Metamorphoses

Demotic music from Greece, that is to say sing and dance from Folk and Village, which presents itself mainly as the rustic counterpart of the laiki or any urban popular music like rembetika.What makes melodies from Epirus: Northern Greece different compared to almost all other demotic music is its original intensity and the Chthonic and communal characteristic.

The melodies, rhytms and lyrics express themselves as a sign of stunning fertility of life as well as dark memories of death.. The music celebrates life and mourns death on their various crossroads: Chthonios. And it is communal because the music also meant to cure and calm the participants. In other words, by listening or participating in the dancing – as one collective, the people were participating in a very private act of catharsis – and coming together on a higher platform of harmony and vitality. 

With its inherent pastoral nature, Epirus’ instrumental music is most probably originating from the Sarakatsani, a half nomadic population that travelled thousands of acres per year to let their sheep graze. The pieces were like tools for the nomadic lifestyle. And what better way to live than learning from the herd in harmony with the deep tones of the countryside.

1. Skaros Elias Litos and Lazaros Rouvas – Shepherd’s Song (1928) 
2. Pente Meres Pantremeni Halkias Brothers Folk Orchestra – Five Days Married (1950)
3. Stroto Pogonisio Kitsos Harisiadis – Smooth Dance from Pogoni (1930)
4. Kyragiorgena Halkias Brothers Folk Orchestra – Missus George-wife (1953) 
5. Stis Deropolis Ton Kambo Group From Northern Epirus – On the Deropolis Plain (1958) 
6. Mperati Pogonisio Nick Halkias – Berat from Pogoni (1958) 
7. Mirologi Arvantico Kitsos Harisiadis – Albanian Lament (1930) 
8. Skaros Kitsos Harisiadis – Shepherd’s Song (1931) 
9. E Vlaha Five Gliniotes – A Vlach Girl Washing By the River (1936) 
10. Samantakas Manthos Halkias and Folk Orchestra – Samantakas (1929) 
11. Mia Omorfi Gitonopoula Polyxeni and Kalliopi Litou – Next-Door Beauty (1940) 
12. Kalokeraki Nick Tzaras and Sideris Andrianos – Summer (1934) 
13. Para Mikri S’agapisa Trio Tsitsomitsos – Too Young Were You When I Love You (1931) 
14. Merko Mirologi Manthos Halkias and Folk Orchestra – A Lament for More Time (1929)
15. Gaida Moni M. Harisis Epirotic Group – Single Line Dance
16. Paleo Zagorisio M. Harisis Epirotic Group – Old Dance From Zagori
17. Kleftes Palies M. Harisis Epirotic Group – Hero Bandit Song of Olden Times
18. Kastrino Mirologi M. Harisis Epirotic Group – Lament from the Castle

Alle tracks from the CD: Five Days Married & Other Laments: Song and Dance from Northern Greece (1928-1958). Label: Angry Mom Records