Nikolaos
Chalikiopoulos-Mantzaros (1795-1872)
founded the first modern school of music in Greece,
during the British
Protectorate. Greeks universally honour him, as the composer of the Greek
National Anthem, for it was he who set to music in 1830 the ‘Hymn
to Liberty’
by the poet Dionysos Solomos. Mantzaros composed 14 symphonies and
other music both religious and secular.
Mantzaros trained a great number of composers
and musicians, among them, Spyros Xyndas (1814-1896), who composed the
first Greek opera ‘The Candidate’.
Spyros
Samaras (1861-1917) is the
most distinguished Corfiot composer. He is considered one of the founders of
the contemporary School of Italian opera.
He wrote nine operas, which were performed in the principal theatres of Italy
and Germany. Samaras composed the Olympic Hymn to lines by the poet Kostis
Palamas.
The two brothers Napoleon and George
Lambelet hold a special position among Corfiot composers. The former
composed Greek popular songs and the latter, Greek national folk songs.
Among the Corfiot composers
of the nineteenth century we mention Leonidas Albanas, two brothers
Anthony (1814-1842) and Joseph (1820-1899) Liberali,
Joseph (1846-1922) and Spyridon (1857-1946) Kaisaris, who were the
first to organize military brass bands in Greece, and Alexandros Grek
(1876-1959).
The first
music institution in Corfu and in the whole of modern Greece was founded on
the 12th of September 1840, under the title of the
Philharmonic Society of Corfu (called the ‘Old
Philharmonic’). More recent ones are called ‘Mantzaros
Philharmonic Society’ founded in 1890 and ‘Capodistrias
Philharmonic
Union’
founded in 1980. The main purpose of the three Corfiot Philharmonic Societies
is to provide young men and women with free tuition in instrumental music.
Corfu also
possesses a
School of Music,
founded in 1894, where a number of classical instruments are taught. There are
also three choral societies, two of them founded in modern times. Municipality
of Corfu has recently founded a Symphony Orchestra with Choir.
Bibliography:
STAMATOPOULOS, N.: Old
Corfu, History
and Culture,
K. Mihalas s.a., Athens, 1993
KOSTIS PALAMAS
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