Kostas Skarvelis
Encyclopedia
Kostas Skarvelis was a Greek
composer of popular music, οf the genre of rembetiko (ρεμπέτικο) in particular. He also wrote the lyrics for his songs and was an excellent guitar
player, having participated in many recordings.
in Egypt and eventually in Athens, Greece some time between 1915 and 1920. Before starting his career as a professional musician, Skarvelis worked as a specialist craftsman in the manufacturing of luxury shoes.
Following the defeat of the Greek Army in Asia Minor
in 1922 and the expulsion of most Greeks from Turkey (and eventually a formal exchange of populations
), Skarvelis was reunited in Greece with many musicians from those areas who arrived as refugees and with whom he shared a musical background. Notable among them: Antonis Diamantidis (Dalgkas), Kostas Karipis, Spyros Peristeris, Rita Abatzi
, Grigoris Asikis
. It was then that he started his professional career, initially as a guitarist and later as a composer as well.
Skarvelis eventually rose to the position of artistic director in the recording industry in 1930. From that position he further influenced the evolution of Greek music. He also helped with the instrumentation and as a guitarist in the recordings of most composers and artists he collaborated with.
Skarvelis continued to work as a live guitarist. Among others he worked with, he accompanied the famous Tetras (Markos Vamvakaris
, Giorgos Batis, Stratos Pagioumtzis, Anestos Delias) in many of their performances.
He died of hunger on 8 April 1942 as a result of the occupation of Greece by the Axis
during the Second World War, sharing the fate of hundreds of thousands of Greeks.
, Kostas Roukounas
, Stellakis Perpiniadis
, Marika Frantzeskopoulou, Kostas Tsanakos, Markos Vamvakaris
, Apostolos Chatzichristos. Among those, the lion's share belongs to Kavouras.
As a lyricist, Skarvelis mostly wrote songs about love. The majority belong to the sub-genre of hasapiko
(χασάπικο), of which he explored all variations. His musical signature is considered most representative of the Constantinopolitan urban musical tradition .
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
composer of popular music, οf the genre of rembetiko (ρεμπέτικο) in particular. He also wrote the lyrics for his songs and was an excellent guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
player, having participated in many recordings.
Life
Skarvelis grew up in Istanbul, which at the time still had a significant Greek population. Due to unspecified adversities, during his childhood he was unable to attend a Greek school, hence lacked basic writing skills. He was nevertheless able to pursue his interest in music and had, by the age of 17, become a very good guitar player. Early in his adulthood he fled the country, never again to return, in order to avoid being drafted into the Turkish Army. He first settled in AlexandriaAlexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
in Egypt and eventually in Athens, Greece some time between 1915 and 1920. Before starting his career as a professional musician, Skarvelis worked as a specialist craftsman in the manufacturing of luxury shoes.
Following the defeat of the Greek Army in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
in 1922 and the expulsion of most Greeks from Turkey (and eventually a formal exchange of populations
Treaty of Lausanne
The Treaty of Lausanne was a peace treaty signed in Lausanne, Switzerland on 24 July 1923, that settled the Anatolian and East Thracian parts of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. The treaty of Lausanne was ratified by the Greek government on 11 February 1924, by the Turkish government on 31...
), Skarvelis was reunited in Greece with many musicians from those areas who arrived as refugees and with whom he shared a musical background. Notable among them: Antonis Diamantidis (Dalgkas), Kostas Karipis, Spyros Peristeris, Rita Abatzi
Rita Abatzi
Rita Abatzi was a Greek rebetiko musician who began her career in the first part of the 1930s.She was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, now İzmir, Turkey. A versatile singer of rebetiko, Smyrneika and other music, she was a popular performer on gramophone records in the 1930s...
, Grigoris Asikis
Grigoris Asikis
Grigoris Asikis was a Greek singer and songwriter of urban Greek music, Rembetiko. He wrote lyrics for most of the songs he recorded and played the outi .-Personal life:...
. It was then that he started his professional career, initially as a guitarist and later as a composer as well.
Skarvelis eventually rose to the position of artistic director in the recording industry in 1930. From that position he further influenced the evolution of Greek music. He also helped with the instrumentation and as a guitarist in the recordings of most composers and artists he collaborated with.
Skarvelis continued to work as a live guitarist. Among others he worked with, he accompanied the famous Tetras (Markos Vamvakaris
Markos Vamvakaris
Markos Vamvakaris , was a rebetiko musician. He is universally referred to by rebetiko writers and fans simply by his first name, Markos...
, Giorgos Batis, Stratos Pagioumtzis, Anestos Delias) in many of their performances.
He died of hunger on 8 April 1942 as a result of the occupation of Greece by the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
during the Second World War, sharing the fate of hundreds of thousands of Greeks.
Work
Skarvelis composed hundreds of songs (recordings survive of over 200 of them). The voices he collaborated with for the recording of his songs include Giorgos Kavouras, Rita AbatziRita Abatzi
Rita Abatzi was a Greek rebetiko musician who began her career in the first part of the 1930s.She was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, now İzmir, Turkey. A versatile singer of rebetiko, Smyrneika and other music, she was a popular performer on gramophone records in the 1930s...
, Kostas Roukounas
Kostas Roukounas
Konstantinos Roukounas was a Greek singer. His repertoire included both "traditional" and "popular" songs . Most notable is his contribution to the subgenre of rebetiko...
, Stellakis Perpiniadis
Stelios Perpiniadis
Stelios Perpiniadis , better known as Stellakis , was a Greek folk musician who wrote, sang, and played guitar in the rebetiko style. He was the father of another well-known Greek folk musician, Vangelis Perpiniadis....
, Marika Frantzeskopoulou, Kostas Tsanakos, Markos Vamvakaris
Markos Vamvakaris
Markos Vamvakaris , was a rebetiko musician. He is universally referred to by rebetiko writers and fans simply by his first name, Markos...
, Apostolos Chatzichristos. Among those, the lion's share belongs to Kavouras.
As a lyricist, Skarvelis mostly wrote songs about love. The majority belong to the sub-genre of hasapiko
Hasapiko
The Hasapiko , is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers guild, which adopted it from the military of Byzantine era. In Constantinople during the Byzantine times, it was called in Greek...
(χασάπικο), of which he explored all variations. His musical signature is considered most representative of the Constantinopolitan urban musical tradition .
Content notes
- Officially renamed to IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
only much later, in 1930.