Melism Records proudly presents a triple album featuring Nikos Skalkottas’s 36 Greek Dances, an extraordinary collection of 20th-century orchestral music. This monumental release includes two exceptional recordings conducted by Maestro Byron Fidetzis.

A newly remastered version of the groundbreaking 1990 first-ever world recording of the complete cycle, performed by the Ural State Philharmonic Orchestra, has been created using modern technology. This remastering is combined with a live recording from the 2021 Athens Festival, featuring the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra, in a concert commemorating the bicentennial anniversary of the declaration of the Greek Revolution of 1821. Together, these recordings provide a fresh and comprehensive perspective to the renowned 1990 version.

The Ural State Philharmonic Orchestra’s recording, characterised by its spontaneity and liveliness, aligns closely with the distinctive musical traditions of the Balkan regions. Three decades later, in Athens, Byron Fidetzis encounters an orchestra of entirely different timbre. Drawing upon nearly five decades of expertise and extensive research, Fidetzis undertakes the task of producing the definitive critical edition of the Dances based on available manuscripts. Through this endeavour, he presents us with a fresh interpretation that delves deeper into the “concealed” intricacies of the composition, particularly highlighting the composer’s unique composing style.

The 36 Greek Dances, in contrast to Skalkottas’s larger and more complex compositions, were the first of his works to be embraced by the public. They were also the only piece of music he published during his lifetime, albeit partially: the Institut Français d’Athènes had released four of the Dances in 1948.