Joanne Kampiziones currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music in Piano at Coker College in Hartsville, SC. She holds a D.M.A. in Keyboard Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Miami and received a M.M. in Piano Pedagogy, B.M. in Music Education, and a B.A. in International Studies from the University of South Carolina. During her residency at the University of Miami, Kampiziones served on the faculty of the University's Piano Preparatory Program and taught applied and group piano as well as music technology courses. She has given recitals, master classes, and presented workshops on various topics including performance teaching strategies of twentieth-century Greek piano literature throughout the country, most recently at College Music Society regional conferences at San Francisco State University, Westminster Choir College, the University of Miami, and the upcoming 2008 national conference in Atlanta, Georgia. She is presently on the board of directors for the South Carolina State Music Teachers Association as the Senior Piano Competitions director and has served on the jury of numerous piano competitions and festivals.
Joanne Kampiziones
Department of Music
Coker College
Hartsville, SC 29550
843.383.8064
jkampiziones@coker.edu
Introducing twentieth-century folk repertoire to students is often a challenge for many piano teachers, particularly since several students resist the thought of playing non-tonal, dissonant harmonies and metrically complex rhythms. Teachers are often faced with the difficulty of finding new music abundant in pedagogical elements yet creative enough for students to retain interest. Significant volumes of piano pieces based on folk songs and dances have been written by Bartok and several others; however, few contain the distinct and imaginative characteristics of Greek folk music.
Despite its uniqueness, there is a lack of popularity for Greek folk music, mainly in part to Greece's tumultuous past prior to the twentieth century. As Greece recovered from the destruction of wars in the late nineteenth century, musical developments began to take place as a process of reformation.1 These developments resulted in unique repertoire abound with non-tonal melodies and primarily distinguished by extensive thematic development of Western European nineteenth-century compositional practices. The benefits of discovering Greek folk music are numerous, and far surpass the conventional introduction to twentieth century modality, rhythms, and textures. It is an additional resource for piano teachers as well as a rewarding experience for students exploring this genre. In order to better understand Greek folk music, this article begins with a brief overview of musical developments in Greece in the twentieth century.
Greek Folk Music
Greece and music have a long history dating from Antiquity, during which poetry, dancing, and music were all a part of the ancient Greek's everyday life. With the fall of ancient Greece, however, Greek music was dormant for nearly two thousand years, followed by four hundred years of slavery during the Ottoman Occupation. Several ideological and intellectual developments in Greece supported the construction of national music by the beginning of the twentieth century. These included the study of folk song, the emergence of folklore, and the gradual dispersion of national dances.2
The development of national music in Greece in the twentieth century was greatly influenced by Russia, Central Europe, and many surrounding countries who like Greece, incorporated folk music and dances into their compositions. For many countries in Europe and its peripheries, creating a national music was a way to contest against German absolute music. This rebellion led to composers creating national characteristics in music that were recognized as specific to each one's country. According to Willi Apel, editor of the Harvard Dictionary of Music, origins of music nationalism in the nineteenth century were characterized as "a reaction against supremacy of German music."3
There is a great difference, however, between Greek national composers and those from abroad. Greek composers did not reject the Western ideals of composition as Russia and other countries did. They were not interested in creating a reaction against the German absolutist ideals in music. Instead, Greek composers focused on fusing folk music with Western ideals of composition in order to rebuild the Greek identity that had been suppressed for so many years. This was Greece's attempt at a musical rebirth.
Greek folk music provided inspiration to composers throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century and defined the development of the Greek National School. By using original folk songs in their compositions, Greek composers gained access to a rich tradition of musical sources and stylistic elements not available elsewhere. A Greek national music with folk song as its foundation, but mainly expressed in the language of European art music, validated the Greek state and the attempted musical reformation.
Many of the Greek composers of the nineteenth and twentieth century were educated in Europe. The majority of national composers received their initial training in Greece, and then pursued advanced musical studies outside of Greece. Although Paris was the main choice for several of the older generation composers, many others moved to leading musical centers in Germany, Austria, England, and Russia.4 As a result of Greek composers studying abroad, many stylistic influences from the European tradition exist in their works. They used compositional techniques they learned while studying in Europe, but incorporated elements of folk song and programmatic aspects into their music to give their country a personal voice.
