Stamatis Spanoudakis
Facing The Audience (Live)
A live performance of the best of Stamatis Spanoudakis\' works, performed by a full orchestra, a 70 member choir and an elite of soloists of traditional Greek musicians. The artist himself plays keyboards and guitars.
"Stamatis Spanoudakis is widely regarded as the most prolific Greek composer of his age. Versatile in his music for film, television, records and concerts, he uses a rich and original musical palette that conjures up different perceptions in the sphere of musical imagery. He explores both tragic and dramatic experiences with an eye and an ear for the musical representation of the perennial dilemmas and joys faced by mankind both in the past and present.
To date, Stamatis has written concert works for rock groups, string orchestra, soloists and chorus. Future plans include compositions for wind, brass, tympani and percussion, adding to his fulsome output.
Concerts, including those at the George Enescu Hall (Bucharest) and the Royal Albert Hall (London), have proven his international reputation and the forthcoming visit to China will set the seal on this remarkable artist’s achievement in bringing his unique brand of Greek music to the widest possible audience.
I have had the privilege of conducting some of Stamatis’ concerts and I am continually impressed by the way he considers his music as a living entity that is constantly evolving and developing and is never completely set in stone." By William Relton - Conductor.
Stamatis Spanoudakis says on the album:
"This record ends a course that began with “Alexandros” and ended with the “Marble King”. The sceneries that I saw were many. “Alexandros, Holy Hour, Moments Gone, Moments Gone II, With Words, St. John’s Tear, Marble King and All In A Journey”.
My inner scenery, stormy and restless as always, had many things to show and prove during this course. First of all, I had to prove that instrumental music concerns the Greeks. I had to do it by the rules of a game which is against my nature and beliefs and which unfortunately, still holds its ground.
Thus I dived into the “sea” and naturally got wet. Now that I think back over it, I suppose I reached the “shore” all wet but still in love.
Also, for the first time in my life I wanted to get to know the people who loved my music and who thus helped me in my “sea” journey. This is why I gave some (quite a lot by my standards) concerts.
Starting from those concerts and ending in my studio as always, I wanted to bring together the best moments of these “liquid” years and thus finish this course that gave me many sorrows but true joy in end. The next journey may take me to more personal paths or oceans and perhaps closer to the Beloved who was secretly holding my hand all this time.
The recording were made during concerts I gave in Peania (Good Friday 1994), in Alexandrio Melathro (March 1995 and May 1998), at the Herod Atticus Theatre (June 1995 and May 1998), at the Pallas (December 1992) and in my house on December 11th 1996.
For “Alexandros”, I have used “takes” of Vassilis Saleas and Lefteris Zervas made long before the release of the record, which I have never used for reasons that I cannot remember anymore. Some pieces are in fact re-recorded in the studio because of the bad quality of the live recordings. Other pieces were processed in the studio before or after the concerts.
Thus, this record is not all “live” in the true sense of the word but in the sense that my ear and taste apply to the term.
In any case, all pieces were performed at some point “facing the audience” that, to my great surprise and joy, was always there".
Classical: Mozart