A Liberal Romantic Modernist: The Aesthetic and Ideological Principles of Yorgos Sicilianos

Abstract or Summary:

This paper delves into the seemingly paradoxical description of Yorgos Sicilianos as a “liberal romantic modernist.” From a music-historical and aesthetic perspective, the phrase appears contradictory, combining terms that traditionally oppose each other. Modernism in music, characterized by a continuous break with traditions, fundamentally seeks to diverge from the stylistic principles of musical romanticism, such as functional tonality and traditional forms. This conflict is further compounded by Sicilianos’s commitment to humanist ideals, which added layers of subjectivity and expressive intent to his modernist framework. The analysis highlights how Sicilianos’s work is a synthesis of technical mastery and emotional depth, and that his compositional approach was not merely about adopting new techniques but about integrating these techniques into a broader artistic vision that embraced both individual and collective experiences. This paper argues that Sicilianos’s unique blend of liberalism, romanticism, and modernism positioned him as a pivotal figure in the evolution of contemporary Greek music, bridging traditional and avant-garde elements.