Dimitris Semsis (Salonikios)

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Dimitris Semsis ( Greek Δημήτρης Σέμσης , artist name Salonikios Σαλονικιός, * about 1881 in Stromnitsa Στρώμνιτσα; Ottoman Empire , Salonica Vilayet (Βιλαέτι της Θεσσαλονίκης), today Macedonia ; † 13. January 1950 in Athens ) was a Greek Rembetikomusiker and violinist .

childhood

Dimitris Semsis came from a family of musicians. His grandfather and father Michalis were violin makers and violinists . Musically he was taught mainly by his father. He learned in the traditional way by listening and making music with his father and grandfather. The father recognized his talent early on and saved money to send him to class in Thessaloniki , for which the ten-year-old was not yet ready.

Travel years

In 1896 he joined a circus band. In the following years he traveled through Persia , Arabia , Palestine , Egypt and to Ethiopia . He was repeatedly in Constantinople, where he also spent a longer period between 1909 and 1912. Another trip took him to Smyrna in 1914 . On his travels he got to know different musical traditions, including Turkish and Persian music , which expanded his musical expression and repertoire.

Thessaloniki

Here he met his first wife, Sonchoula geb. Bochor Hanne, know. The daughter Enriquette emerged from the marriage. This marriage fell apart. In 1919 he returned to his native Stromnitsa, which became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after the First World War . At the end of 1919 the family moved to Thessaloniki . In 1921 he married the eighteen-year-old Dimitra Kanoula, the younger sister of the musician Kostas Kanoulas (from Sokia (Σώκια) in Asia Minor, today's Söke ). Until the end of 1926 they lived in the Tsinari district, which was predominantly inhabited by Jewish and Turkish merchants. During this time he became a well-known musician in Greece.

Athens

In 1926 he made his first trip to Athens to take part in music recordings by Dimitris Kalinikos (Arapakis) and Andonis Diamantidis (Dalgas) as violinist. During this time he was given the name Salonikios . He was the first instrumentalist whose name was published on a record label, which was previously only reserved for singers. He was entrusted with the artistic direction of the newly founded record companies Columbia and His Master's Voice , because he also possessed the ability to read scores, which was seldom found at the time. Over a period of almost 20 years it was his job to select repertoire, singers and musicians. He settled in Athens in 1927. In 1929 his first song Kamomatou Smyrnia (Καμωματού Σμυρνιά) with Andonis Diamantidis (Dalgas) was published. He made sound recordings with many greats of his time, such as Roza Eskenazy , Rita Abatzi , Andonis Diamantidis, Stellakis Perpiniadis, and Stratos Pagioumtzis . He canceled a planned tour through the USA because of the death of his son Nikos (* 1929 - † November 7, 1948).

After a brief illness, Dimitris Semsis died of cancer on January 13, 1950 in Athens.

Trivia

  • In Constantinople Dimitris was hired to play in the palace before Sultan Abdülhamid II . Because of his youth, the harem ladies were allowed to watch the performance unveiled.
  • Dimitri's eldest son, Michalis Semsis (* 1923 in Thessaloniki, † May 3, 1987 in Athens) was a violinist and played in the ERT orchestra . In 1980 he founded the Elliniki Kamerata. His son Dimitris Semsis (* 1959 in Munich ) is also a violinist, his son Stamos Semsis (* 1964 in Athens) works as a violinist and composer. He has u. a. worked with Melina Kana , Giorgos Dalaras and Paul McCartney .

music

With Roza Eskenazy

  • Ime Prezakias (Είμαι Πρεζάκιας) [1] ( WMV ; 13.4 MB); To Kanarini (Το Καναρίνι); I Babesa (Η Μπαμπέσα); O Xenitevmenos (O Ξενητευμένος)

With Rita Abatzi

  • Ferenze (Φερενζέ); Xanthi Evreopoula (Ξανθή Εβραιοπούλα); Strive spango (Στρίβε σπάγκο); Mi me stelnis mana stin Ameriki (Mη με στέλνεις μάνα στην Αμερική); Manes Karip Hedzaz

With Stratos Pagioumtzis

  • O boemis (Ο μποέμης)

Instrumental recordings

I Karsona (Η καρσόνα) and Strive spango (Στρίβε σπάγκο) were also recorded by Haris Alexiou .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lisbet Torp: Salonikiós: "the Best Violin in the Balkans", 1993, Museum Tusculanum Press, ISBN 87-7289-224-2 , pages 14-15
  2. ↑ Lisbet Torp: Salonikiós: "the Best Violin in the Balkans", 1993, Museum Tusculanum Press, ISBN 87-7289-224-2 , page 16
  3. ↑ Lisbet Torp: Salonikiós: "the Best Violin in the Balkans", 1993, Museum Tusculanum Press, ISBN 87-7289-224-2 , page 16

literature

  • Lisbet Torp: Salonikiós: "the best violin in the Balkans" . Museum Tusculanum Press, 1993, ISBN 87-7289-224-2
personal data
SURNAME Semsis, Dimitris
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Σέμσης, Δημήτρης (Greek); Salonikios, Σαλονικιός (Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek Rembetiko musician and violin player
DATE OF BIRTH around 1881
PLACE OF BIRTH Stromnitsa , Vilâyet Saloniki , Ottoman Empire (now Macedonia )
DATE OF DEATH January 13, 1950
Place of death Athens , Greece