Agionymo, a compound word from hagios (saint) + onoma (name) (with the initial vowel extended in composition, as in eponymo), refers to anything that bears the name of a saint or even the characteristic “saint” in its name. Naturally, the Agiorgitiko grape also belongs to this category. According to local tradition, as conveyed to me by Panagiotis Lafkiotis, the variety took its name from the Church of Saint George, around which the first vineyards from which the variety spread were planted. What could be more fitting, then, than a namesake composer: Joseph Bologne de Saint-George, in other words, Agiorgitis.

The Chevalier de Saint-Georges (Guadeloupe 1745 – Paris 1799), as he was known in his time, was the first European classical composer of African descent, as his mother was a black slave and his father a French plantation owner. Regardless of the uniqueness of his origin, he quickly became famous as the best… swordsman of his era and simultaneously an exceptional musician: a virtuoso violinist, orchestra conductor, and composer! He was among the first to discover Haydn’s music and introduced the Viennese classical style to France. His compositions for violin concertante may have served as models for Mozart’s corresponding works.

The Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 5 No. 2 (published in 1775) is a mature classical work. It may not possess the harmonic depth characteristic of the great Viennese classical composers, but its expressive virtuosity and structural balance are clear classical values, in the same way that Agionymo is a classic Agiorgitiko: perfectly balanced and enjoyable without exaggeration.

Augustin Hadelich’s performance is as bright as a sunny day in Nemea.