Yorgos Sicilianos - Dimitri Mitropoulos: A Relationship of Friendship, Respect, and Mutual Influences

Abstract or Summary:

The acquaintance of Yorgos Sicilianos with Dimitris Mitropoulos in the USA in 1955 marked the beginning of Sicilianos’ presence in major symphonic concert centres of great renown, as well as a significant turning point in his symphonic work. At the same time, it marked the start of a friendship and mutual respect that, although it lasted only five years (until Mitropoulos’ untimely death in 1960), seems to have left a profound impact on the artistic essence of the young composer. Through testimonies, records, and texts, mainly from Sicilianos himself, the peripheral aspects of this relationship are commented upon and illuminated. These aspects concern the compositional creativity of both musicians, Sicilianos’ contribution to establishing Mitropoulos as a pioneer of modern Greek modernism, and the potential influences of Mitropoulos on the subsequent compositional path of Sicilianos.