Yiannis Papaioannou
Encyclopedia
Yiannis Papaioannou (6 January 1910 in Kavala
– 19 May 1989 in Athens
) was a Greek
composer and teacher of the Modern Era. He studied piano with Marika Laspopoulou and composition with Alekos Kontis at the Hellenic Conservatory
in Athens
(1922–34), as well as the piano and orchestration with Emilios Riadis
in Thessaloniki
(1928–9). In 1949, he visited the major European music centres on a UNESCO
grant and he became familiar with new compositional developments. In particular, in Paris he attended Arthur Honegger
's class. Between 1951 and 1961 he taught music at an Athens high-School and from 1953 he was professor of counterpoint
and composition at the Hellenic Conservatory
. He was the first president of both the Greek section of the ISCM (1964–75) and the Hellenic Association for Contemporary Music (1965–75).
Papaioannou was the first musician to systematically teach atonal, 12-note and serial techniques before 1970. His students include Michalis Adamis, Theodore Antoniou
, Georges Aperghis
, Argyris Kounadis and Dimitri Terzakis
. His compositional career falls into five main phases: Early Impressionist (1932–8), National School (1939–43), Hindemithian neo-classicism combined with elements from Byzantine music (1944–1952), 12-note period (1953–1966) and the last period (1966–1989) in which he developed an entirely personal technique.
Nocturno, 1935; Burlesca, 1936; I parlata tou Arlekinou (La parlata d’Arlecchino) [the Harlequin's Speech], tuba, 1971; Halkografia [Engraving], hn, pf, 1977; Dioyssiakon [Dionysiac], db, 1978; Erotiki exomologhissi tou Minotavrou [Love Confession of the Minotaur], tuba, pf, 1978; Aétoma, 1987; Caryatid, 1987; Sonata, 1988 etc.
Kavala
Kavala , is the second largest city in northern Greece, the principal seaport of eastern Macedonia and the capital of Kavala peripheral unit. It is situated on the Bay of Kavala, across from the island of Thasos...
– 19 May 1989 in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
) was a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
composer and teacher of the Modern Era. He studied piano with Marika Laspopoulou and composition with Alekos Kontis at the Hellenic Conservatory
Hellenic Conservatory
The Hellenic Conservatory was founded in Athens in 1919 by the composer Manolis Kalomiris. Kalomoiris was the conservatoire's director until 1926, when he left to found the National Conservatoire. The conservatoire early on opened a number of branches throughout Athens, in a number of cities in...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
(1922–34), as well as the piano and orchestration with Emilios Riadis
Emilios Riadis
Emilios Riadis was a Greek composer. He was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. He had his first music lesson in harmony and piano with a friend of Wagner’s, Dimitrios Lalas. He also studied at the Munich Academy from 1908-1910...
in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
(1928–9). In 1949, he visited the major European music centres on a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
grant and he became familiar with new compositional developments. In particular, in Paris he attended Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which is interpreted as imitating the sound of a steam locomotive.-Biography:Born...
's class. Between 1951 and 1961 he taught music at an Athens high-School and from 1953 he was professor of counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
and composition at the Hellenic Conservatory
Hellenic Conservatory
The Hellenic Conservatory was founded in Athens in 1919 by the composer Manolis Kalomiris. Kalomoiris was the conservatoire's director until 1926, when he left to found the National Conservatoire. The conservatoire early on opened a number of branches throughout Athens, in a number of cities in...
. He was the first president of both the Greek section of the ISCM (1964–75) and the Hellenic Association for Contemporary Music (1965–75).
Papaioannou was the first musician to systematically teach atonal, 12-note and serial techniques before 1970. His students include Michalis Adamis, Theodore Antoniou
Theodore Antoniou
Theodore Antoniou , is a Greek composer and conductor. His works vary from operas and choral works to chamber music, from film and theatre music to solo instrumental works. In addition to his career as composer and conductor, he also holds the position of professor of composition at Boston University...
, Georges Aperghis
Georges Aperghis
Georges Aperghis is a Greek composer working primarily in the field of experimental music theater but has also composed a large amount of non-programmatic chamber music...
, Argyris Kounadis and Dimitri Terzakis
Dimitri Terzakis
Dimitri Terzakis is a Greek composer. His father was the author Angelos Terzakis.From 1959–1964 Terzakis studied composition with Yannis Papaioannou at the Athens Hellenic Conservatory, followed by five years spent at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne, Germany where he studied composition with...
. His compositional career falls into five main phases: Early Impressionist (1932–8), National School (1939–43), Hindemithian neo-classicism combined with elements from Byzantine music (1944–1952), 12-note period (1953–1966) and the last period (1966–1989) in which he developed an entirely personal technique.
Works
- Stage: Agnos (dramatic idyll, 1937); Sklavas lytrossi [Liberation of a Slave Woman] (choreographic tableau, 1945); Pirates (ballet, 1952); Himoniatiki fantasia [Winter Fantasy] (ballet, 1951); Antigone (ballet, 1965) etc.
- Orchestral: 5 Symphonies.: 1946, 1947, 1953, 1963, 1964; Idhyllio [Idyll], 1938; O koursaros [The Corsair], 1939; Choreographic Prelude, 1940; 3 Piano Concertos, 1940, 1952, 1989; Poiema tou dhasous [Forest Poem], 1942; Vasilis ArvanitisVasilis ArvanitisVasilis Arvanitis is a novella by the Greek writer Stratis Myrivilis set on the island of Lesbos in the first decade of the Twentieth Century.- Publication history :...
, 1945; Triptych, str, 1947; Orthros ton psychon [Matin of Souls], 1947; Pygmalion, 1950; Hellas (P.B. Shelley), nar, orch, 1956; Images d’Asie, suite, 1961; India, suite, 1961; Meteorissi [Suspended in the Air], vc, orch, 1979 etc.
- Vocal: Dafnis ke Chloi (G. Drossinis), chorus, orch/pf, 1933; I kidheia tou Sarpidhonos [The Funeral of Sarpedon] (cant., C. Cavafy), 1966; O fotofraktis [The Aperture] (A. Embeirikos: Octana), 1982; Encomium (Kotsiras), 1984–5; I logosteméni psychi [The Exhausted Soul] (O. Votsi), 1986; 2 Songs (G. Byron), 1989 etc.
- Chamber and Solo instrumental
Nocturno, 1935; Burlesca, 1936; I parlata tou Arlekinou (La parlata d’Arlecchino) [the Harlequin's Speech], tuba, 1971; Halkografia [Engraving], hn, pf, 1977; Dioyssiakon [Dionysiac], db, 1978; Erotiki exomologhissi tou Minotavrou [Love Confession of the Minotaur], tuba, pf, 1978; Aétoma, 1987; Caryatid, 1987; Sonata, 1988 etc.
Sources
- The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
- B. Schiffer: ‘Neue griechische Musik’, Orbis musicae, i (1971–2), 193–201, esp. 198–9
- G. Leotsakos: ‘Papaïoannou, Yannis Andréou’, Universal biographical dictionary, viii (Athens, 1988), 141–2
- A.S. Theodoropoulou: ‘Contemporary Greek composers: 7. Yannis Papaioannou’, British-Greek Review, iii (1947), 213–4