Kostas Giannidis Explained

Ioannis Constantinidis (Greek: Ιωάννης Κωνσταντινίδης), also known by the pen name Kostas Giannidis (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Κώστας Γιαννίδης) (21 August 1903 – 17 January 1984) was a Greek composer, pianist and conductor.^[1]

Constantinidis was born in Smyrna (today Izmir) in 1903. He came to Greece after the destruction of Smyrna and continued his studies in Berlin (1923–1931). He returned to Athens and worked as a conductor and composer at the musical theater composing many operettas, musical comedies, and revues. He would sign and publish his popular works as Kostas Giannidis, and his classical compositions as his birth name.

He died in Athens in 1984.

Works

Constantinidis wrote symphonic, chamber music, music for films, compositions for piano, artsongs, and many popular songs.

Film music

He composed music for seven Greek movies, including:

• Οι Γερμανοί Ξανάρχονται (The Germans Strike Again)
• Ο μεθύστακας (The Drunkard)

Notes and References

1. Nina-Maria Jaklitsch Manolis Kalomiris (1883–1962), Nikos Skalkottas (1904–1949): Griechische Kunstmusik zwischen Nationalschule und Moderne, 2003, page 304: "...bildete Giannis Konstantinidis (Γιάννης Κωνσταντινίδης, 1903-1984), der mit Skalkottas schon seit dessen Berliner Jahren bekannt war, und der unter dem Pseudonym Kostas Giannidis in Athen Operetten, Revuen, Film- und Unterhaltung..."