Skalkottas, a top violinist himself, composed and transcribed for string quartet: the fine atonal 10 Sketches of 1940, one of his most characteristic works, are ten miniatures drawing inspiration from the pre-classical (passacaglia) and classical tradition (suite, concerto), as well as from the music of his time (ragtime). The 8 Greek Dances, out of a total of 13 that he transcribed for string quartet, are transcriptions from the 36 Greek Dances for Orchestra, the most famous and emblematic Greek composition. The evening closes with another 1940 work, Dmitri Shostakovich’s mellow Piano Quintet, which was awarded the Stalin Prize.
Domna Evnouhidou, an internationally acclaimed soloist and an active teacher, collaborates with four leading chamber musicians.