Greek theatre was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period, was its centre, where the theatre was ...
, his music also came to reflect his interest in new techniques such as free atonality, novel instrumental combinations,
post-modernism
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or Rhetorical modes, mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by philosophical skepticism, skepticis ...
,
minimalism
In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...
and
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
.
He won a number of major prizes, including the Maria Callas award from the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation in 1997 and the prestigious J. A. Papaioannou award from the Athens Academy in 1999.
He taught violin and later on theory at the
Greek National Conservatory for twenty years, until he was appointed vice president of the conservatory in 1997.
He played for twenty years in the
Greek National Opera
The Greek National Opera ( el, Εθνική Λυρική Σκηνή, ''Ethniki Lyriki Skini'') is the country's state lyric opera company, located in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center at the south suburb of Athens, Kallithea. It is a ...
as a
violist
; german: Bratsche
, alt=Viola shown from the front and the side
, image=Bratsche.jpg
, caption=
, background=string
, hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71
, hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow
, range=
, related=
*Violin family ...
and later served on the board of the
Athens State Orchestra
The Athens State Orchestra () is a Greek symphony orchestra based in Athens, which is consistently ranked in the top handful of orchestras of the country.
Principal conductors
* Filoktitis Εkonomidis (1942–1957)
* Theodoros Vavagiannis ( ...
. He was vice president and honorary president of the
Greek Composers Union.
He died in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
aged 87.
List of works
Chamber music for mixed ensembles
* ''Afieroma (Dedication)'', variation on a theme by Manolis Kalomiris (1963)
* ''Diaphores (Difference''s) (1965)
* ''Mousiki gia treis (Music for three)'' (1969)
* ''Anadromes I (Retrospections I)'' (1976)
* ''Anadromes III (Retrospections III)'' (1978)
* ''Praktiko 19 (Practical 19)'' (1979)
* ''Trio'' (1986)
* ''Chorikou Scholion (Chorics commentary)'' (1993)
* ''Ar-Tho-Ta (Ar-Tho-Ta)'' (1996)
* ''Quartet No. 6'' for violin, oboe, viola, and cello (1999)
Chamber music for strings
* ''Nanourisma (Berceuse)'' (Indeterminate, estimated 1942-49)
* ''Choros (Dance)'' for Violin and Piano (Indeterminate, estimated 1949-57)
* ''Anamnisi (Remembrance)'' for Violin and Piano (1942)
* ''String Quartet No. 1'' (1957)
* ''Sonata No. 1'' for Violin and Piano (1958)
* ''String Quartet No. 2'' (1958)
* ''Trio'' for two Violins and Viola (1960)
* ''String Quartet No. 3'' (1960)
* ''Sonata No. 2'' for Violin and Piano (1961)
* ''Suite for double string quartet'' (1961)
* ''Trio'' for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1965)
* ''Diafores (Differences)'' for Violin and Piano (1965)
* ''String Quartet No. 4'' (1967)
* ''Liz-Va (Liz-Va)'' for two Guitars (1969)
* ''Duo'' for Violin and Piano (1971)
* ''String Quartet No. 5'' (1974)
* ''Duo'' for Viola and Piano (1982)
* ''Duo'' for Violin and Guitar (1984)
* ''Sonata'' for Cello and Piano (1985)
* ''String Quartet No. 7'' (2001)
Chamber music for winds and brass
* ''Trio'' for Oboe, Clarinet in Bb, Bassoon (1962)
* ''Trio'' for Trumpet, Horn, Trombone (1962)
* ''Woodwind Quintet'' (1964)
* ''Epilogos (Epilogue)'' for Two trumpets, Horn, Trombone, Tuba (1970)
* ''(Music for brass)'' for Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Tuba (1971)
* ''Dialogoi (Dialogues)'' for two wind quartets (1974)
* ''Duo'' for Tuba and Clarinet in Bb (1977)
* ''Duo'' for Clarinet in Bb and Piano (1981)
* ''En Samo (In Samos)'' for Flute and Piano (1998)
* ''Nanourisma (Berceuse)'' for Alto Saxophone and Piano (2001)
Choral works
* ''Erot’ anikite (Love invincible)'', Sophocles, Antigone, third stasimon (Indeterminate, estimated 1969)
