Jani Christou

Short bio Jani Christou

Birthday: 1926 in Heliopolis, Egypt

Died: 1970 in Athens, Greece

Active: 1940s - 1960s

Genre: Classical,Avant-Garde,Electronic

Period: Contemporary

Full biography Jani Christou

Jani Christou was a Greek composer known for his avant-garde, experimental music. Born in Egypt in 1926, he later moved to Greece to study law before ultimately turning to music. His compositions were often groundbreaking and ahead of their time, incorporating elements of chance operations and ritualistic performance.

One of Christou's most famous works is "Anaparastasis I," which was performed in 1968 in Athens. The piece involved actors and dancers interacting with unconventional instruments and a giant puzzle that was gradually assembled during the performance. The result was a chaotic but captivating experience that challenged traditional ideas of music and theater.

Christou's work was heavily influenced by his interest in mysticism and spirituality, as well as his experiences living through the tumultuous political and social climate of mid-twentieth-century Greece. He was also highly influenced by his close friend and collaborator, the composer Iannis Xenakis.

Tragically, Christou died in a car accident in 1970 at the age of 44, cutting short what was undoubtedly a fruitful and innovative career. Despite his relatively short life, Christou's work has had a lasting impact on the world of experimental music and continues to be studied and performed to this day.

Compositions featuring Jani Christou

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Anaparastasis I: The Baritone, for baritone & chamber ensemble with small choir	10:55 min	Choral	1977
2	Praxis for string orchestra & piano	9:41 min	Orchestral	1973
3	Enantiodromia for orchestra	12:10 min	Orchestral	1969
4	Anaparastasis III: The Pianist, for instrumental ensemble, continuum tapes & actor	13:55 min	Chamber Music	1968
5	Epicycle, for instruments, actors & voices (continuum & events)	9:41 min	Show/Musical	1968
6	Praxis for 12, for 11 strings & piano	9:03 min	Chamber Music	1967
7	Mysterion, for narrator, actors, 3 choirs, orchestra & tapes		Show/Musical	1965

Albums featuring Jani Christou

#	Сover	Name album	Year	Music label
1		Bébé S'EndortChenyin Li – Pianist 123 (12 Pieces To Learn)(CD, Compilation)	2021	Warners Group Publications Plc
2		Vision!Filippo Mazzoli, Nathalie Dang – Chant dans la Nuit: Flute Music in the Belle Epoque(CD, Album, Stereo)	2020	Dynamic (4)

Videos featuring Jani Christou

Angelica CATHARIOU, mezzo soprano / Nikolaos SAMALTANOS, piano

courtesy of Melism records (Paris, 2020)

Γιάννη ΧΡΗΣΤΟΥ : Έξι τραγούδια σε ποίηση T.S.Eliot

"Eyes that last I saw i

Jani CHRISTOU : Six T. S. Eliot Songs (IV) - Angelica CATHARIOU, mezzo - Nikolaos SAMALTANOS, piano

Jani CHRISTOU : Six T. S. Eliot Songs (IV) -"Eyes that last I saw in tears"

Angelica CATHARIOU, mezzo soprano / Nikolaos SAMALTANOS, piano

courtesy of Melism records (Paris, 2020)

Γιάννη ΧΡΗΣΤΟΥ : Έξι τραγούδια σε ποίηση T.S.Eliot

"Eyes that last I saw i

Jani Christou: Phoenix Music (1948/1949)

Jani Christou (1926-1970): Phoenix Music, for orchestra (in five continuous movements) (1948/1949).

Calmo e profondo, lentamente - Allegro ben ritmato - Con atteggiamento marziale - Mosso ma non troppo, ostinato e angoscioso - Tempo primo, lentamente.

Γιάννης Χρήστου - Jani Christou ‎– 1. Τελευταία Έργα = 1. Late Works (1974, Columbia)

A1 Πράξη Για 12 = Praxis For 12

A2 Αναπαράσταση 1 (Αστρωνκατοιδανυκτερωνομηγυριν) = Anaparastasis 1 (Astronkatithanykteronomigyrin)

B1 Αναπαράσταση 3 (Ο Πιανίστας) = Anaparastasi

Jani Christou - Mysterion

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Jani Christou: Mysterion (1965/1966)

Jani Christou (1926-1970): Mysterion, scenic Oratorio on ancient Egyptian sacred texts, for narrator, three mixed choirs, orchestra, tape and actors (1965/1966).

The Copenhagen Radio Chorus and Orchestra diretta da Miltiadis Karydis.

World première --

Jani Christou: Symphony No.1 (1949/1950)

Jani Christou (1926-1970): Symphony No.1, for mezzo soprano and orchestra in three continuous movements (1949/1950).

Part I

Part II [13:08]

Part III [17:41]

Kitsa Damassiotou, mezzo-soprano

Athens State Orchestra diretta da Alec Sherman.

Greek premiere

Janni Christou .:. Mysterion Prolog Und Sprechertext (Zuspielbänder) 1965-66

Enantiodromie / Praxis / Epicycle / Anaparastasis III / Mysterion / Anaparastasis I / Praxis For 12 , Released : 2001 _ Country : Germany

Σπύρος Σακκάς. Τριλογία από της Βάκχες του Ευριπίδη. Μ. Χατζιδάκι CD 2009

Σπύρος Σακκάς. Τριλογία από της Βάκχες του Ευριπίδη. Μ. Χατζιδάκι. Πιερία, Τι γλύκα, Μοιρολόγι της Αγαύης.

Γιάννης Χρήστου. six songs on t.s. Eliot poems

Giannis (Jani) Christou: Sinfonie Nr 2 (Finale)

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Studio Für Neue Musik diretti da Theodore Antoniou.

World première at the Munich M

Jani Christou: Anaparastasis III (1968)

Jani Christou (1926-1970): Anaparastasis III [The Pianist], for an actor, instrumental ensemble and tapes (1968).

Soloist (part of "The Pianist"): Grigoris Semitekolo.

Studio Für Neue Musik diretti da Theodore Antoniou.

World première at the Munich M

Jani Christou Anaparastasis III (the Pianist) Semitekolo

Jani Christou (1926 - 1970)

Anaparastasis III (The Pianist) for one actor, instrumental ensemble and tapes (1968)

Grigoris Semitekolo (1935 - 2014), performer

Greek TV 1987

With gratitude to: http://www.kaspiris.gr/

Jani Christou: Epicycle II (1969)

Jani Christou (1926-1970): Epicycle II, for tape (1969). Mixed form of EPICYCLE. Mixing (unfinished) arranged by the composer himself based on the recorded material of the performance of EPICYCLE (1968).

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The music published in our channel is exclusi

Angelica CATHARIOU, mezzo soprano / Nikolaos SAMALTANOS, piano

The wind sprang up at four o’clock

The wind sprang up and broke the bells

Swinging between life and death

Here,