Thanassis Skordalos
Encyclopedia
Thanassis Skordalos was a musician from Crete
, noted for playing the lyra
, the bowed string instrument of Crete and most popular surviving form of the medieval Byzantine lyra
.
Skordalos was born in 10 December 1920 in the village Spili of Saint Basil in Rethymno Prefecture
, Crete
.
He finished grammar school in Spili. It was about the same time that he first laid his eyes on the lira. He gave his first performance in front of the Cretans in Athens
- at the historical music hall “Vizantio” in Omonoia Square
. His first recording was in 1946 with the famous “Spiliano Syrto
” where Giannis Markogiannakis was playing the lute. In 1947 when he was 27 years old, he was positioned at the Security Services of the National Bank of Greece
from where he later on retired.
During his long career, Skordalos performed in most of the countries where one can find Cretan immigrants like the United States
, Australia
, Canada
and Africa
. He married Hrisoula Papadaki from Rethimnon and they had two sons and two daughters.
Thanassis Skordalos along with Kostas Mountakis
are considered those lyra
players who offered the most to Cretan music
. Skordalos served Cretan music for 60 years and died on 23 April 1998 at the age of 78. He was and will remain one of the best artists in the Cretan music history with numerous and unique recordings. He is an inspiration for those who follow his footsteps and his legacy continues to motivate the new generations of Cretan music artists.
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, noted for playing the lyra
Lyra (Cretan)
The Cretan lyra is a Greek pear-shaped, three-stringed bowed musical instrument, central to the traditional music of Crete and other islands in the Dodecanese and the Aegean Archipelago, in Greece...
, the bowed string instrument of Crete and most popular surviving form of the medieval Byzantine lyra
Byzantine lyra
The Byzantine lyra or lira , was a medieval bowed string musical instrument in the Byzantine Empire and is an ancestor of most European bowed instruments, including the violin. In its popular form the lyra was a pear-shaped instrument with three to five strings, held upright and played by stopping...
.
Skordalos was born in 10 December 1920 in the village Spili of Saint Basil in Rethymno Prefecture
Rethymno Prefecture
Rethymno is one of the four regional units of Crete, Greece. Its capital is the city of Rethymno. Today its main income is tourism. The countryside is also based economically on agriculture and herding.-Administration:...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
He finished grammar school in Spili. It was about the same time that he first laid his eyes on the lira. He gave his first performance in front of the Cretans in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
- at the historical music hall “Vizantio” in Omonoia Square
Omonoia Square
Omonoia Square is a central square in Athens. It marks the northern corner of the downtown area defined by the city plans of the 19th century, and is one of the city's principal traffic hubs...
. His first recording was in 1946 with the famous “Spiliano Syrto
Syrtos
Syrtos , is the collective name of a group of Greek folk dances. Syrtos, along with its relative kalamatianos, are the most popular dances throughout Greece and are frequently danced by the Greek diaspora worldwide. They are very popular in social gatherings, weddings and religious festivals...
” where Giannis Markogiannakis was playing the lute. In 1947 when he was 27 years old, he was positioned at the Security Services of the National Bank of Greece
National Bank of Greece
The National Bank of Greece is the oldest and largest commercial banking group in Greece. The group has a particularly strong presence in Southeastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean...
from where he later on retired.
During his long career, Skordalos performed in most of the countries where one can find Cretan immigrants like the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. He married Hrisoula Papadaki from Rethimnon and they had two sons and two daughters.
Thanassis Skordalos along with Kostas Mountakis
Kostas Mountakis
Kostas Mountakis was a Greek musician who popularized the traditional music of the island of Crete, primarily with the lyra, the bowed string instrument of Crete and most popular surviving form of the medieval Byzantine lyra. His parents came from the village Kallikratis in Sfakia, Crete...
are considered those lyra
Lyra (Cretan)
The Cretan lyra is a Greek pear-shaped, three-stringed bowed musical instrument, central to the traditional music of Crete and other islands in the Dodecanese and the Aegean Archipelago, in Greece...
players who offered the most to Cretan music
Music of Crete
The music of Crete is a traditional form of Greek folk music called κρητικά . The lyra is the dominant folk instrument on the island; there are three-stringed and four-stringed versions of this bowed string instrument, closely related to the medieval Byzantine lyra. It is often accompanied by the...
. Skordalos served Cretan music for 60 years and died on 23 April 1998 at the age of 78. He was and will remain one of the best artists in the Cretan music history with numerous and unique recordings. He is an inspiration for those who follow his footsteps and his legacy continues to motivate the new generations of Cretan music artists.