* ''O choros (The chorus)'', Euripides, The Heracleidae, fourth stasimon (Indeterminate, estimated 1970)
* ''Taxidi (Journey)'', G.Kotzioulas (1980)
* ''Thalassino (Marine)'', D. Dragatakis (1980)
* ''I treli rodia (The crazy pomegranate tree)'', Od. Elytis (1981)
* ''Mana (Mother)'', V. Theodorou (1982)
* ''I lismonia (Forgetfulness)'', I. Dragataki (1986)
* ''T’ oneiro (The dream)'', Chr. Apostolatou (1986)
* ''Efchi tis manas (The mother’s wish)'', Iro Dragataki (1986)
* ''T’ oneiro tis manas (The mother’s dream)'', D. Dragatakis (1994)
* ''Ton vrachon touton (This rock)'', D. Kourouklis (1997)
* ''Agnoristi (Unrecognizable)'', D. Solomos (1997)
* ''To aeri (The breeze)'', Μ. Avlichos (1997)
Concertos
* ''Concerto for Viola and Piano'' (Indeterminate, estimated 1949-57)
* ''Concertino for Clarinet and strings'' (1962)
* ''Concertino for Horn and instrumental ensemble'' (1965)
* ''Concerto for Violin and orchestra'' (1969)
* ''Adagio'' for Viola, string orchestra, and piano (1969)
* ''Concerto for Cello and orchestra'' (1972)
* ''Concerto for Oboe and strings'' (1973)
* ''Concerto for Piano and orchestra'' (1975–77)
* ''Concerto for Two Guitars and orchestra'' (1978)
* ''Concerto for Tuba and orchestra'' (1983)
* ''Concertino for Sandouri and orchestra'' (1988)
* ''Concerto for Viola and orchestra'' (1992)
* ''Concerto for Alto Saxophone and orchestra'' (1997)
* ''Nanourisma (Berceuse)'' for Alto Saxophone and strings (2001)
Dance/ballet works
* ''Ballet Suite No. 1'' (1963)
* ''Ballet Suite No. 2'', Odysseas kai Nafsika (Ulysses and Nausicaa) (1964)
* ''Ballet Suite No. 3'', Tou Koutrouli o gamos (The marriage of Koutroulis) (1964)
* ''Ballet Suite No. 4'', Pinelopi i Anamoni (Penelope or awaiting) (1969)
* ''Ballet Suite No. 5'', O choros tis Nafsikas (Nausicaa’s dance) (1970)
Electronic
* ''Mythologias Ι (Mythology’s I)'' (1970)
* ''Mythologias II (Mythology’s II)'' (1970)
* ''Zalouch (Zalouch)'', T. Tolia (1971)
Orchestral works
* ''Treis Melodies (Three melodies)'' (Indeterminate, estimated 1949-57)
* ''Lyrika Skitsa (Lyric sketches)'' (1958)
* ''Dokimio (Essay)'' (1958)
* ''Symphony No. 1'' (1959)
* ''Symphony No. 2'' (1960)
* ''Symphony No. 3, Mikri (Little)'' (1964)
* ''Symphony No. 4'' (1966)
* ''Tessera Skitsa (Four sketches)'' (1966–68)
* ''Strophes (Turns)'' (1970–72)
* ''Dromena (Actions)'' (1974)
* ''Symphony No. 5, O peri ton Acheronta mythos (The myth about Acheron)'' (1979–80)
* ''Mnimes (Memories)'' (1981–82)
* ''Symphony No. 6, ''(The duty)'' (1989)
* ''Spondes ston 21o aiona (Libations to the 21st century)'' (1998)
* ''Antirropa (Counterbalances)'', Three Preludes for Orchestra (1998)
Solo works
* ''Petalouda (Papillon)'' for Piano (Indeterminate, estimated before 1940)
* ''Nostalgia (Nostalgia)'' for Piano (Indeterminate, estimated 1940)
* ''Mikri Balanta (Petite Ballade)'' for Piano (1949)
* ''Sonatina No. 1'' for Piano (1961)
* ''Sonatina No. 2'' for Piano (1963)
* ''Antikes (Antiques)'' for Piano (1972)
* ''Treis Omilies (Three speeches)'' for Flute (1973)
* ''Elegeio (Elegy)'' for Tuba (1974)
* ''Anadromes II (Retrospections II)'' for Piano (1977)
* ''Spoudi I (Etude I)'' for Piano (1981)
* ''Spoudi II (Etude II)'' for Piano (1981)
* ''Anadromes IV (Retrospections IV)'' for two pianos (two players, four hands) (1983)
* ''Antilogoi (Refute)'' for two pianos (four players, eight hands) (1988)
* ''Inelia (Inelia)'' for Piano (1997)
* ''Monologos ar. 2 (Monologue no .2)'' for Cello (2000)
* ''Monologos ar. 4 (Monologue no. 4)'' for Piano (2001)
* ''Monologos ar. 3 (Monologue no. 3)'' for Violin (2001)
* ''Kithara (Guitar)'' (2001)
Soundtrack recording and music for special occasions
* ''(Fanfare for the entry of the Olympic light into the stadium)'' (1969)
* ''Ymnos gia to Olympiako Fos (Anthem for the Olympic light)'', S. Sperantzas (1969)
* ''Ichos kai Fos (Sound and light)'', Jean Baelen (1972)
* ''Koutouki (Koutouki)'' (1972)
Theatre
* ''Mideia (Medea)'', Euripides (1968)
* ''I epistrofi tou Odyssea (The Return of Ulysses)'', D. Siatopoulos (1968)
