 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
 | ||||||||
| Music of Greece | ||||||||
| General topics | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genres | ||||||||
| Specific forms | ||||||||
| Media and performance | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Nationalistic and patriotic songs | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Regional music | ||||||||
| ||||||||
Greek traditional music (Greek:παραδοσιακή μουσική,paradosiaki mousiki, 'traditional music'; alsoδημοτικά τραγούδια,dimotika tragoudia, 'folk songs') includes a variety ofGreek styles played byethnic Greeks inGreece,Cyprus,Australia, theUnited States and other parts of Europe. Apart from the common music found generally in Greece, each region of Greece contains a distinct type offolk music that originated from the region due to their history, traditions and cultural influences.
Greek folk music originally, predominantly contained one genre, known as GreekDemotiko (or Demotic/Paradosiako). This refers to the traditional Greek popular songs and music of mainland Greece and islands, which date back to theByzantine times.[1] It was the sole popular musical genre of the Greek people until the spread ofRebetiko andLaiko (other genres of folk music) in the early 20th century, spread by the Greek refugees from Asia Minor.[2] This style of music evolved from the ancient and the medieval Greek era and is still played today.[3][4]
The lyrics of Greek folk music are largely based on Demotic (folk) poetry (usually by anonymous lyricists) and consist of popular themes such as love, marriage, humor, death, nature, water, sea, and religion.[5] Some lyrics make reference to the Ottoman Empire, in particular bandit insurgents (known asklephts), Ottoman soldiers (known asarmatoloi), as well as various war figures and notable battles.[5]
The songs are played mainly in the following two categories of tempos: 'Syrtos' (various versions) and 'Pidiktos'.[6] Pidikto songs are more energetic and involve leaping, whilst the Syrto songs and accompanying dances are slower and more free-flowing.[1] Some songs also are a combination of Pidikto and Syrto tempos.
Universal dances that accompany Greek folk music includeKalamatianos (a universal Greek dance fromKalamata),Tsamiko,Ballos andSousta.[2]
Some notable folk songs include:
and Nisiotika (the songs from the islands)
The Greek islands ofKárpathos,Khálki,Kássos andCrete form an arc where theCretan Lyra is the dominant instrument.[1]Kostas Mountakis, is an example of a person of Greek origin who played the Lyra and helped popularise it in Greece.[7] The Lyra is often accompanied by the Lute (laouto) which resembles amandolin.[1]Askomandoura (a type ofbagpipe) is also used in Cretan folk music.[8] Crete has a unique history offolk dance tradition, which includes swift dances likePentozalis,Sousta,Syrtos,Trizali,Katsabadianos,Chaniotikos,Siganos,Pidichtos Lasithou,Maleviziotikos,Tsiniaris,Ierapetrikos andLaziotikos.[9]
%2c_Bestanddeelnr_928-5025.jpg)
The Aegean islands of Greece are known for theirNisiótika (meaning from the islands) songs. The characteristics of these Greek island folk songs vary widely.[10] Although the basis of the sound is characteristically secular-Byzantine. The relative isolation of the islands allowed the separate development of island-specificGreek music.[10] Nisiótika songs are often accompanied by thelyra,guitar,tsampouna,souravli andviolin.[10]
Notable singers includeYiannis Parios, the Konitopoulos family andMariza Koch who was an active Greek folk singer in the 1970s and performed the song 'Panayia Mou' in theEurovision Song Contest 1976.[11] Folk dances include theBallos,Syrtos,Sousta, Chiotikos, Kalymniotikos, Stavrotos,Lerikos, Kamara,Michanikos,Trata,Panagia andIkariotikos.[12]
In theAegeanCyclades, theviolin is used more often than theCretan lyra as well as the clarinet, mandolin, bagpipe, dulcimer and guitar.[12] Some Nisiotika musicians includeNikos Oikonomidis, Leonidas Klados andStathis Koukoularis. Folk dances in the Cyclades includeLerikos,Syrtos (Serifou, Naxou and Kythnou), Amorgos dance andBallos. A prominent singer of Cycladic music wasDomna Samiou, who was trained by Greek musicologist,Simon Karas.[12]
The folk music of the Dodecanese (part of the Aegean Islands), also contains prominent elements of Cretan music.[13] Dodecanese folk dances include the Trata, Ballos, Syrtos,Kremasti,Issos,Syrtos Rodou,Michanikos andKalymnikos, which originates from the island ofKalymnos.[13]
InCentral Greece many folk songs make references to theklephts and their role during theGreek war of independence.[13] Folk songs accompany dances in central Greece such as theAntikrystos,Hasapiko,Syrtaki,Kalamatianos,Kamilierikos,Koulouriotikos,Syrtos,Zeibekiko,Tsamiko and Syrto-kalamatianos. The musical tradition of the region is also influenced by Polyphonic songs, through theArvanites.[14]
InEpirus, folk songs are pentatonic andpolyphonic, sung by both male and female singers.[15] These songs often fall into three main categories including firstly,Mirolóyia (the mournful, lamenting songs) that are accompanied by instrumentals, which form the second category and are namedSkáros and the third category is namedTis Távlas (songs played when drinking).[16] Prominent instruments used in folk songs in Epirus, include thelute and theclarinet (largely replaced the Lute in the 19th century).[17] Ensembles may also use the violin and defi (a rimmed drum) to accompany dances,[18] mostly slow and heavy, like theTsamikos,Koftos, Fisouni, Sta Dio (4/4 tempo), Sta Tria (3/4 tempo), Zagorisios,Metsovitikos and Beratis.[18]