44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies, a little-known collection rarely played or taught in any country other than Greece, is a brilliant display of Greek folk songs and dances written by Greek composer, Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984). These piano pieces for mainly intermediate and advanced students, serve as a worthy introduction to non-functional harmony, complex rhythmic notation, and tonal control and balance, as well as practice in frequent dynamic, accent and tone color changes. Additionally, these miniatures allow piano teachers and students, often avoiding lengthy repertoire, to focus on greater musical issues rather than simply learning notes.
Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984)
Yannis Constantinidis was an important twentieth-century composer whose use of folk music was paramount to the development of didactic works for solo piano, as well as to the promotion of Greek national music. His compositions provide an original approach between traditional Greek music and art music. He is different from other composers of the Greek National School as he based nearly all of his works on folk songs and dances. His music is a unique combination of diatonic modality and twentieth century compositional techniques. The 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies (also known as Greek Miniatures for Piano) are constructed on the continual melodic variation of authentic Greek folk tunes and dances. Written during the period of 1949-1951, this three-volume collection is based on forty four pieces in progressive difficulty from all Greek territories and is the most indicative of Constantinidis' mature compositional style. He allowed for traditional melodies, rhythms, timbres, and forms to define the stylistic parameters of his music.
Constantinidis was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor (now Izmir, Turkey) in 1903. From an early age, Constantinidis surrounded himself by music of the profoundly multi-cultural areas of Asia Minor. Smyrna was a city largely inhabited by Greeks that contained more than forty theatres often staging Italian dramas, operas, and various chartered orchestras. Art music flourished during this time, as well as operettas and popular music in silent movies, and thus increased Constantinidis' interest in stage works, as well as served as an important influence for many of his future compositions.
Although Constantinidis grew up comfortably, he was raised during a significantly tumultuous time for Asia Minor Greeks. Many lives were greatly affected by the Greco-Turkish War (1919-22). In the spring of 1922, Constantinidis, managing to complete high school, left Smyrna for Germany. He resided in Berlin until 1930 studying theory and composition with Russian composer Paul Juon, piano with Karl Rossler, orchestral conducting with Karl Ehremberg and later with Kurt Weill, the most famous of his teachers. With Nazism on the rise, he eventually settled in Athens in 1931.
He successfully launched his career under the pseudonym Costa Yannidis, in order to not be confused with a famous operetta composer of that time, Grigoris Constantinidis. He was active in the Athenian musical theatre during its golden years writing over 50 operettas, revues, and musical comedies. The popularity of Costa Yannidis allowed Constantinidis the luxury to compose music according to what he wanted and felt there was a need for, as opposed to simply writing for commercial success. After thirty successful years in the field, he retired in 1962 to concentrate on composing and revising earlier works.5 He worked as a radio producer at the Information Network of the Greek Armed Forces, which became the second program of the Greek Radio and Television (E.R.T.) in 1974. He hosted the radio programs, "The Classical Music Hour," "Old Athens Lives Again," and "Symphonic Concerts."6 He died on January 17, 1984, in an Athens hospital from intestinal cancer.
Constantinidis composed approximately 200 compositions, ranging from stage works, song cycles, individual songs, choral works, numerous orchestral and chamber works to his significant contribution in piano repertoire. His piano works include: Sonatina (1927); 22 Songs and Dances form the Dodecanese (1943-1946); 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies (1950-51); First Sonatina (on folk melodies from the island of Crete) (1952); Second Sonatina (on folk melodies from Epirus) (1952); Third Sonatina (on folk melodies from the Dodecanese) (1953); 8 Dances from Greek Islands (1954) (arranged for two pianos in 1971); and 6 Studies in Greek Rhythms (1956-1958).
Even though Constantinidis is responsible for many contributions to Greek music, he has been greatly unrecognized by the state or its institutions. For the most part, the public disregarded his music after he retreated from composing popular music. Despite the lack of public popularity he received in the latter half of his life, Constantinidis' classical works remain important and were applauded in the 1950s and 60s by music critics, composers, and the concert-going public. These works continue to hold great value in Greek musical circles.7
Didactic Works for Piano Solo: 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies
Constantinidis chose well-known melodies from oral tradition, folk songs that were also national dances, as well as written transcriptions of folk music for 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies. He realized that many twentieth-century Greek composers ignored writing for piano and preferred writing for orchestra. He primarily wanted to give Greek children and conservatory students a composition that was based on traditional music, gradually increasing in technical difficulty.