* ''Antigoni (Antigone)'', Sophocles (1969)
* ''Agamemnon (Agamemnon)'', T.Roussos (1969)
* ''Irakleidai (The Heracleidae)'', Euripides (1970)
* ''Ifigeneia en Tavrois (Iphigenia in Tauris)'', Euripides (1971)
* ''Mavrolykoi (Black-wolves)'', Μ. Skouloudis (1971)
* ''Ilektra (Electra)'', Sophocles (1973)
* ''Electra'', G. Arkas (1973)
Vocal works
* ''O tseligkas (The chief shepherd)'', K. Krystallis (Indeterminate, estimated 1942-49)
* ''Tachtarisma (Dandling song)''
n traditional verses(Indeterminate, estimated 1942-49)
* ''Tragoudi (Song)'', M. Veloudis (Indeterminate, estimated 1957-58)
* ''Ta prot’asteria (The first stars)'', F. Angoules (1961)
* ''Tsakizo tis lianes elies (Cracking the thin olives)'', V. Theodorou (1961)
* ''Poulia ein’ ta chronia (Years are like birds)'', F. Angoules (1961)
* ''I balanta tis Gkouentolin (Gwendolin’s ballad)'', J. Anouilh, Becket (1968)
* ''Anafora stin Ilektra (Reference to Electra)'', Τ. Roussos (1968)
* ''Ochi ta roda (Not the roses)'', G. Drosinis (1971)
* ''(I don’t want the ivy’s
eceiving height'', G. Drosinis (1971)
* ''Me poia lachtara (With which longing)'', G. Drosinis (1971)
* ''Na se prosmeno (To await for you)'', G. Drosinis (1971)
* ''Echei apops’ ena fengari (There’s a moon tonight)'', K. Kontoulēs (1979)
* ''Monologos ar. 1 (Monologue no.1)'', D. Dragatakis (1979)
* ''Nanourisma (Lullaby)'', D. Dragatakis (1980)
* ''Dyo peristeria perasan (Two doves passed by)'', D. Dragatakis (1980)
* ''Vithleem (Bethlehem)'', D. Dragatakis (1980)
* ''I treli rodia (The crazy pomegranate tree)'', Od. Elytis (1981)
* ''Mana (Mother)'', V. Theodorou (1981)
* ''Isoun mikri (You were
young
irl
IRL may refer to:
Places
* Republic of Ireland (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code)
* Irlam railway station (National Rail station code IRL), England
Organizations
* International Rugby League, the governing body for the sport of rugby league
* I ...
'', V. Theodorou (1982)
* ''Piano nero (Holding water)'', V. Theodorou (1982)
* ''T’ Aprili to fengari (April’s moon)'', V. Theodorou (1982)
* ''Mythologias III (Mythology’s III)'', Euripides (1985)
* ''Odi XIII: Ta ifaisteia (Ode XIII: the volcanoes)'', Α. Kalvos (1992)
* ''Antitheseis: Katerina (Contrasts: Katherine)'', D. Dragatakis (1995)
* ''Mideias apoichoi (Medea’s reverberations)'', Euripides (1995)
* ''Enypnio (While Asleep)'', D. Dragatakis (2000)
Miscellaneous
* ''Preloudio kai Fougka (Prelude and fugue)'' (Indeterminate, estimated 1952-55)
* ''Fougka Exetaseon (Examination fugue)'', variation on a theme by Manolis Kalomiris (1955)
* ''Ymnos gia to Panepistimio Thessalonikis (Anthem for Thessaloniki’s University)'' (Indeterminate, estimated 1955)
* ''Anthem for the Olympic Light'' (1969)
* ''Ifigeneia en Avlidi (Iphigenia in Avlidi)'', Euripides (Indeterminate, estimated 1975)
* ''Anadromes V (Retrospections V)'' (1979-1999)
* ''Ornis Alkyon (Bird Alcyon)'', Euripides, Iphigenia in Tauris, second stasimon (Indeterminate, estimated 1998-2001)
* ''En Samo (In Samos)'' (2005)
Incomplete
* ''Symphony No. 7'' (Indeterminate, estimated 1992-2001)
* ''Itan mia fora (There was once)'', V. Goula (Indeterminate, estimated 2000-2001)
Discography
*Dimitris Dragatakis: The String Quartets (Irida Classical: IRIDA 022)
*Dragatakis: Piano Works (complete) (Naxos 8.570789)
*Dimitris Dragatakis: Chamber Music I (Irida Classical: IRIDA 001)
*Ballades for saxophone and orchestra (along with works by Tomasi, Ravel, Piazzola and Iturralde) (Naxos 8.557454
)
External links
Dimitris Dragatakis Archive Official Website*
"Dimitris Dragatakis" Music Grove Online article
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragatakis, Dimitris
1914 births
2001 deaths
20th-century classical composers
Greek classical composers
Greek classical violinists
Greek classical violists
Male classical composers
20th-century classical violinists
20th-century male musicians
Epirus
People from Ioannina (regional unit)
Male classical violinists
20th-century Greek musicians
21st-century Greek musicians
20th-century violists
21st-century violists