When the poet inspires a composer: The case of Kostis Palamas and Manolis Kalomiris
When the poet inspires a composer: The case of Kostis Palamas and Manolis Kalomiris

Summary/Abstract: Kostis Palamas (1859–1943), is considered to be the second national Greek poet after Dionysius Solomos (1798–1857), the lyricist of the Greek national anthem. The intellectual history of Modern Greece was for half a century in the shadow of Palamas, as a poet, essayist, literary critic, and playwright. He is internationally recognised as the lyricist of the Hymn of the Olympic Games. He significantly renewed the poetic form, drawing on the Greek literary tradition from Antiquity to Byzantium and folk songs, to achieve a perfect synthesis from different periods and genres. In his work, there are features of the movements of Parnassianism, Symbolism, and Realism. Palamas inspired Manolis Kalomiris (1883–1962), the leading figure of the Greek National School of Music, with the beauty and depth of his poetry. This paper aims to present, not only Kostis Palamas’ poems that were set to music by Manolis Kalomiris but also the former’s influence on the latter’s ideology and inspiration.

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