44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies was one of his favourite works, and was quickly incorporated by Greek conservatories as an exceptional work with several pedagogical aspects in performance practice, as well as an ideal model for teaching Greek folk song. Its significance was likewise recognized abroad, being published by Broude Brothers in 1957 and titled Greek Miniatures.8
Constantinidis' Style and Approach to Folk Music
The piano was clearly Constantinidis' beloved instrument, and the works he composed for it are characterized by the effortlessness with which he translates the timbre of the outdoor folk instruments such as the violin or santouri into his compositions. At first, his works for piano solo may appear simple, but in reality, they are sufficiently complex. Attempting to preserve the strophic form of Greek folk music, Constantinidis' music is presented in smaller forms, such as songs, sonatinas, and suites. His compositions are also characterized by an absence of thematic development, due primarily because Constantinidis wanted to retain the true melody of the music. He rarely changed the original written transcription of each folk song or dance, making only minor changes in rhythm or slightly elaborating the melody, as a folk musician might do in a performance.
His innovative compositional technique is the use of continual melodic variation by means of different textures, articulations, and embellishments. He thus avoids the redundancy of a recurring motivic element, which is the tendency in Greek folk songs or dances. He manages to skilfully balance the repetition with variation, so that the original motive never loses its ability to be recognized. The collection itself is organized into three volumes. Many of the pieces appear individually, or sometimes grouped into two, three, or four pieces. The pieces that are grouped in two usually have a contrasting mood and character, while groups of three or more offer additional complexities. Pieces that are to be performed in groups have the word attacca (to begin what follows without pausing) at the end. Despite being titled Children's Pieces, Volume One would equate to a mid-level range of intermediate repertoire and conclude to a late-intermediate level of difficulty. Volume Two follows in a late intermediate or early advanced level, while Volume Three progresses to an advanced level of complexity.
Formal Structure
Formal structure in 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies is quite simple. Most of the pieces are binary in form, such as aabb. Often times the melodies are strophic, as they are continuously varied, resulting in aabb-a'a'b'b'. There are several instances, however, where melodies are presented as short fragmented sections, which are unified by a recurring motivic element. These melodic fragments seem to lack the strong sense of direction that a binary-formed melody possesses, due to the fact that they revolve around one note. Initially, it appears that these fragments add to a discontinuity throughout the piece, but on the contrary, their cyclical character is better reinforced by the unifying motivic element. The result is an improvisatory-sounding folk song, much like what an original folk song would sound like if played by various folk instruments. Constantinidis incorporates elisions, stretti, contractions, prolongations, and antiphonal style writing, as a means of diversifying the various phrases, while maintaining the formal clarity these melodies possess.9
Harmonic Structure
Constantinidis' approach to harmonization is based on a completely different artistic orientation than that of other Greek nationalist composers. Rather than limiting himself to the melodic material of the Greek folk tunes, he relies on the varied repetition of the melodic idea, whose tonal tendencies are irrelevant to the form. Harmonization therefore acts as another means of continual variation, on a monophonic melody. This concept corresponds to the way a folk musician would improvise on a melodic idea, but rather than melodically develop the musical form, Constantinidis does so harmonically. At all times, the original folk song or dance retains both its pitch-interval structure and form.
These pieces are modal, and Constantinidis does not include key signatures in the scores. His harmonic elaboration of folk melodies is rooted in the Greek modal system. The modal system of Greek folk music consists mainly of heptatonic modes, similar but not identical to the Byzantine modes. The heptatonic modes are diatonic (containing major or minor seconds) or chromatic (containing augmented seconds), consisting of conjunct or disjunct tetrachords and pentachords.10 Other harmonic characteristics include the frequent use of parallel sonorities that often occur as a result of chords formed by adding notes above or below the original melody (harmonic planing), the use of poly-chords and bi-modality, and the incorporation of persistent pedal tones that emphasize temporary or permanent modal centers.
