Seikilos Epitaph's Fantasy: Works for solo Guitar Thanos Mitsalas

• Joaquin Rodrigo (1901 - 1999): Toccata, for Guitar (1933):
• 1 Rodrigo: Toccata, for Guitar (1933) 07:28
• Gerard Drozd: Two Songs Op. 172, for Guitar:
• 2 Drozd: Two Songs Op. 172, for Guitar: No. 1: In a mood 01:45
• 3 Drozd: Two Songs Op. 172, for Guitar: No. 2: Song 03:18
• Simone Iannarelli (b. 1970): Fantasia in Re, for Guitar:
• 4 Iannarelli: Fantasia in Re, for Guitar 10:13
• Agustin Barrios Mangoré (1885 – 1944): Un Sueño en la Floresta, for Guitar:
• 5 Mangoré: Un Sueño en la Floresta, for Guitar 08:37
• Gerard Drozd: Kaleidoscopic Waltzes, for Guitar:
• 6 Drozd: Kaleidoscopic Waltzes, for Guitar: No. 1 03:11
• 7 Drozd: Kaleidoscopic Waltzes, for Guitar: No. 2 05:23
• Sergio Assad (b. 1952): Seikilos Epitaph's Fantasy, for Guitar (2018):
• 8 Assad: Seikilos Epitaph's Fantasy, for Guitar (2018) 09:12
• Total Runtime 49:07

Info for Seikilos Epitaph's Fantasy: Works for solo Guitar

The project: “Seikilos Epitaph’s Fantasy” project explores a rich diversity in compositional styles, ideas, textures, sonorities and archetypes.

It could never become reality without the generous musical contribution of my good friends and great composers of our time Sergio Assad, Gerard Drozd and Simone Iannarelli.

Their inspiring adventurous music, along with J.Rodrigo’s Toccata and A.Barrios’ Sueño en la floresta, create a journey to a unique soundscape where time – as usually perceived- does not exist. The past blends with the present at a common space frame, while memories, stories, emotions, archetypes, emerge to the sunlight of an imaginary ideal time-space surface!

Seikilos (Assad’s reference in this album) may sing and dream in the amazon’s forests (native land of Barrios), Iannarelli’s Fantasia with its intense rhapsodic-elegiac rhetoric can describe Troy’s catastrophe and laments for Hector’s death, while the unquite archaic Toccata (Rodrigo) unites with Drozd’s poetic kaleidoscopic writing to recollect Bach’s restless contrapuntal textures!

About the music: Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999) was one of the greatest Spanish composers of the 20th century and one of the most prominent and innovative writers for guitar of all time. Although he was a non-guitar-playing composer, Rodrigo is one of a few mainstream writers who left a substantial legacy for the classical guitar repertoire.

Toccata is one of the best examples of Spanish virtuoso tradition on the guitar. Although it was composed back in 1933, remained in the drawer and had never been published or premiered until 2006. Since the time of its recent publication the piece started to gain the reputation -among guitarists- , to be one of the most difficult pieces to perform on the instrument. Toccata is clearly a virtuoso piece that responds to the language of the violin. It possesses an internal structure which, far from almost improvised liberty, responds to the sonata form utilized freely. Its perpetual fast motion in semiquavers combined with tight contrapuntal textures, as well as, broad virtuoso arpeggio sections which extend to the highest pitch register of the instrument, draw the attention of the listener.

Gerard Drozd – born in Gliwice, Poland, is a versatile composer, arranger, guitarist. As a composer has written more than 350 compositions including solo works, chamber music or concertos. His compositions have been appreciated by many well-known performers and have also been presented in more than 35 countries around the globe. Drozd’s innovative writing techniques and idiomatic harmonic language have established him as one of the most renowned and respected composers in the guitar world nowadays.

Two Songs Op. 172 were composed in 2017. The first one called “In a mood” derives from an improvisational aspect. Walking bass line makes this piece a little jazzy-swinging music, but all musical material is a kind of Drozd’s individual musical language which he calls controlled case theory. The second piece just named “A Song” is very lirical, harmonically rich and follows according to the composer a kind of harmonical thinking named “kaleidoscopic harmony.” This song seems to tell a story. Calls to memories that are clearly heard, although it is only a musical-poetic creation born in the imagination. ...

