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Mikis Theodorakis (Μίκης Θεοδωράκης) (born July 29, 1925) is a Greek music composer and leftist politician supporting the leftist Synaspismos party. He was born on the island of Chios in Greece. His father came from Crete and his mother from Asia Minor. He received several offers to serve as the President of Greece, but he refused because of his old age.
I.
Fascinated by music already as a child, he taught himself to write his first songs without access to musical instruments. In Pyrgos and Patras he took his first music lessons, and in Tripolis , he formed a choir and gave his first concert at 17.
After having been active in the resistance against the occupation troops and terribly tortured during World War II and later on, during the Greek Civil War, he studied at the Athens Conservatory in the class of Philoktitis Economidis and at the Conservatoire of Paris, where he studied musical analysis in the class of Olivier Messiaen and conducting under Eugene Bigot. The time in Paris was for him a period of intense artistic creation.
His first symphonic works, ConcertoOrigin Etymology Concerto (from the latin concertus from certare to strive, also confused with concentus , in its most general sense, is a name for a piece of classical music in which there are two distinct groups of instruments, one larger than the other for PianoPiano is a common abbreviation for pianoforte a large musical instrument with a keyboard (see keyboard instrument). Its sound is produced by strings stretched on a rigid frame. These vibrate when struck by felt-covered hammers, which are activated by the, First SuiteIn music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting. In the Baroque era, the pieces are all in the same key, and generally modelled after dance music. In the eighteenth century suites were also, First SymphonyA symphony is an extended piece of music for orchestra, especially one in the form of a sonata. The word "symphony" The word symphony is derived from the Greek syn (together) and phone (sounding), by way of the latin symphonia''. The term was used by the, were internationally acclaimed. In 1957 he won the Gold Medal in the MoscowMoscow ( Russian: Moskva capital of Russia, located on the river Moskva, and encompassing 878. The city's population is rapidly increasing, with 11. 2 million inhabitants counted in 2004. The city is in the federal district called Central Russia (which is Music Festival; in 1959, Darius MilhaudDarius Milhaud ( September 4, 1892 June 22, 1974) was a French- Jewish composer and teacher. He was a member of Les Six and one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. Milhaud was born in Aix-en-Provence and studied in Paris under Charles Wido proposed him for the American Copley-Music Prize as the Best European Composer of the Year after the performances of his balletBallet is the name given to a specfic dance form and technique. Dance works choreographed using this techique are called ballets and may include; dance, mime, acting and music ( orchestral and sung). Ballets can be performed alone or as part of an opera. " Antigone129 Antigone is an asteroid. There were two women in Greek mythology named Antigone ("like her ancestors"). Both are described below. The best-known Antigone in Greek mythology was the daughter of Oedipus. When Oedipus stepped down as King of Thebes, he g" at Covent Garden.
His most important works up to 1960:
1. Chamber Music: Trio for piano, violin, violoncello; Sonatine for Piano; Sonatines No.1 et 2 for violin and piano; 2. Symphonic Music: "The Feast of Assi-Gonia" (symphonic); Symphony No.1 ("Proti Simfonia"); Suites No.1, 2 and 3 for Orchestra; "Life and Death" (for voice and strings); "Oedipus Tyrannos" (for strings), Concerto for Piano 3. Ballet Music: "Greek Carnival"; "Les Amants de Téruel" (The Lovers from Teruel); "Antigone"II.
Theodorakis went back to Greece and to his roots, to genuine Greek music, and with his song cycle "Epitaphios", he started a cultural revolution in his country. With his marvellous works based on the greatest Greek and world poetry: "Epiphania", "Little Kyklades", "Axion Esti", "Mauthausen", "Romiossini", "Romancero Gitan"… he gave Greek music back its dignity and, while developing his concept of metasymphonic music, he was soon recognized internationally as a musician of genius, and, indeed, Mikis Theodorakis is undoubtedly Greece's greatest living composer.
He founded the Little Orchestra of Athens and the Musical Society of Piraeus and gave many concerts, while in 1963, he founded the Lambrakis Democratic Youth and was elected its president. In 1964, he became a member of the Greek Parliament.
