Review: The Marvelous Neoclassical Skalkottas

The two major works on this disc out to be in the repertoire of orchestras and wind ensembles everywhere. Skalkottas is best known for his 36 Greek Dances and for his forbidding early, atonal works, but his Sinfonietta and the Classical Symphony (yes, that's what it's called) hold no terrors for today's listener, while at the same time never pandering or sounding facile. They are wonderful works, splendidly played and recorded on this splendid Naxos disc featuring the Athens State Orchestra under Stefanos Tsialis. Get this.