Scores & Links

IMSLP (score)
Nikos Skalkottas

Nikos Skalkottas (1904-1949)

Nationality: Greek
Born: March 21, 1904, Halkis, Evia Died: September 19, 1949, Athens (age 45)
wikipedia | imslp

Ten Sketches (Suite) for String Quartet, AK 8

(for 2 violins, viola and cello)
2:16 I. Sinfonia. Allegro giusto - Agitato
1:47 II. Concerto. Vivace
2:54 III. Passacaglia. Moderato molto
1:05 IV. Suita. Allegro moderato
1:32 V. Concertino. Allegretto con grazia
2:48 VI. Serenata. Andantino
1:11 VII. Ragtime. Tempo di Ragtime
3:58 VIII. Notturno. Molto espressivo
1:00 IX. Capriccio. Vivacissimo (ritmato)
1:17 X. Rondo. Presto
Duration: 20 minutes (approximately)
Composed: c. 1940 (age 35-36)
Note: 10 Musical Sketches
1 recording, 10 videos
autoopen autoplay
2:16
New Hellenic Quartet
I. Sinfonia. Allegro giusto - Agitato
1:47
New Hellenic Quartet
II. Concerto. Vivace
2:54
New Hellenic Quartet
III. Passacaglia. Moderato molto
1:05
New Hellenic Quartet
IV. Suita. Allegro moderato
1:32
New Hellenic Quartet
V. Concertino. Allegretto con grazia
2:48
New Hellenic Quartet
VI. Serenata. Andantino
1:11
New Hellenic Quartet
VII. Ragtime. Tempo di Ragtime
3:58
New Hellenic Quartet
VIII. Notturno. Molto espressivo
1:00
New Hellenic Quartet
IX. Capriccio. Vivacissimo (ritmato)
1:17
New Hellenic Quartet
X. Rondo. Presto

Related Composers

1900 WWI WWII Robert Kahn (1865-1951) Paul Juon (1872-1940) Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) Philipp Jarnach (1892-1982) Roberto Gerhard (1896-1970) Kurt Weill (1900-1950) Nikos Skalkottas (1904-1949) Marc Blitzstein (1905-1964)
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
Teacher
Nationality: Austrian
Born: September 13, 1874, Vienna Died: July 13, 1951, Los Angeles (age 76)
Robert Kahn
Robert Kahn (1865-1951)
Teacher
Nationality: German
Born: July 21, 1865, Mannheim Died: May 29, 1951, Biddenden (age 85)
Paul Juon
Paul Juon (1872-1940)
Teacher
Nationality: Swiss | Russian
Born: March 6, 1872, Moscow Died: August 21, 1940, Vevey (age 68)
Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill (1900-1950)
Teacher
Nationality: German | American
Born: March 2, 1900, Dessau Died: April 3, 1950, New York (age 50)
Philipp Jarnach
Philipp Jarnach (1892-1982)
Teacher
Nationality: German | Spanish | French
Born: July 26, 1892, Noisy, France Died: December 17, 1982, Börnsen (age 90)
Marc Blitzstein
Marc Blitzstein (1905-1964)
fellow student
Nationality: American | Russian
Born: March 2, 1905, Philadelphia Died: January 22, 1964, Fort-de-France, Martinique (age 58)
Roberto Gerhard
Roberto Gerhard (1896-1970)
fellow student
Nationality: Catalan | Spanish
Born: September 25, 1896, Valls Died: January 5, 1970, Cambridge (age 73)

glossary

  • agitato, agité [F]—agitated, restless, excited
  • allegretto—moderately quick tempo. slower than allegro but faster than andante
  • allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
  • andantino—faster than andante, slower than allegretto. Sometimes andantino is interpreted as the opposite: slower than andante
  • capriccio, caprice, capriccioso, capricieux, capricieuse—a short character piece, typically in a humorous, fanciful, or playful manner. The concept juxtaposes the improvisatory free-form fantasy against the more formal, "serious" and logically "worked-out" sonata forms.Within a caprice, the range of expression may well include the serious and dark as well as demanding extraordinary technical skills such as a prelude or etude.
  • chamber music, Kammermusik [G], musique de chambre [F], musica da camera [I], musica cameralis [L]—"Classical Music" for a small ensemble, generally 8 or fewer players with a canonical emphasis on 3-6 players. explore
  • con [I,S]—with
  • concertino [I]—a small / short concerto (soloist(s) and ensemble); a group of solo instruments in a Baroque concerto grosso; a section of music played by the concertino
  • concerto [I]—work for an ensemble featuring one or more soloists in a prominent role
  • espressivo [It], con espressione, expressif [Fr]—expressive, with expression.with feeling
  • giusto—just, right, strict, exact, true
  • moderato [I], moderamente, modéré [F], modérément [F]—moderately, at a moderate tempo, applying a touch of restraint to its related word(s), e.g. allegro moderato
  • molto [It]—very much
  • nocturne [F], notturno [I], nocturno, Nachtstück [G]—Night music. A romantic character piece depicting moods of the evening or night: quiet, reflective, perhaps romance and melancholy or even restlessness and fantasy. The most famous nocturnes come originally from the piano literature, e.g. John Field and Chopin, et. al.
  • passacaglia, passacaille [F], pasacalle [S]—A variation form based on a recurring bass line or chord progression closely related to the chaconne. Of Spanish origin first appearing in the early 17th century. Some generalizations suggest a grave character, a minor key and a triple meter. wiki
  • piece, pièce [F], stück [G], stücke [pl], pezzo [I], pezzi[pl]—a single-movement, self-sufficient musical work. Often used for short, individual works in a set or simply to indicate brevity without a titular suggestion of form or character.Chiefly contrasted with the term "movement", a piece which is an integral part of a larger whole without which it would be incomplete.
  • presto—very fast, more so than allegro.
  • quartet, quatuor [F], quartett [G], quartetto [I], cuarteto [S]—ensemble or work for four players the most important examples being the string quartet and the piano quartet
  • rondo—sectional movement form featuring a recurring refrain between contrasting episodes in a variety of plans, a typical one being ABACABA (A is the refrain; B and C are episodes). Often used for finales.
  • serenade, serenada, serenata [I], sérénade [F]—A suite of movements like a divertimento with similar connotations of lightheartedness, pleasure and relative calm with an emphasis on lyricism and often beginning with a march. Historically evokes the evening, outdoors, an honorific or amorous tribute, especially from a suitor to a lover in a window or balcony. The word serenade has its Latin origins the Latin word for "calm" or serene. wiki
  • string quartet, Streichquartett [G], quatuor à cordes [F], quartetto d'archi [I], quartetto di cordi [I], cuarteto de cuerda [S], vonósnégyes [H]—an ensemble as well as music written for that ensemble comprising 2 violins, viola and cello. This is one of the essential genres / forms / ensembles of chamber music and arguably a critical "core" of "classical" music.
    Explore the string quartet.
  • tempo, tempi [pl]—speed or pace at which music progresses. Traditional classic music typically uses standard Italian words to designate the tempo, e.g. Allegro or adagio. Metronome markings provide precise numerical speeds. Tempo selection during performance is a complex artistic choice informed by composer's markings, performance tradition, technical limitations and interpretation.
  • vivace—brisk, lively tempo faster than allegro
  • vivacissimo [I]—very vivace: very vivacious and lively