Spyros Peristeris ( el, Σπύρος Περιστέρης; 1900 – 15 March 1966) was a Greek ''
rebetiko
Rebetiko ( el, ρεμπέτικο, ), plural rebetika ( ), occasionally transliterated as rembetiko or rebetico, is a term used today to designate originally disparate kinds of urban Greek music which have come to be grouped together since the s ...
'' composer and a skillful
mandolin and
bouzouki
The bouzouki (, also ; el, μπουζούκι ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', from Greek ), also spelled buzuki or buzuci, is a musical instrument popular in Greece. It is a member of the long-necked lute family, with a round body with a flat top and ...
player.
Biography
Peristeris was born in
Smyrna
Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
,
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. His parents were Aristides, a famous musician who originated from
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, and Despina (née Bekou) who was a
Corsican Greek and an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
citizen. Peristeris learned to play the
mandolin from a young age. Around 1914, his family moved to
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
where Peristeris graduated from the
Italian school, managing to learn Italian and German. He also completed his music studies and was already an acclaimed musician at the age of 18. After the death of his father in 1918, he moved back to Smyrna and substituted him in the direction of the famous
Smyrna Estudiantina (also known as ''ta Politakia'').
After the
destruction of Smyrna in 1922, Peristeris moved to
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, where he soon learned to play the bouzouki and became known as a composer and lyricist. Peristeris could play all
fingerboard string instruments as well as the
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
,
accordion,
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G ...
and
double bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox additions such as the octobass). Similar i ...
. From the early 1930s, he worked as local repertory manager and orchestra leader for several
recording companies (namely Grammophone, Columbia, His Master's Voice, Odeon, Parlophone) in Greece. From these posts, he strongly influenced the direction of rebetiko music. For instance, he was pivotal in persuading
Markos Vamvakaris
Márkos Vamvakáris ( el, Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης; 10 May 1905 – 8 February 1972), was a ''rebetiko'' musician. He is universally referred to by ''rebetiko'' writers and fans simply by his first name, Márkos. The great significance ...
to record his songs sung with his own voice. Parallel to his managerial activities, Peristeris continued to compose and record songs of his own.
Notes
External links
Σπύρος Περιστέρηςfrom rebetiko wiki
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peristeris, Spyros
1900 births
1966 deaths
Greek composers
Rebetiko musicians
Greek bouzouki players
Greek oud players
Greek mandolin players
Greek pianists
Greek songwriters
Smyrniote Greeks
Art directors
20th-century pianists
Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to Greece
Musicians from İzmir