Canto General (1973)

Mikis Theodorakis (1925), Greece

Canto General is the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's tenth book of poems which was begun to compose in 1938 and was first published in Mexico in 1950.
Mikis Theodorakis (θεοδωράκης μίκης) wrote the music for “Canto General” in Paris, where he lived after leaving Greece because of being arrested and exiled for his political activities against the dictatorship after the military coup in 1961. He composed an oratorio for two voices, mixed choir and orchestra in 7 movements. The first concert was to be held in the stadium of Santiago, Chile in September 1973. However, a few days before the concert the military junta under Pinochet overthrows and assassinates Allende and the concert was postponed indefinitely. A few days after the coup in Chile Neruda died from leukemia.
Two years later, After the fall of the Colonels in Greek the world premiere was held on August 13, 1975, at the Karaiskakis-Stadium, Pireus and on August 16, 1975, at the Panathinaikos-Stadium, Athens. With this Mikis Theodorakis celebrated a triumphal homecoming.
By 1981, Theodorakis had completed the oratorio to its now valid form in 13 movements. There are two recordings available of the complete opus (1981 conducted by Theodorakis as well, and 1989 conducted by Loukas Karytinos).
Theodorakis had made the promise, on hearing of Neruda's death, to play at least one part of the Canto General in each of his popular concerts until Chile's liberation from the dictatorship.
In 1993, Theodorakis could at last conduct his score in Chile and pay homage at the tomb of Neruda.
Sources:
http://www.mikis-theodorakis.net/canto-e.html
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canto_General_(Theodorakis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canto_General_(1975_album)

پابلو نرودا شاعر شیلیایی کتاب شعری دارد با نام
Canto General
حاوی اشعاری درباره‌ی مردم، طبیعت، قهرمانان و مبارزان قاره‌اش که کتاب مقدس امریکای لاتین لقب گرفته. میکیس تئودوراکیس آهنگساز یونانی هنگامی که به دلیل مبارزات خود علیه دیکتاتوری نظامی یونان به پاریس تبعید شده بود بر اساس اشعار این کتاب هفت قطعه‌ی موسیقی ساخت. او بنا داشت نخستین بار این کنسرت را با اجرای ماریا فارانتوری و پتروس پاندیس درسپتامبر 1973 در شیلی دوره‌ی ریاست جمهوری آلنده اجرا کند. ولی درست چند روز پیش از این اجرا، کودتای نظامی امریکایی ژنرال پینوشه دولت شیلی را سرنگون کرد. سالوادور آلنده کشته شد و کشور برای بیش از پانزده سال تحت حکومت خودکامه‌ی نظامیان قرار گرفت. پابلو نرودا کمتر از دو هفته پس از کودتا به دلیل سرطان خون درگذشت
دو سال بعد، پس از رهایی یونان از حکومت دیکتاتورها، تئودوراکیس به یونان بازگشت و این موسیقی را در استادیوم شهر آتن اجرا کرد
تئودوراکیس که هنگام شنیدن خبر مرگ پابلو نرودا با خود عهد بسته بود که قطعه‌ای از این موسیقی را بر مزار او اجرا کند، در سال 1993، وقتی که بساط خودکامگان شیلی هم جمع شده بود به آنجا رفت و به عهد خود وفا کرد

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

Maria Farantouri (1947)

Petros Pandis

- - -

This post is a little different from former posts. It introduces different versions of a concert, not an ordinary music.
- Thanks to Wolfgang who sent me a cover of LP and corrected a mistake of mine.

- I am still looking for these versions:

Defects List
No.	Title	Artists	Album (Released)
1	Incomplete (4 movements: Vienen los Pájaros, América Insurrecta, Vegetaciones and Los Libertadores)	Director: Mikis Theodorakis Soloists: Maria Farantouri, Petros Pandis The National Choir of France with director Jacques Grimbert	Paris, studio recording canto general sur le poeme de pablo neruda: fete de l'humanité (1974)
2	Complete (13 movements)	Conducted by Mikis Theodorakis and Stefan Sköld Soloists: Mary Preus, Petros Pandis produced by Patricia Porter and recorded by Ralph Karsten	St. Paul, Minnesota, live (1988)
3	7 movements of first edition plus A Mi Partido	Director: Franzpeter Müller-Sybel Soloists: Bettina Weichert, Heiner Vogt	Singakademie Chemnitz (1999)
4	7 movements of first edition plus A Mi Partido (sung by Can Tufan) and Amor América (sung by Annekatrin Kupke)	Director: Robert Brüll Soloists: Annekatrin Kupke, Can Tufan Oldenburger Chores bundschuh	In the Garrison Church of Oldenburg (11 and 12 November 2005)