Folk dances that accompanyPeloponnese folk music include theKalamatianos (tempo is in 3/4 meter),Tsamikos,Monodiplos,Tsakonikos,Syrtos,[19]Ai Georgis andManiatikos. In the songs there are also references to theklephts.[20] InMani there also exists a traditional category of songs named the "μοιρολόγια"Mirolóyia (laments), typically sung by the old women ofMani.[21]
TheIonian Islands were never completely under Ottoman control (only Kefalonia was under Ottoman control during 1479–1481 and 1485–1500) and were largely occupied by the Venetians.[22] This is reflected in the folk music. For exampleKantadhes (καντάδες), which are a form of romantic serenade, stylistically reflect the Venetian presence and Macedonian Romani (Gypsy) presence in the Ionian Islands.[23] Greek Kantadhes are typically performed by three male singers accompanied by themandolin orguitar.[23] These romantic songs developed mainly inKefalonia in the early 19th century but spread throughoutGreece after itsliberation in 1821.[23]
AnAthenian form of Kantadhes arose later, accompanied by theviolin,clarinet andlaouto. However the style is accepted as uniquely Ionian orHeptanese.[22] The island ofZakynthos has a diverse musical history with influences also fromCrete and many of these traditional, Heptanese songs would be played in theatre productions.[24] Folk dances include the Tsirigotikos (fromKythira), Levantinikos (fromZakynthos),Ballos,Syrtos,Ai Georgis,Kerkiraikos (fromCorfu).[25]
Notable songs are "Kato Sto Yialo", "S'ena paporo mesa", "Apopse tin kithara mou".[25]
TheChurch music (Byzantine) of the islands is also different from the rest of Greece, containing many Western European andCatholic influences, which played a large role on theOrthodox rite.[26] In this region the first School of modern Greek classical music (Heptanesean or Ionian School, Επτανησιακή Σχολή) was also founded and established in 1815.[26]
Folk dances in Macedonia include theHasapiko,Syrtaki,Leventikos,Zonaradiko,Endeka Kozanis,Stankena,Baidouska,Makedonikos Antikristos, andKapitan Louka.[27] There are also folk songs which make references to theMacedonian Struggle, describing the difficulties faced by Macedonian people during the Balkan wars and allude to those who became refugees and sought asylum in Greece.[27] Often, Macedonian folk music uses the dauli (a medium sized bass drum) and azurna (a wider oboe) as well ashand drums (tympana),trumpets and bells (koudounia or "chálkina" in the local vernacular).[27] Other instruments used include violin, clarinet andMacedonian lyra.
Folk songs fromThessaly are mostly slow and stately, however the music accompanying theSyrtos dance, is typically livelier and more energetic than it is in other parts of Greece.[28] Songs accompany dances such as theKalamatianos (popular universally in Greece), Thessalikos, Galanogalani,Kangeli,Gaitanaki,Tsamikos, Sta Tria, Karagouna and Beratis.[28]
Instruments used in AncientThracian music include goatskin bagpipes (Gaida) and theByzantine lyra. Folk dances include theTapeinos Horos, Baidouska, Tromakton, Souflioutouda,Zonaradiko,Sousta, Tsestos, and Apadiasteite Sto Choro.[29] Traditional Thracian dances are usually swift intempo and are mostlycircle dances in which the men dance at the front of the line. TheGaida, a goatskinbagpipe, is commonly used in Thracian music andclarinets are also used.[30] The Thracian Gaida, also calledAvlos, is different from theMacedonian or other Bulgarian bagpipes. It is more high in pitch than the Macedonian Gaida but less so than the Bulgarian gaida (or Dura).[30] The Thracian Gaida is also still widely used throughout Thrace in northeasternGreece. Notable singers of Thracian music includeChronis Aidonidis andKyriakos Sfetsas.[31]
Pontic music retains elements of the musical traditions ofByzantine music and the music from the region known asCaucasus.[32]
The primary instruments in Pontic music are a bowed instrument known asKemençe of Laz or the Pontic Lyra, which originated in theByzantine Empire period and is similar to theByzantine lyra andCretan lyra.[33] Other bowed musical instrument are also used, such as theKit violin andRebec, these are more popular in the Western region of Pontus.[33] Other instruments include thedrums,lute,Askomandoura (a type of bagpipe),Daouli (a type of drum) andAulos (a wind instrument). Folk dances from Pontus include slower dances including the Omál, Tik and Dipát. Faster dances include the Tik Tónyia and Kotsari and other dances include Giouvarlantoum, Serra and Tas.[34]
The main Greek dance, for which folk songs are used as an accompaniment in Constantinople is theHasapikos.[35] It originated in theMiddle Ages as a military exercise with swords, adopted by the Byzantine military.[35] During Byzantine times, the Hasapiko was called μακελλάρικος χορός (makellarikos horos). The songs were later danced by butchers in a social setting, and it was danced in both Turkey and Greece.[36]
The use ofPolitiki Lyra andPolitiko Laouto is common to the folk songs from Constantinople. The Hasapiko also later served as one of the bases for theSirtaki and it is danced in mostly all areas of Greece, with the use ofBouzouki.[37]
Cyprus is an independent country, currently contested between theRepublic of Cyprus and theTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.[38] Cyprus includes a variety of classical, folk and popular genres. Cypriot folk music is similar to the folk music of Greece and includes dances such as theSirtaki,Syrtos, the CypriotZeibekiko andAntikristos.[39] Cypriot folk music typically uses the Lute (Laouto) and since World War Two, the violin has been also used.[39]
