Giannis Konstantinidis

Giannis Konstantinidis ( Greek Γιάννης Κωνσταντινίδης , also transcribed as Yiannis or Iannis and Constantinidis ; * August 21, 1903 in Smyrna (today Izmir ); † January 17, 1984 in Athens ) was a Greek composer of classical music, pianist and conductor who performed under the pseudonym Kostas Giannidis (gr. Κώστας Γιαννίδης) was also a successful composer of popular Greek songs.

Life

Konstantinidis was born into a wealthy upper-class family in Smyrna, originally from Zagora on the Pelion . He grew up in the liberal climate of the city, which at that time had 40 theaters in which operas and operettas were given. He received his first lessons in harmony as a child from Dimosthenis Milanakis . In addition, the folk music of the workers from the suburbs of Smyrna and that of the peasant population from the rural area around the city was formative for him. In April 1922, shortly before the Turks recaptured Smyrna in the Greco-Turkish War , Konstantinidis left his hometown and first went to Dresden , then in January 1923 to Berlin , where he stayed until 1930. Here he studied composition with Paul Juon (1923–24), piano with Karl Rössler , conducting with Carl Ehrenberg and orchestration with Kurt Weill . In Berlin he met the Schönberg student Nikos Skalkottas , with whom he became friends. Since his family could no longer support him financially after the destruction of Smyrna, he worked as a pianist in cabaret and film shows as well as on the radio and thus for the most important new media of the Roaring Twenties . As a composer he appeared for the first time under the pseudonym Costa Dorres in 1927 with the world premiere of the operetta Der Liebesbazillus in Stralsund.

In 1931 Konstantinidis moved to Athens , where he mainly worked as a composer of popular songs to secure his livelihood. From 1946 to 1952 he was head of the light music department at the Greek State Radio (EIR), and from 1952 to 1960 music director at the Greek Armed Forces Radio. After 1960 he worked as a freelance composer. For his popular compositions, he used the pseudonym Kostas Giannidis to distinguish it from the equally successful Grigoris Konstantinidis . Composed piano music as well as a variety of art songs. In the 1960s he was successful in some hit competitions. The song Xypna agapi mou (Ξύπνα αγάπη μου, for example, 'Wach auf, mein Liebste') won the first award for singer Nana Mouskouri , who took first place in the competition of the Festival Internacional del Mediterráno in Barcelona in 1960. The singers Angela Zilia and Keti Belinda were also successful with his songs.

Works

As Giannidis, Konstantinidis created over 50 stage works, seven film scores and numerous individual songs and hits. Under his real name he composed mainly inspired by Greek folk music, in the style of late Romantic works that make him a late representative of the Greek National School . His song works are particularly numerous in the field of classical music.

Operettas

• The love bacillus, 1927
• Koumbara (Κουμπάρα), 1932
• Etsi ine i zoi (Έτσι είναι η Ζωή 'This is life'), libretto: D. Evangelidis
• Koritsia tis Pandrias (Κορίτσια της Παντρειάς), libretto: D. Evangelidis and Alexandros Sakellarios
• Reportaz (Ρεπορτάζ 'Reportage'), libretto: D. Giannoukakis

Musical comedies

• Alepou (Αλεπού), 1940
• Panathinea (Παναθήναια ' Panathenaic Mountains '), 1940
• Kolokythia (Κολοκυθιά), text: D. Giannoukakis, 1933
• Keramida (Κεραμίδα)
• Maskot (Μασκώτ)
• Koketta (Κοκέττα)
• Silouetta (Σιλουέττα), 1938
• Apergia (Απεργία), 1936
• Peripeties stin eparxia (Περιπέτειες στην επαρχία 'Adventure in the Province'), text: Alexandros Sakellarios and Christos Giannakopoulos
• Alithies ke psefties (Αλήθειες και ψευτιές 'truths and lies'), text: D. Giannoukakis, 1933
• Zito o Romios (Ζήτω ο Ρωμηός), text: M. Traiforos, 1947

Orchestral works

• Dodecanese Suite No. 1 (Δωδεκανησιακή σουΐτα Αρ. 1)
• Dodecanese Suite No. 2 (Δωδεκανησιακή σουΐτα Αρ. 2)
• Three Greek dances (Τρεις ελληνικοί Χοροί)
• Cycladic dance (Κυκλαδίτικος Χορός)
• Asia Minor Rhapsody (Μικρασιατική Ραψωδία)

Chamber music

• 22 songs and dances of the Dodecanese (22 τραγούδια και χοροί από τα Δωδεκάνησα) for piano, 1943–46
• Small suite on Dodecanese themes (Μικρή Σουίτα σε δωδεκανησιακά θέματα) for violin and piano, 1947
• 44 children's pieces on topics of folk music (44 παιδικά κομμάτια σε λαϊκά θέματα) for piano, 1950–51, published in the USA in 1957 as Greek Miniatures
• Three sonatinas for piano, 1952
• Eight Dances from Greek Islands (8 νησιώτικοι ελληνικοί χοροί) for piano, 1954
• Six etudes on Greek rhythms of folk music (6 σπουδές σε ελληνικούς λαϊκούς ρυθμούς) for piano, 1956–58
• Ten Greek Wise Men (10 ελληνικοί σκοποί) for wind quintet, 1972

Vocal music

• Five songs of expectation (5 τραγούδια της προσμονής) after Rabindranath Tagore for mezzo-soprano and piano, 1924–80
• Five love songs (5 τραγούδια της αγάπης), 1930–31
• 20 songs of the Greek people (20 τραγούδια του ελληνικού λαού), 1937-47
• Eight Dodecanese and eight songs from Asia Minor (8 Δωδεκανησιακά και 8 Μικρασιατικά τραγούδια) for mixed choir a cappella , 1972

literature

• Takis Kalogeropoulos: Giannis Konstandinidis , in: Lexiko tis Ellinikis mousikis , Athens 1998–99 ( online at wiki.musicportal.gr)
• Níkos A. Dondas (Ed.): Program for To mikróvio tou érota, Athens National Opera, Athens 2009/10

Sound carrier

• Yiannis Constantinidis: Works For Orchestra (complete recording of the orchestral works), Bulgarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Byron Fidetzis , Lyra CD 0169 (1995)

Web links

• Kostas Yannidis in the Internet Movie Database (English)