Greek musicologist, Lambros Liavas, stated that Constantinidis' harmonic elaboration may be considered "the most important secret of his art."11 His greatest harmonic influence came from Russian and Hungarian nationalists and French Impressionist composers. For example, Constantinidis incorporates various seventh chords and augmented sixth chords as seen in the music of Mussorgsky, Kodály and Bartok, as well as Debussy and Ravel. Moreover, his frequent use of pentatonic and whole-tone scales, as well as planing is also encountered in Debussy and Ravel's music.12
Rhythmic Intricacies
Constantinidis fully encompasses the metric and rhythmic intricacies found in Greek folk music. He remains not only close to the original folk song's melody, but also maintains the same rhythms for each song and dance used. In each piece, he skillfully repeats and varies by several means, all the while maintaining a steady tempo.
Several of the pieces contain the metric diversity of Greek folk dances including the asymmetrical meters 5/8, 7/8, and 5/4. These asymmetrical meters are included as early as the seventh piece in the first volume. Constantinidis also achieves rhythmic irregularity by the use of mixed meter and displaced accents, shifting the accent to relatively weak beats.
Frequently encountered rhythmic devices include hemiolas (a 3:2 ratio interaction between rhythm and meter) and cross-rhythms, which occurs when two or more contrasting rhythmic lines are presented at the same time. These cross-rhythms create a defined sense of rhythmic instability, and often times a syncopated harmonic tempo. Cross-rhythms usually occur between the left and right hand, each hand seeming to have an individual rhythm. For example, the right hand part may retain a 3/4 meter set at the very beginning of the piece, while left hand part establishes what may seem as a 6/8 meter.
Textural Creativity and Expression
The sufficient amount of melodic embellishment contained in 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies highlights Constantinidis' creativity. Embellishments range from a simple grace-note or appoggiatura within a melodic line to three and five-note embellishments. Constantinidis naturally transforms the timbre of outdoor folk instruments into his piano music. Throughout the collection, the metallic, penetrating tones of what would be the folk singer of an original folk song, are replaced by folk instruments such as the gaida (bagpipe), the klarino (clarinet), and the lyra (fiddle). The laouto (lute), plucked with a quill plectrum, and the santouri, a type of dulcimer with cotton-covered hammers, would provide the accompaniment, with the beat often being marked by a daouli, a large double-headed drum.
Throughout several pieces in the collection, the melismatic melodic lines are embellished with grace notes containing modal tendencies, much in the manner of a skilled clarinet folk player. Constantinidis employs several ornaments, including mordents, trills, broken chords and appoggiaturas to effectively attain timbre imitation as well as vary the repetitive material. Ever-present are intricate embellishments that continue to become more elaborate within melodies that must easily project over heavy textures and busy accompaniment patterns.
Constantinidis provides interpretive challenges that require a considerable degree of sophistication in certain areas. The texture of each piece may appear to be somewhat of an obstacle, although students may enjoy this aspect the most. Students can use their imaginations to imitate folk instrument sounds and overcome the challenge of voicing the melodic line through the thick accompaniment textures. Many times the notes are the simple part, but the articulation becomes the challenge. Hand-over-hand action is a recurrent pattern, making hand coordination vital for the execution of these pieces. Less common expressive markings are ample as Constantinidis specifies suggestions such as scintillante (sparkling), sonoro (resoundingly), cantando (singing), afflito (melancholy), and many others. He also includes detailed fingerings and specific pedal markings throughout all three volumes.
The Benefits of Exploring Greek Folk Music and Piano Pieces
The vast multitude of available teaching and performance literature for piano is undoubtedly shaped by traditional pieces that generations of teachers have learned and taught. While much of the standard literature based on twentieth century folk music greatly facilitates musical and technical advancement, the harmonic, rhythmic, textural and expressive intricacies contained in Greek folk music, particularly in 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies, are well worth exploring for didactic and performance purposes.
The pedagogical merits contained in Constantinidis' 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies are unlike those of any other collection of intermediate and advanced solo piano repertoire. Students are introduced to non-functional harmony, which is something not often found in the standard repertoire of today's piano teaching literature. These pieces also serve as an exceptional introduction to compositional and performance practices of the twentieth century. The less common rhythmic intricacies and unconventional metric organization found in these folk songs offers a unique conditioning to rhythmic fluency. With this level of complexity, students are able to acquire a high level of rhythmic facility and precision. Additionally, the refined levels of musical and technical elements, as well as Constantinidis' significant perspective to textural imitation and musical expression, offer a credible quality to each piece.
