Athanasios "Thanos" Mikroutsikos (; 13 April 1947 – 28 December 2019) was a Greek composer and politician. He is considered one of the most important composers of the recent Greek musical scene.
Biography
Personal life He was born on 13 April 1947 in Patras. He was the older brother of Andreas Mikroutsikos, who is also a musician/composer and a television show host. His wife was children's author Maria Papagianni, whom he married in 1996. He died on 28 December 2019, after a long fight with cancer, at age 72.
Music He studied piano and composition in the Philharmonic Society of Patras, in the Hellenic Conservatory, and privately with Yiannis Papaioannou. In addition, he studied Mathematics in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He began composing at the end of the 1960s but only officially debuted in 1975, with the release of his album Politika Tragoudia ('Political Songs'). He continued on this compositional path, setting to music the poems of Giannis Ritsos, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Manos Eleftheriou and Bertold Brecht, amongst others.
His albums Kantata gia ti Makroniso (Cantata for Makronisos), Fouente Ovehouna (Fuenteovejuna), Troparia gia Foniades (Hymns for Murderers) and Mousiki Praxi Ston Brecht (Musical Practice on Brecht) are characteristic of the climate of Metapolitefsi or Regime Change that was taking place in the period 1975–78. In particular, the Cantata for Makronisos, a pioneering piece in which Mikroutsikos experimented with atonality was extremely well received in international music festivals and an interpretation of particular note was recorded by Maria Dimitriadi.
His next album, Stavros tou Notou (Southern Cross), set to the poetry of Nikos Kavvadias, opened up further musical avenues for him, combining theatre, electronic music and atonality (a second album, Grammes ton orizondon, set to the poetry of Kavvadias was released in 1991). With the same devotion to poetry, he continued to set the works of Giannis Ritsos, Alkis Alkaios, François Villon and Constantine P. Cavafy, amongst others. In addition, he has written an opera, Eleni (Helen) and set to music several children's fairytales.
He has worked with many renowned singers such as Maria Dimitriadi, Haris Alexiou, Manolis Mitsias, Dimitris Mitropanos, George Dalaras, Vasilis Papakonstantinou, Christos Thibaios, Miltiadis Paschalidis, Rita Antonopoulou and Giannis Koutras, amongst others. His music has been particularly well received and recognised in Western Europe. During his compositional career, he has managed to liberate the form of Greek song, adding together elements from the modernist and classical western tradition. He also experimented with the combination of tonal and atonal sounds and with morphological variation.
He was artistic director of the New Music Society and the Musical Analogion, whilst he also worked with and directed the Patras International Festival.
Politics
He was involved in Greece's political life since the 1960s. During the turbulent years of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974, he was persecuted by the regime for his anti-dictatorial activities and ideas. When the junta collapsed, he continued being actively involved in politics as a member of the maoist EKKE, especially in the first years after the restoration of democracy.
After the elections of October 1993, he was appointed as Deputy Minister of Culture by the new Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) government, serving alongside the late Melina Mercouri who was Minister of Culture. He was appointed to position when she died in 1994, a position he kept until 1996.
He was a supporter of the Communist Party of Greece.
Works (selection) Musical Act for Brecht for two male voices, two clarinets and a piano (text: Bertolt Brecht), 1972–78 Cantata for Makronisos for female and male voice, small orchestra and tape (text: Υannis Ritsos), 1976–82 Study for Vladimir Mayakovsky for voice and small orchestra (text: Vladimir Mayakovsky), 1976–82 Euripides IV for narrator, soprano, mezzo, tenor, baritone, bassoon, trumpet, horn and piano (text: Euripides), 1979 The Moonlight Sonata for voice and piano (text: Υannis Ritsos), 1979–81 Preludes for guitar, 1981 The Old Man of Alexandria, song cycle for voice, mandolin and piano (text: Konstantinos Kavafis), 1982 Opera for One (flutist) for flute, 1983–84 Duo for alto saxophone and electric bass, 1985 The Sea for string orchestra and trumpet, 1991 The Return of Helen, opera in one act in six movements based on a libretto by Christos Lambrakis (with poems by Yannis Ritsos) for nine voices, mixed choir, orchestra and a trio, 1992–93 Return to the Future 1 for clarinet and marimba, 2003 The sea smiles from over there for mezzo and string quartet (text: Federico García Lorca), 2009
