Yiorgos Amarantidis

(1944 – 2013) Yiorgos Amarantidis was born in Kapnohori, Kozani; his parents were refugees from Ano Matsouka of Pontus. At a young age, he started playing the Pontic lyra, in the company of his father Stathis Amarantidis and of local musician refugees from Pontus.

Between 1973 and 1984 he played the lyra at the theater ‘Dora Stratou’ and also performed at many events both in Greece and overseas. He performed at the Opening Ceremony of the World Athletics Championships in Athens in 1977 and also at the celebration for the Olympic Games Centenary at the Kallimarmaro Panathinaiko Stadium. His has a genuine traditional style, which has remained untouched by modern elements.

He has recorded many albums, a list of which includes: Pontiako Glenti (1974 and 1990), Dora Stratou Vol. 3 (1975), Ellinikoi Horoi Vol. 3 (Greek Dances Vol. 3, 1976), Tragoudia kai skopoi tou Pontou (Songs and tunes of Pontus, 1976), Dimotika tragoudia (1978), Pontos apo genia se genia (1978), Paradosiaka tragoudia tou Pontou Vol. 4 (1979), Kai pali Paradosi (1989), Tragoudia tis xenitias (1989), Paradosiako Antamoma (1992).

Sources: www.thesaurus.iema.gr, www.trapezounta.com  

Songs

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  • SongPontusImmigration Song, Wedding Song

A Cretan Ship

  • Ένα καράβι κρητικό ⬥ – A Cretan ship, nor large nor small, just two and forty cubits long, brought me to strange and unknown lands. – O alien, exiled far from home, you walk in strange and unknown lands. – T’was here what I did take to wife a Frankish [...]
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  • SongPontusTrabzonEaster Song, Ritual SongCouplets

Easter Couplets

(Easter Dance)

  • Πασχαλιάτικα δίστιχα ⬥ Easter has come round again, throw out the koukouràs1 and put a red egg laid this year upon the ikon stand2. Glad returns of Easter Day, the day all eat red eggs, glad returns of Easter Day, and all say ‘Christ is Risen’. Easter has come round [...]
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Records

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  • AlbumCD, Digital release1998Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association

Easter Songs

This significant edition aims to convey the spirit of Easter, the Christian feast celebrated amidst the glory and promise of springtime, through the selected rituals of that period of the year and their related sacred songs and tunes. (barcode: 5204910000524)
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  • AlbumCD, Digital release1992UNHCR – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Songs About Greeks Far From Home

This CD, published by UNHCR with an informative booklet, includes sixteen songs narrating different aspects of migrating to foreign lands: departure and life in foreign lands; the lives of families left behind; death in foreign lands or a return home. It marks a new direction to Domna Samiou’s music publications: […]
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  • AlbumDigital release, LP1989UNHCR – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)

This LP includes nineteen songs narrating all the different aspects of migrating in foreign lands: the departure and the life to foreign lands, the life of the family left behind, death in these foreign lands or the return home. This publication of the UNHCR, with its informative accompanying booklet, introduces […]
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