Mantzaros, Nicolaos
Mantzaros, Nicolaos
Mantzaros, Nicolaos, Greek composer and pedagogue; b. Corfu, Oct. 26, 1795; d. there, March 30,1872. He was born into a wealthy family. Following initial training with Barbarti in Corfu, he studied with Zingarelli at the Cons. di S. Sebastiano (1825–26), and its success, the Cons. di S. Pietro a Majella (1826–27), in Naples. After additional private instruction from Zingarelli (until 1832), he devoted himself to composing and teaching in Corfu. As a teacher, Mantzaros did not accept payment from his students and assisted the poorer ones financially. His most notable pupil was Spyridon Xyndas. Mantzaros was the founder-president of the Società Filarmonica di Corfu. As the most important Greek composer of his day, he greatly influenced his successors. His works reveal his Italian training, with some infusions of Greek folk songs and Byzantine music. Among his works are orch. pieces, choral music, part songs, and arrangements; 24 bars from his first setting of the Hymnos is tin eleftherian (Hymn to Liberty) for 4 Voices and Piano became the Greek national anthem.
—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire