Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Greece

Birth

:

August 21, 1903 in Smyrna, GA

Death

:

1984

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Yannis Constantinidis was a Greek composer who was born on January 18, 1903, in Istanbul, Turkey. He was the son of a Greek family who had migrated to Istanbul from the island of Chios. Constantinidis showed an early interest in music and began studying the piano at the age of six. He later studied music theory and composition with the composer Manolis Kalomiris in Athens. In 1922, Constantinidis moved to Paris to continue his studies at the Schola Cantorum. There, he studied with Vincent d'Indy, Paul Dukas, and Nadia Boulanger. Constantinidis was deeply influenced by the French impressionist composers, particularly Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. He also became interested in the music of Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg, and began experimenting with atonal and serial techniques. In 1927, Constantinidis returned to Greece and began working as a composer and music teacher. He was appointed as a professor of music theory and composition at the Athens Conservatory in 1930, a position he held until 1968. Constantinidis was also a founding member of the Greek Composers' Union, which was established in 1931. Throughout his career, Constantinidis composed music in a variety of genres, including orchestral works, chamber music, vocal music, and music for the theater. His early works were influenced by French impressionism, but he later developed a more personal style that incorporated elements of Greek folk music and Byzantine chant. One of Constantinidis' most famous works is his ballet "The Return of Ulysses," which was premiered in Athens in 1933. The ballet tells the story of Ulysses' return to Ithaca after the Trojan War, and features music that incorporates Greek folk melodies and rhythms. The ballet was a critical and popular success, and helped to establish Constantinidis as one of Greece's leading composers. Another notable work by Constantinidis is his "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra," which was premiered in Athens in 1949. The concerto is in three movements and features virtuosic piano writing and lush orchestration. The work is considered one of Constantinidis' most important contributions to the repertoire of Greek classical music. In addition to his work as a composer, Constantinidis was also a respected musicologist and wrote extensively on the history of Greek music. He was particularly interested in the music of the Byzantine Empire, and published several books on the subject. Yannis Constantinidis died on December 29, 1984, in Athens, Greece. He is remembered as one of Greece's most important composers, and his music continues to be performed and studied today.

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