This collection of excellent and intelligent performances of chamber music by Greek composer Nikos Skalkottas–a lesser-known disciple of Schoenberg–has one tragic flaw: the liner notes. Perhaps it is an issue of a poor translation, but somebody at the label should have noticed and corrected such choice sentences as: “Skalkottas plays not only with the notes but also with the rests, scattering bar-long pauses among the various instruments of the quartet so that the music proceeds from just two or three instruments.” Or: “Concerning the aesthetic orientation of the work, it is apparent that the Octet has an entertaining nature, which becomes evident from the divertimento-like style which characterizes the work from beginning to end.”
The saddest part is that these insufficient jacket notes blight an otherwise excellent disc full of first-rate performances of good, solid pieces brimming with invention and interest. The most rewarding is the Ten Sketches for Strings, which shows off this composer’s capacity to write music of different moods: the slow, passionate “noturno” movement is ravishing with an edge; the “concerto” is high-flying; the “Ragtime”, though bearing little resemblance to actual ragtime music, is clever and exciting. The overall effect of these miniatures is striking, with a lot of bite but without overblown pathos.
The Octet works quite well, with a first movement that hits hard, really hard. Although Skalkottas writes some amazing sounds into this work, it’s the wallop of its furious, lightning-fast opening that makes the piece so effective. The angular, sinewy second movement is dark (in the best way), and it effectively counters the wild ride of the final movement. The String Quartet No. 1 is well-crafted but takes itself too seriously. There are some good smoky moments in the second movement (Andante con variazioni), though if indeed it is intended to “…explore the characteristic rhythms of jazz” then Skalkottas has failed. It does have motion, but it’s a stretch to call it jazz. The String Trio, another well-wrought piece, meanders a bit, too much so to be totally effective, but the Presto is well worth a careful listen. The disc closes with Gero Dimos, a Greek Dance scored for string quartet that’s startling in its contrast to the rest of the music on this release–it’s something of a whiz-bang finale, an ebullient encore.
