Στρατής Καλογερίδης

(1883 - 1960)

Cretan artist [Composer, Violin] Born at Siteia, Crete, Greece.
He is considered one of the best Cretan violin players along with Αρίστος Σπανακάκης One of the most influencial Cretan musicians. In childhood Kalogeridis, tradition says that he had shown samples strongly talent in music. For this reason, his father bought him a mandolin. In a short time he learned to play in this kondylies and compose music. After his secondary studies, his father sent him to Toulon, , intended him to study the Chemist. Rather not this, Stratis chose to study music in violin atthe Conservatory of Paris. The sudden death of his father, will cause Kalogeridis return to Sitia, since, as it turned out, he remained in sufficient time to fulfill its purpose, the professional specialization.

In addition to the lessons of music took in Toulon, was dealing with the traditional music of his homeland. The score that is dated "Tula 1905" shows that the principle of creating kondylies Fa maggiore, with three shooting took place in . With this kondylies then will show all the music compositional inspiration, within the traditional frameworks and patterns, but also his great virtuosity on the violin.

After his return from , he spent significant time in Sitia, until they are able to establish a business in Heraklion, where again the music is apparent that this happened around the year 1912. At the time of his stay in Sitia, he dealt with the musical tradition of the region. The music that was taking by folk musicians who met in the various villages, not only in the region of Sitia, but also of Mirabello. After settling in Heraklion, will continue his with the folk musicians of the prefecture of Heraklion area which will collect traditional kondylies by lyres, violins and mandolins askomandoura.

In Heraklion, alongside his professional work in the artistic photography he had created, he will work and will spend a lot of time in the processing of the musical material he had collected from folk musicians prefectures of Lasithi and Heraklion. Since this material will subsequently occur in the following projects:

1.This music tracks from kondylies original and adapted. Also original melodies. The recorded this music, it was given to the Municipality of Heraklion and maintained by Vikelea Municipal Library.

2. Based on the above material and supplementary additions and new musical compositions, created the most perfect of musical works in kondylies singing and dancing. This musical The project recorded at discs of 75 rpm.

The Kalogeridis, with these works of his discography became known, loved and applauded as anyone else in the Eastern Crete "and established him in the soul of the general public as a folk bard of Crete" in the words of the late Professor of Musicology at the University George Athens Amarianaki in Collection of "Cretan Music" -ergon of Kalogeridi- issued by him from Heraklion Municipality.

During the pre-1940 period, he made emissions violin and music from the E.I.R, coming to Athens specifically for this purpose.

Professor George Amarianakis says in the Preface of the same collection of "Cretan music" issued the following:

"... .The Kalogeridis achieved something very important. Ie starting from the lore and without departing from it, made elaborate compositions "popular folk compositions," which went back behind the people, recoating the channel of oral tradition and are played by the lyra players even today as -kontylies of Kalogeridi- ... »

And then: "... .On the this view, the contribution of Kalogeridis the maintenance and development of traditional Cretan music, there can be said ...... remarkable acting by recordings from one place rescued many from kondylies ...... another opened a new way to More technical execution of municipal melodies of Eastern Crete mainly ... .. "

The year 1960 is affected by serious illness. Forced to sell some of the violins (had five during his granddaughter) to meet the costs of hospitalization in Athens. Unfortunately no avail.At 25-7-1960, he departed for the long journey along with his musicl thoughts.