Philharmonic Society of Corfu
Encyclopedia
The Philharmonic Society of Corfu (Philarmoniki Etaireia Kerkyras, Φιλαρμονική Εταιρεία Κερκύρας) is today widely known as a community band
in Corfu, Greece
. However, when it was founded in 1840, its initial scope was to become the first Greek music academy organised on European prototypes. Its first Artistic Director was Nikolaos Halikiopulos Mantzaros, who retained this office until his death in 1872. The Phiharmonic (PSC) had a fully organised programme of tuition both in music
theory
and practice. Its students, who for the first time in modern Hellenic history could learn music regardless of their social class, had the opportunity to be taught by professional musicians and teachers basic music theory, harmony, counterpoint, instrumentation, composition, as well as piano, vocal music, string and wind instruments.
The tuition of the latter category found its artistic expression through the wind band of the philharmonic, an ensemble, which became very popular by developing into an integral part of public and religious festivities. Nonetheless, the popularity of the band (which was the fourth civilian band of the Ionian Islands
after those of Zante (1816), Argostoli (1836) and Lixouri (1838) in Kefalonia
) was so strong, that in the end in the public opinion of Corfu 'band' became synonymous to the 'philharmonic'. This misunderstanding, however, became gradually a reality, especially after the Second World War, mainly because of the financial problems that a non-governmental institution like PSC came across. as well as a result of the shortage of professional teachers.
Nonetheless, it was only in 1907, as well as during 1930s when the symphonic orchestra of the society performed in the Municipal Theatre of Corfu
, to much critical acclaim. The symphonic orchestra of the Philharmonic made sporadic appearances until the early postwar years. Since 2003 the orchestra has again commenced its activities (as a result of the re-organization of the tuition of the string instruments within the Society).
In 1979 Maria Desylla-Kapodistria, former mayor of Corfu and the first female mayor in Greece, bequeathed the Kapodistrias summer home under contract No. 4541/3.11.1979 to the Reading Society of Corfu, the Philharmonic Society of Corfu and the Society of Corfiote Studies for the purpose of converting it to a museum dedicated to the memory of Ioannis Kapodistrias
. The Kapodistrias Museum
, under the stewardship of the three societies, was formally inaugurated in 1981.
The Museum of the Corfu Philharmonic Society «Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros» consists of five thematic sections, which present its activities and history:
I) Foundation, Administration, Organization: Features historical documents related to the Society’s early days and organization.
II) Educational activities: Presents documents and artifacts related to the music pedagogy within the limits of the Society.
III) The concerts: The Philharmonic as a concert society for vocal and orchestral music.
IV) The wind band: Documents, scores, instruments and artifacts related to the repertory and the activities of the Society’s wind band.
V) The people and their work: Important composers and teachers, who related themselves through their presence and their works with the history of the Society, as well as with the development of art music in 19th-century Greece. Scores by Spyridon Samaras
(Spiro Samara), Pavlos Carrer
(Paolo Carrer), the Liberali brothers, Spyridon Xyndas
, Domenikos Padovanis, Dionissios Rodotheatos, Alexander Grek, Napoleon Lambelet, Andreas Seiler, as well as women composers from Ionian Islands are exhibited in this section.
The Museum also organizes an annual circle of musicological lectures and has initiated a series of musicological publications.
The Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 09.30 until 13.30. The entrance is free. More information in http://museum.fek.gr
External Links
Bibliography
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
in Corfu, Greece
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. However, when it was founded in 1840, its initial scope was to become the first Greek music academy organised on European prototypes. Its first Artistic Director was Nikolaos Halikiopulos Mantzaros, who retained this office until his death in 1872. The Phiharmonic (PSC) had a fully organised programme of tuition both in music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
theory
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
and practice. Its students, who for the first time in modern Hellenic history could learn music regardless of their social class, had the opportunity to be taught by professional musicians and teachers basic music theory, harmony, counterpoint, instrumentation, composition, as well as piano, vocal music, string and wind instruments.
The tuition of the latter category found its artistic expression through the wind band of the philharmonic, an ensemble, which became very popular by developing into an integral part of public and religious festivities. Nonetheless, the popularity of the band (which was the fourth civilian band of the Ionian Islands
Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
after those of Zante (1816), Argostoli (1836) and Lixouri (1838) in Kefalonia
Kefalonia
The island of Cephalonia, also known as Kefalonia, Cephallenia, Cephallonia, Kefallinia, or Kefallonia , is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece, with an area of . It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit...
) was so strong, that in the end in the public opinion of Corfu 'band' became synonymous to the 'philharmonic'. This misunderstanding, however, became gradually a reality, especially after the Second World War, mainly because of the financial problems that a non-governmental institution like PSC came across. as well as a result of the shortage of professional teachers.