Thanos Mitsalas, classical guitar

Thanos Mitsalas
is steadily achieving recognition to be one of the leading world-class performers of his generation. His rich musicianship and perfectionism have already credited him with the highest praise from audiences and critics. It is his intense musical intuition, flawless technique and personal style in his interpretations that easily captivate the audience. Through his extended devotion to the study and performance of the idiomatic music of Sergio Assad , Thanos achieved to be regarded by the great Brazilian master as a top interpreter of his works. Sergio Assad, between other comments, writes for Thanos: "...An incredible musician and guitarist!..”,”...Thanos has total control and understanding of my music!...". Classical Guitar Magazine (Blair Jackson-Nov 2017) refers to him: “...a formidable guitarist!...”. American Record Guide (Kenneth Keaton-May 2012) mentioned: “Mitsalas’s playing is excellent…His technical command and sense of invention and expression are impressive!” Sharon Isbin (Head of the guitar department at The Juilliard School) said for him: “Thanos has a brilliant virtuoso technique and an excellent musicianship – truly an extraordinary talent! His playing is of the highest professional caliber…” Reviewer Glyn Pursglove from MusicWeb International Magazine wrote for Thanos’s solo Assad cd release: “Everywhere one senses a vitality of personal commitment and disciplined freedom in his interpretations. Thanos is an impressive soloist!...” Timothy Smith (Oct 2014) at minor7th mentions: “Mitsalas marries all of the elements of great classical guitar playing: enormous and evocative tonal range, world-class command of the instrument, and a unique and defining musical voice….Mitsalas' newest offering, entitled "Contemplation", is quite simply one of the finest recordings I've encountered in my decade of writing reviews.”

He started his international steps at a very early age, being the youngest ever winner in the history of competitions like Volos International Guitar Festival & Competition - Greece (while 15 years old), Silesian Guitar Autumn-Poland (while 16 years old) and Carrefour Mondial de la guitare-Martinique/South America (while 18 years old). Since then he has performed successfully in many major international artistic events and venues (Lincoln Center of NY, Merkin Hall (NY), Hancock Auditorium (Los Angeles), Queen's Grand Theatre of Zhengzhou-China, Athens Megaron of Music, etc) , touring throughout Europe, Asia, North & South America.

Thanos Mitsalas graduated with the greatest honors from New Conservatory of Thessaloniki-Greece (class of Costas Cotsiolis), Hochscule fur Music in Koln/Aachen-Germany (class of Thomas Muller Pering) and finally from the prestigious Juilliard School-NY, where he studied on a full scholarship at Sharon Isbin's class, evaluated as one of the most brilliant talents of the school.

A versatile guitarist, Mitsalas performs both as a soloist and in chamber music ensembles and has performed with orchestras conducted by such important personalities like Leo Brouwer, Josif Conta, Theodoros Antoniou, Jan Wincenty Hawel, Emir Saul among others.

Important contemporary composers (S.Assad , G.Drozd , S.Iannarelli - to name a few) have dedicated works to Thanos. He has also performed several International and National ‘premieres’ of guitar compositions by major composers of our time (works by Assad, L.Brouwer, G.Drozd, R.Dyens, S.Iannarelli, J.Clerch,etc) and repeatedly recorded for Greek and foreign International Radio and TV networks.

Beside his performing activities he teaches at the State Conservatory of Greece (Thessaloniki), and as a guest professor at many international music festivals, conservatories-universities or summer music academies. For ten years he held the position of the artistic director at the Municipal Conservatory of Naoussa (Greece). Many of his students have followed successful careers as performers or pedagogists of the guitar. Since 2008 he has intensively devoted himself to the music of the great guitarist – composer Sergio Assad. During the IGF of Volos - Greece (2019), Thanos was honored to participate – as a specialist in S.Assad's music- together with the legendary Assad Brothers at a unique Gala Concert dedicated to the famous Duo and the music of Sergio Assad. During the same year he was also hosted by the composer in the Brazilian TV (SESC TV & Movimento Violao), for a recording and broadcast tribute to his solo guitar compositions. Additively, it is worth to mention that within the next months (in 2021) Thanos will premiere “Naousa Concerto” for Guitar & Symphony Orchestra, which Sergio Assad recently composed and especially dedicated to him. Mitsalas' recordings include solo guitar music, as well as chamber music works with guitar by the Grammy awarded Brazilian master. Among other pieces, he has presented world premieres of such important and enchanting compositions like Concerto Fantasia “Mikis” for Guitar and Strings, “Eli's portrait”,“Sandy's portrait” and “Seikilos Epitaph's Fantasy”.

Seikilos Epitaph's Fantasy project is Thanos' first album to be published in cooperation with Da Vinci label (Japan). So far he has recorded 5 more CDs with ClearNote (USA). All his recordings have got outstanding reviews by great personalities of the music world and the press.

Mitsalas' recording projects, until now, have included works by J.S.Bach, S.Assad, A.Barrios, N.D'Angelo, C.Domeniconi, G.Drozd, E.Gismonti, S.Iannarelli, L.Legnani, M.Llobet, A.Piazzolla, A.Tansman, F.Tarrega, M.C.Tedesco, J.Rodrigo, G.Regondi and A.York.

This album contains no booklet.