Notes
1. Margaret Alexiou, "Modern Greek Studies in the West: Between the Classics and the Orient," Journal of Modern Greek Studies 4 (1986), 5.
2. Bliss Sheryl Little, "Folk Song and the Construction of Greek National Music: Writings and Compositions of Georgios Lambelet, Manolis Kalomiris, and Yannis Constantinidis" (Ph.D. diss., University of Maryland, 2001), 59.
3. Richard Taruskin, "Nationalism," in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., ed. Stanley Sadie (London: MacMillan, 2001), vol.17, 696.
4. Little, "Folk Song," 61.
5. Lambros Liavas, "Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984)," program notes for "Anazitondas ton kyrio Yannidi-Konstantinidi" [Looking for Mr. Yannidis-Constantinidis], Athens Concert Hall (Megaro Mousikis Athinon), 17-19 October 1994, 2-3.
6. Byron Fidetzis, "The Orchestral Compositions of Yannis Constantinidis," notes to the recording Yannis Constantinidis: The Works for Orchestra, Bulgarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Byron Fidetzis, Lyra CD0169, 19.
7. George Leotsakos, "Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984). Kapies prosopike anamnisis ke dokimi kritikis apotimisis." [Some Personal Memories and an Attempt of a Critical Evaluation], paper read at the Symposium “Yannis Constantinidis,” Athens Concert Hall (Megaro Mousikis Athinon), 19 October 1994.
8. All of Constantinidis' music has been copyrighted by Greek publishing house Nakas Music.
9. Petros Vouvaris, "44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies by Yannis Constantinidis: A Masterpiece of Mikrokosmic Proportions," The American Music Teacher 54, no. 6 (June/July 2005): 42.
10. Costas Tsougras, "Generative Theory of Tonal Music and Modality: Research Based on the Analysis of 44 Greek Miniatures for Piano by Yannis Constantinidis" (Ph.D. diss. English summary, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 2002), 4.
11. Liavas, "Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984)," 4.
12. Tsougras, "Generative Theory," 12.
Bibliography
Alexiou, Margaret. "Modern Greek Studies in the West: Between the Classics and the Orient," Journal of Modern Greek Studies 4 (1986), 3-15.
Constantinidis, Yannis. 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies, Volume One. Athens: C. Papagrigoriou-Ch. Nakas, 1993.
__________. 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies, Volume Two. Athens: C. Papagrigoriou-Ch. Nakas, 1993.
__________. 44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies, Volume Three. Athens: C. Papagrigoriou-Ch. Nakas, 1993.
Fidetzis, Byron. "The Orchestral Compositions of Yannis Constantinidis." Notes to the recording Yannis Constantinidis: The Works for Orchestra, Bulgarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Byron Fidetzis, Lyra CD0169.
Leotsakos, George. "Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984). Kapies prosopike anamnisis ke dokimi kritikis apotimisis" [Some Personal Memories and an Attempt of a Critical Evaluation]. Paper read at the Symposium "Yannis Constantinidis," Athens Concert Hall (Megaro Mousikis Athinon), 19 October 1994.
Liavas, Lambros. "Yannis Constantinidis (1903-1984)." Program notes for "Anazitondas ton kyrio Konstantinidi-Yannidi" [Looking for Mr. Constantinidis-Yannidis]. Athens Concert Hall (Megaro Mousikis Athinon), 17-19 October 1994.
Little, Bliss Sheryl. “Folk Song and the Construction of Greek National Music: Writings and Compositions of Georgios Lambelet, Manolis Kalomiris, and Yannis Constantinidis.” Ph.D. diss., University of Maryland, 2001.
Taruskin, Richard. "Nationalism." In The New Grove II Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie, vol.17, 689. London: MacMillan, 2001.
Tsougras, Costas. "Generative Theory of Tonal Music and Modality: Research Based on the Analysis of 44 Greek Miniatures for Piano by Yannis Constantinidis." Ph.D. diss., Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 2002.
Vouvaris, Petros. "44 Children's Pieces on Greek Melodies by Yannis Constantinidis: A Masterpiece of Mikrokosmic Proportions." The American Music Teacher 54, no. 6 (June/July 2005): 41-45, 125.
| TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|