Main works of this period:
1. Song Cycles: "Archipelagos", "Politia A & B", "Epiphania" (Yorgos Seferis, Nobel Prize 1963), "Mauthausen" (Yakovos Kabanellis), "Romiossini" (Yannis Ritsos). 2. Music for the Stage: "The Hostage" (Brendan Behan); "Ballad of the Dead Brother" (Theodorakis); "Maghiki Poli"; "I Gitonia ton Angelon" (The Angels' Quarter, Kabanellis). 3. Film scores: " Zorba the Greek" (Michalis Cacoyannis) 4. Oratorio: "Axion Esti" (Odysseas Elytis, Nobel Prize 1979).III.
In 1967, a fascist Junta putsched its way to power. Theodorakis went underground and founded the Patriotic Front. The Colonels published Army decree No.13, which banned playing, and even listening to his music. Theodorakis himself was arrested, jailed, banished to Zatouna with his wife Myrto and their two children Margarita and Yorgos. Later he was interned in the concentration camp of Oropos. An international solidarity movement, headed by such figures as Dmitri Shostakovitch, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Miller and Harry Belafonte managed to get Theodorakis freed and his sentence converted to exile in 1970.
Main works under the dictatorship:
1. Song Cycles: "O Ilios ke o Chronos" (Sunb and Time, Theodorakis); "Ta Laïka"; Arcadies I-X; Songs for Andreas (Theodorakis); "Nichta Thanatou" (Nights of Death, M. Elefteriou). 2. Oratorios: "Ephiphania Averoff" (Seferis), "State of Siege" (Marina=Rena Hadjidakis), "March of the Spirit" (Angelos Sikelianos), "Raven" (Seferis, d'après E.A.Poe ). 3. Film score: " Z" (Costa Gavras).IV.
In exile, Theodorakis fought for the overthrow of the colonels and the unity of resistance forces. World-wide, he gave some thousand concerts as part of his struggle for the restoration of democracy in Greece. He became an universal symbol of resistance against dictatorship.
Main works written in exile:
1. Song Cycles: "Lianotragouda" (18 Songs for the Bitter Fatherland, Yannis Ritsos); "Ballades" (M. Anagnostakis). 2. Oratorio: "Canto General" ( Pablo Neruda). 3. Film scores: "The Trojan Women" (M. Cacoyannis); "State of Siege" (Costa-Gavras) "Serpico" (S. Lumet).V.
After the fall of the Colonels, Theodorakis triumphantly returned to Greece, continued his work and his concert tours both in Greece and abroad. At the same time he participated in public affairs. He was later elected several times to the Greek Parliament ( 1981- 1986 and 1989- 1993) and for two years, from 1990 to 1992, he was Minister in the Government of Konstantin Mitsotakis. After that, he was appointed for another two years General Musical Director of the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Hellenic Radio and Television.
Mikis Theodorakis has always combined an exceptional artistic talent with an intensely deep love of his country. He is also committed to heightening international awareness of human rights, of environmental issues and of the need for peace. It was for this reason that he initiated the Greek-Turkish Friendship Society together with the renowned Turkish musician and singer Zülfü Livaneli. Actually he publishes his most important writings about music, culture and politics and lived retired. But on important occasions he never hesistates to take position, like in 2003 against the Gulf War.
Main works after 1974:
1. Song Cycles: "Ta Lyrika", "Dionysos", "Phaedra", "Beatrice in Zero Street", "Mia Thalasssa" (A Sea full of Music), "Os archeos Anemos" (Like an Ancient Wind). 2. Music for the Stage: "Orestia" (dir.: Spyros Evangelatos); "Antigone" (dir.: M. Volanakis); "Midea" (dir.: Spyros Evangelatos). 3. Film scores: "Iphigenia" (M. Cacoyannis), "The Man with the Carnation" (N. Tzimas). 4. Oratorios: "Missa Greca", "Liturgia 2", "Requiem". 5. Symphonic Music and Cantatas: Symphonies No.2, 3, 4, 7, "According to the Sadducees", "Canto Olympico", Cello Concerto (1997). 6. Opéras: "Kostas Karyotakis", "Medea", "Elektra", "Antigone", "Lysistrati".