Vocal Versions

1975, 13 & 16 August
Live recording on 13th August 1975 at the Karaiskakis-Stadium, Pireus and on 16th August 1975 at the Panathinaikos-Stadium, Athens
Director: Mikis Theodorakis
Soloists: Maria Farantouri (Μαρία Φαραντούρη), Petros Pandis (Πέτρος Πανδής)
The National Choir of France with director Jacques Grimbert
The percussions of Strasbourg
The Folk Orchestra with director Yiannis Didilis
7 movements plus an introduction, spoken by the Greek theatrical actor Manos Katrakis

Track list:
1. Introduction Amor America.mp3
2. Alguinas bestias.mp3
3. Voy a vivir (1949).mp3
4. Los Libertadores.mp3
5. La United Fruit Co.mp3
6. Vienen Los Pajaros.mp3
7. Vegetaciones.mp3
8. America Insurrecta.mp3

Play:

Download:
Part 1
Part 2
Covers


1980, 14 February
Palast der Republik, Berlin, Live
Director: Mikis Theodorakis
Vocals: Maria Farantouri, Heiner Vogt
Berlin Radio Choir
7 movements of the first edition plus an historical reading Amor America, spoken by Pablo Neruda

Track List:
1. Amor America.mp3
2. Algunas Bestias.mp3
3. Voy a Vivir.mp3
4. Los Libertadores.mp3
5. Vienen los Pajaros.mp3
6. La United Fruit Co.mp3
7. Vegetaciones.mp3
8. America Insurrecta.mp3

Download:
Part 1
Part 2
Covers


1981Olympiahalle, Munich, Live recordingDirector: Mikis TheodorakisVocals: Maria Farantouri, Petros Pandis
Swedish St. Jakob’s Choir, Stockholm orchestra
13 movements, Integral version

Track list:
CD 1
1. Algunas Bestlas.mp3
2. Voy A Vivir.mp3
3. Los Libertadores.mp3
4. A Mi Partido.mp3
5. Lautaro.mp3
6. Vienen Los Pajaros.mp3
CD 2
1. Sandino.mp3
2. Neruda Requiem Eternam.mp3
3. United Fruit.mp3
4. Vegetaciones.mp3
5. Amor America.mp3
6. Emiliano Zapata.mp3
7. America Insurrecta.mp3

Download:
Part 1
Part 2
Covers



1985, 28 & 29 September
Hamburg, studio recording
Director: Irmgard Schleier
Soloists: Arja Saijonmaa, Petros Pandis
9 movements, 6 movements of the first edition plus A Mi Partido, A Las Tierras and Neruda Requim
Track list:
1. Algunas Bestias.mp3
2. Voy a vivir.mp3
3. Los Libertadores.mp3
4. A Mi Partido.mp3
5. A Las Tierras.mp3
6. United Fruit Co..mp3
7. Vienen Los Pajaros.mp3
8. America Insurrecta.mp3
9. Neruda Requiem.mp3

Download:
Part 1
Part 2
Covers


1989, JanuaryBerlin, studio recording for a ballet performance
Director: Loukas KarytinosSoloists: Alexandra Papadjiakou, Frangiskos VoutsinosBerlin Radio Choir
13 movements

Track list:
CD 1
1. Algunas Bestias.mp3
2. Voy A Vivir.mp3
3. Los Libertadores.mp3
4. A Mi Partido.mp3
5. Lautaro.mp3
6. Vienen Los Pajaros.mp3
7. Sandino.mp3
8. Neruda Requiem Eternam.mp3
CD 2
1. La United Fruit Co..mp3
2. Vegetaciones.mp3
3. Amor America.mp3
4. Emiliano Zapata.mp3
5. America Insurrecta.mp3

Download:
Part 1
Part 2
Covers

Instrumental Version

1982
The Athenians, Joel Francisco Perri, Instrumental Version
studio recording at Lamplihgts Studio, Hamburg, Germany
Track 1-5 are instrumental plays of Canto General

Track list:
01. Tupamaros.mp3
02. Pueblo en Lucha.mp3
03. Paola 11099.mp3
04. Libertadores.mp3
05. America Insurrecta.mp3
06. Musica de _Z_-instr..mp3
07. Adelfi Mou.mp3
08. Instr Chassaposerwiko..mp3
09. Tha Gini Aspri Mera Ke Ja Mas.mp3
10. Sta. Chronia Tou Othona.mp3
11. Bouzouki Intro.mp3
12. Kessariani.mp3
13. Foressa Mavra.mp3
14. Maestro Wassilis.mp3
15. Fjochojitonies.mp3
16. Jitonia Ton Agelon.mp3

Download:
Part 1
Part 2
Covers

Mikis Theodorakis, Maria Farantouri, Pablo Neruda and Matilde Urrutia (Neruda's wife) during the rehearsal of Canto General


Mikis Theodorakis, Petros Pandis and Pablo Neruda


Mikis Theodorakis, Petros Pandis, Pablo Neruda and Matilde Urrutia


Maria Farantouri and Petros Pandis

...