Editorial

The issue 16/02 concludes a particularly creative year for Musicology (Musicología), marked by the spirit of rejuvenation. In addition, this is a particular issue, since it achieves a somewhat unconventional synthesis of subjects. Musicology (Musicología) has been primarily interested in promoting musicological research of the European tradition (including, of course, modern phenomena). Thus, it published – especially during its second period (from 1997 and afterwards) – papers concerning the aesthetics, the analysis and interpretation of the European tradition, that laid the foundations of modern methodological reflection on its own consequences. This tradition for a time past long enough became a prey of commercialization for good. Apart from that, it has also fallen into a turbulence of thoughtless ideological absolutizations by modern musicological criticism, that still more thoughtlessly invaded our “happy” – due to its ignorance – country. Therefore, this type of politics has been considered to be a necessity and it has been practiced not due to some kind of delusion. Moreover, it has not been practiced only as a respond to certain dominant musical phenomena in our field. It has also been practiced as a respond to many of the contemporary international trends that tend to disintegrate it. This time, our journal is broadening its horizon towards other fields of research, now that it has created certain prerequisites and has realized that with the new potential – emerging in various sectors of our field – a novel research context is created. This seems promising. Under certain conditions this context could allow the development of certain criteria for testing research and it could also encourage the musicological potential in Greece.
In this particularly pluralistic issue, Musicology (Musicología) publishes a modest tribute to the Greek composer Giorgos Sisilianos. In this paper, Sisilianos’ composition Etudes compositionnelles for solo piano is analyzed. The expressive and timbral possibilities of the piano, that constitute the main aesthetic idea of this work, are discussed. The paper includes a structural analysis of these eight studies. The serial use of rhythmic, timbral and dynamic variances that refer to three opposed styles (Stravinsky, Messiaen and a trivial Greek march) is ascertained. These are attributes that are indicative for the composer’s ability for combinations and inventions that are of particular interest.
A rare text, written by Egon Wellesz – important theorist of new music, composer and musicologist, is also included in this issue. This text – kindly granted by Wellesz’s student Markos Dragoumis – is about the origins of Arnold Schönberg’s twelve-tone system. Musicology (Musicología) is introducing an innovation by publishing this important text in its original language. Wellesz writes recollections of his contacts with Schönberg, intending to contribute to a better understanding of Schönberg’s unique and complex character. The reference to Joseph Matthias Hauer is interesting, as well as the reference to the controversial difference between him and Schönberg. As a complementary comment to the text by Wellesz, Ion Zottos adds a biographical and ergographical portrait of the composer, keeping the style of recollective narration.
With a method compared to Schumann’s aesthetics, Panayiotis Matzoulas interprets Brahms’ gifted musical temperament directed to the transcendence of traditional forms through progressive processes of development. The paper refers to some recent results of music historical research on Brahms, the perception of his works and their interpretation.
The paper by Pyrros Bamichas deals with a disregarded by musicological research aspect of the early baroque music, that concerns the use of melodic instruments at vocal compositions of the time. Apart from a purely historical research, this paper is original because it emphasizes on a modern issue related with the musical interpretation: the timbre as a structural factor of the composition. Moreover, the finding of this aspect in both dominant traditions of that time, the Italian and the Austrian one, allows valid conclusions to be made about the general style of that era.
In this issue a set of papers is published that concern various aspects of music in Greece. Between the European and the Greek musical tradition, several musicologists, particularly during the last two decades, were occupied with the work of Manolis Kalomiris (40 years after his death are completed this year). The paper by Anna-Maria Rentzeperi is a contribution to this research. This paper focuses on the leitmotiv technique in Kalomiris’ opera Mother’s Ring. Achilleus Haldaeakes’ paper offers a taste of a reliable and extensive archival research. It concerns the analytical cataloging of the corpus of music manuscripts discovered in Greek islands. The localization and detailed description of the manuscripts are followed by a study on the local psaltic tradition. This study is directed towards a critical approach of the Byzantine and the post-Byzantine psaltic tradition, of the manuscripts and the literature.
The last paper in this issue provides a sample of a trend typical for ethnomusicology in the English speaking countries. It refers to a musician who has been a pioneer in terms of the performance techniques he adopted as well as in terms of instrument manufacturing. The paper takes up a type of approach via narrations and recollections about the musician’s eccentric personality that confirm the myth about musicians as “madmen” and also as “folk heroes”.
Organizing of conferences and congresses is to the credit of Musicology (Musicología). The first international congress of musicology was successfully held during 2002 at the Goethe Institute of Athens. Renowned musicologists from Greece and abroad participated along with outstanding personalities of musical life. Musicology (Musicología) is glad to announce the publication of the congress proceedings in a volume titled The Value of Music Today (Edition Orpheus, M. Nikolaidis and Company). The second international congress of our journal is already scheduled for November 2003 and it will be held at the Athens Concert Hall in collaboration with the Music Library “Lilian Voudouri”. The congress title is Musical Analysis and Interpretation. Musicology (Musicología) also intends to contribute to the discussion about the music education policy by organizing meetings and conferences and emphasizing on the fact that these issues are nowadays once more in season.
Our musical life has suffered recently the loss of an exceptional musician, well-known for his culture, modesty and gentleness, the pianist Yannis Papadopoulos. On this prominent personality, our journal will publish in the next issue a paper by Ion Zottos.

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