Nonetheless, it was only in 1907, as well as during 1930s when the symphonic orchestra of the society performed in the Municipal Theatre of Corfu
Municipal Theatre of Corfu
The Municipal Theatre of Corfu was τhe main theatre and opera house in Corfu, Greece, from 1902 to 1943. The theatre was the successor of the Nobile Teatro di San Giacomo di Corfù, which became the Corfu city hall. It was destroyed during a Luftwaffe aerial bombardment in 1943...
, to much critical acclaim. The symphonic orchestra of the Philharmonic made sporadic appearances until the early postwar years. Since 2003 the orchestra has again commenced its activities (as a result of the re-organization of the tuition of the string instruments within the Society).
In 1979 Maria Desylla-Kapodistria, former mayor of Corfu and the first female mayor in Greece, bequeathed the Kapodistrias summer home under contract No. 4541/3.11.1979 to the Reading Society of Corfu, the Philharmonic Society of Corfu and the Society of Corfiote Studies for the purpose of converting it to a museum dedicated to the memory of Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias |Academy of Athens]] Critical Observations about the 6th-Grade History Textbook"): "3.2.7. Σελ. 40: Δεν αναφέρεται ότι ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Κερκυραίος ευγενής." "...δύο ιστορικούς της Aκαδημίας κ.κ...
. The Kapodistrias Museum
Kapodistrias Museum
The Kapodistrias Museum or Kapodistrias Museum–Centre of Kapodistrian Studies is a museum dedicated to the memory and life's work of Ioannis Kapodistrias. It is located in the area Koukouritsa of Evropouli in Corfu, Greece...
, under the stewardship of the three societies, was formally inaugurated in 1981.
Music Museum 'Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros' of the Corfu Philharmonic Society
The Museum of the Corfu Philharmonic Society, which occupies the first floor of the Society's building (Nikiforou Theotoki 10), opened for the public on September 18th 2010. The Museum attempts to present in brief the history of the institution after almost two centuries of incessant activity (which coincides with some of the most dramatic periods of modern history). Moreover, the Museum honours Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros (1795-1872), the Society’s first artistic director (1841-1872), composer –among others– of the Greek national anthem, well-known music teacher and contrapuntist, as well as inspirer of a whole generation of composers that shaped the music of Ionian Islands, and not only, during 19th century.The Museum of the Corfu Philharmonic Society «Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros» consists of five thematic sections, which present its activities and history:
I) Foundation, Administration, Organization: Features historical documents related to the Society’s early days and organization.
II) Educational activities: Presents documents and artifacts related to the music pedagogy within the limits of the Society.
III) The concerts: The Philharmonic as a concert society for vocal and orchestral music.
IV) The wind band: Documents, scores, instruments and artifacts related to the repertory and the activities of the Society’s wind band.
V) The people and their work: Important composers and teachers, who related themselves through their presence and their works with the history of the Society, as well as with the development of art music in 19th-century Greece. Scores by Spyridon Samaras
Spyridon Samaras
Spyridon-Filiskos Samaras was a Greek composer particularly admired for his operas who was part of the generation of composers that heralded the works of Giacomo Puccini...
(Spiro Samara), Pavlos Carrer
Pavlos Carrer
Pavlos Carrer was a Greek composer.Carrer was born in Zakynthos. He studied in Zakynthos and in Corfu. In the early 1850s he moved to Milan, where his first operas and ballets were performed at the stages of the Teatro Carcano and the Teatro alla Canobbiana. In the same city he published some of...
(Paolo Carrer), the Liberali brothers, Spyridon Xyndas
Spyridon Xyndas
Spyridon Xyndas or Spiridione Xinda was a Greek composer and guitarist, whose last name has also been transliterated as "Xinta", "Xinda", "Xindas" and "Xyntas".-Biography:...
, Domenikos Padovanis, Dionissios Rodotheatos, Alexander Grek, Napoleon Lambelet, Andreas Seiler, as well as women composers from Ionian Islands are exhibited in this section.
The Museum also organizes an annual circle of musicological lectures and has initiated a series of musicological publications.
The Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 09.30 until 13.30. The entrance is free. More information in http://museum.fek.gr
External Links
- http://www.fek.gr
- http://museum.fek.gr
Bibliography
- Kostas Kardamis, “Corfu Philharmonic Society: An overview of its history”, in Six Essays for the Corfu Philharmonic Society, (Publications of the Museum of Music “Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros, vol. 1) (Corfu: Corfu Philharmonic Society, 2010), 13-36
- Spyridon Motsenigos, Neoelliniki moussiki [Neohellenic Music] (Athens, 1958)