The National Historical Museum today commemorated the renowned Albanian musician and patriot Spiridon Ilo, who was born on September 30, 1876, in Korçë.

Ilo emigrated early to the United States, where, alongside his daily work, he pursued higher studies in music. He was the first Albanian to establish a company for gramophone records and recorded numerous patriotic and folk songs.

In 1923, Spiridon Ilo founded the first discographic society for Albanian songs. Under his leadership, the discography played a significant role in the development of Albanian culture from the 1920s to the 1940s.

Ilo completed the first recording of the National Anthem of Albania. In this recording, numbered E-3948, the anthem was sung by Spiridon Ilo and the Arbëresh tenor, Giuseppe Mauro.

In the 1920s, he published and distributed postcards with patriotic themes. He also published the comedy “Vërtet ëndërr” (Truly a Dream) as well as the collection of patriotic songs “Dëshirat e zemrës” (The Wishes of the Heart). After several years, he returned to Romania and settled permanently in Korçë in 1926. On April 1, 1945, he was awarded a pension as a Patriot of the National Renaissance. The molds for the gramophone records were brought by Spiridon Ilo to Albania and were donated to the Executive Committee in 1946. He passed away in Korçë in 1950.

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