Centering on the Human: Humanism in the Music and Ideas of Yorgos Sicilianos

Abstract or Summary:

This paper develops an observation that emerged during the author’s critical review of the book “About Music,” which contains texts by Yorgos Sicilianos, edited by Elly Yotopoulou-Sicilianou. What struck me while reading the composer’s texts, which cover various themes and focuses throughout his creative journey, was the emphasis he consistently placed on the anthropocentric dimension of art, and especially music. The human-centred communication model of music, involving the triad of composer-performer-listener, is directly or indirectly developed in many of his writings. Sicilianos considered the emotional and expressive dimension of music to be both natural and inevitable.

The humanistic intention to idealize human potential on both individual and collective levels is highlighted by Sicilianos’s frequent references to Greek antiquity throughout his creative career after 1957. The universal and timeless values of ancient Greek art and philosophy satisfied the demands for universality and “objectivity” of the modernist endeavour, in which Sicilianos actively participated. Additionally, Sicilianos managed to infuse a humanistic dimension into purely technical aspects of music organization, such as the serial techniques he developed. This study proposes to explore and interpret Sicilianos’s views on various issues through this anthropocentric lens. Moreover, this humanistic stance is suggested as a foundation for understanding fundamental elements of his music and certain characteristics of his creative path over time.