Discography Albums Year Greek Title Transliteration Translation Label1972Είμαστε κάτι ξεχαρβαλωμένες κιθάρες / Οι Δων ΚιχώτεςEimaste kati xecharvalomenes kithares / Oi Don KichotesWe are rickety guitars / The Don QuixotesMinos1975Πολιτικά τραγούδιαPolitika tragoudiaPolitical songsLyra1976Καντάτα για την ΜακρόνησοKantata gia tin MakronisoCantata for MakronisosLyraΣπουδή σε ποιήματα του Βλαδίμηρου ΜαγιακόβσκηSpoudi se poiimata tou Vladimirou MagiakovskiStudy on the poems of Vladimir MayakovskyLyra1977Φουέντε ΟβεχούναFouente OvechounaFuenteovejunaLyraΤροπάρια για φονιάδεςTroparia gia foniadesHymns for murderersLyra1978Τραγούδια της λευτεριάςTragoudia tis lefteriasSongs of freedomLyraΜουσική πράξη στον Μπέρτολτ ΜπρέχτMousiki praxi ston Bertolt BrechtMusical practice on Bertolt BrechtLyra1979Ο σταυρός του νότουO stavros tou notouThe Southern CrossLyra1980Ευριπίδης IVEvripidis IVEuripides IVLyra1981Λεοντής-Μικρούτσικος: Συναυλίες 81Leondis-Mikroutsikos: Σynavlies 81Leondis-Mikroutsikos: Concerts 81CBS1982ΕμπάργκοEmpargkoEmbargoCBS1983Ιχνογραφία – Ο γέρος της ΑλεξάνδρειαςIchnografia – O geros tis AlexandreiasSketch - The old man from AlexandriaCBSΑραπιά για λίγο πάψε να χτυπάς με το σπαθίArapia gia ligo papse na chtypas me to spathiArab lands stop hitting with your sword for a whileCBS1984Βίκτωρ-ΒικτωρίαVictor-VictoriaVictor/VictoriaCBS1985ΑντιθέσειςAnditheseisContrastsΕΤ.ΝΕ.Μ.Ντούο για άλτο σαξόφωνο και ηλεκτρικό μπάσοDouo gia alto saxofono kai ilektriko basoDuet for alto saxophone and electric bassΕΤ.ΝΕ.Μ.1986Η αγάπη είναι ζάληI agapi einai zaliLove is dizzyΜinos1987Στον Μάνο Λοϊζο-Νύχτα με σκιές χρωματιστέςSton Mano Loizo-Nychta me skies chromatistes(Dedication) To Manos Loizos-Night with coloured shadowsΜinos1988Όλα από χέρι καμέναOla apo cheri kamenaAll from a burnt handΜinos1989Ελλάς κατόπιν αορτήςEllas katopin aortisGreece after an aneurysmCBSΌσο κρατάει ένας καφέςOso krataei enas kafesAs long as a coffee lastsMinos1990Για πιάνο και φωνήGia piano kai foniFor piano and voiceMinosΚρατάει χρόνια αυτή η κολώνιαKrataei chronia afti i koloniaThis cologne lasts for yearsMinos1991Γραμμές των οριζόντωνGrammes ton orizondonLines of the horizonMinos1992Συγνώμη για την άμυναSygnomi gia tin amynaSorry for the defenceMinosMusic for TwoMinos1994Volpe d'amoreEMI1996Τα παραμύθια της γαλάζιας γραμμήςTa paramythia tis galazias grammisThe fairytales of the blue lineMinosΣτου αιώνα την παράγκαStou aiona tin paragkaIn the shanty house of the centuryMinos1997Ποίηση με μουσικήPoiisi me mousikiPoetry with musicEMIΗ ιστορία της ΛούλουI istoria tis LoulouThe story of LuluEMIΨάξε στ'όνειρο μαςPsaxe st'oneiro masSearch in our dreamsMinos1998Στην αγκαλιά της άκρηςStin agkalia tis akrisIn the embrace of the edgeEMIΟ Θάνος Μικρούτσικος τραγουδά Θάνο ΜικρούτσικοO Thanos Mikroutsikos tragouda Thano MikroutsikoThanos Mikroutsikos sings Thanos MikroutsikoEMIFor sax and strings and love and dreamsAgoraSlow motionEMI1999The return of HelenEMIΘάλασσα στη σκάλαThalassa sti skalaSea on the stairsMinos2000Σφεντόνα LiveSfendona LiveSlingshot LiveΟ Θάνος Μικρούτσικος στη ΛύραO Thanos Mikroutsikos sti LyraThanos Mikroutsikos at LyraLive Στη ΣφεντόναLive Sti SfendonaLive at SlingshotMinos/EMI2001Του Απείρου ΕραστήςTou Apeirou ErastisLover of infinityDance and MemoriesEMI ClassicsΟι Κυρίες Του Θάνου ΜικρούτσικουOi Kyries Tou Thanou MikroutsikouThanos Mikroutsikos's ladiesMinos/EMIΣτον Τόπο Μου Είμαι Τέλεια ΞένοςSton Topo Mou Eimai Teleia XenosI am a perfect stranger in my placeMinos/EMI2002Αυτά Που ΤραγουδήσαμεAfta Pou TragoudisameThose (songs) which we sangMinos/EMIΟλα Τα ΠρόσωπαOla Ta ProsopaAll the peopleMinos/EMIΟ Άμλετ Της ΣελήνηςO Amlet Tis SelinisHamlet of the moonMinos/EMI2004ΣχοινοβάτηςSchoinovatisTightrope walkerMinos/EMI2006Υπέροχα ΜονάχοιYperocha MonachoiPerfectly aloneLegend2007 Παράξενο δεν είναι; Paraxeno den einai?Isn't it weird?2009Επέστρεφε (Καβάφης)Epestrefe (Kavafis)He came back (Cavafy)Τους Έχω Βαρεθεί / Θάνος Μικρούτσικος Σε Συνεργασία με τα Υπόγεια Ρεύματα Tous Echo Varethei/ Thanos Mikroutsikos Se Synergasia me ta Ypogeia RevmataI am bored of them / Thanos Mikroutsikos in collaboration with undercurrentsLegend
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