Music is an important aspect of the Greek culture and with its unbelievable diversity due to the creative Greek assimilation of different influences of the Eastern and Western cultures of Asia and Europe. Music has a long history and are associated with poetry and dancing. During Greek tragedy music was a component element.

After the fall of Ancient Greece and the growth of the Byzantine Empire, music acquired an ecclesiastical approach. In the 400 years of Ottoman domination, music was influenced by the eastern sounds and was only reborn with opera compositions of Nikolaos Mantzaros (1795-1872) and Spyros Samaras (1861-1917) in the 19^th century.

From that moment on Greece produced many talented artists, including great composers to fabulous interprets. Music played a vital role during the slavery years as an expression or testimony and a weapon of opposition against the colonel authority and a way to express love, death, human fears, that accompanied the Greeks in their everyday life.

Greek music has a rich and diverse heritage that spans thousands of years. It encompasses various genres and styles, reflecting the country’s historical, cultural, and regional influences. Here are some key aspects of Greek music:

1. Traditional Greek Music: Traditional Greek music is deeply rooted in the country’s history and folklore. It includes genres such as Rebetiko, which emerged in the early 20th century and is characterized by poignant lyrics and a fusion of Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern musical elements. Other traditional genres include Byzantine music, which is associated with the Greek Orthodox Church, and folk music from different regions of Greece, featuring distinctive melodies and instruments.
2. Greek Folk Instruments: Traditional Greek music is often accompanied by unique instruments. The bouzouki, a stringed instrument resembling a large mandolin, is one of the most iconic instruments in Greek music. Other popular instruments include the baglamas (a smaller version of the bouzouki), the lyra (a bowed instrument), the tzouras, and the kanun (a zither-like instrument).
3. Rembetiko: Rembetiko is a popular genre of Greek urban music that emerged in the early 20th century. It reflects the struggles and hardships of the urban working class and has a distinctive sound characterized by the use of bouzouki, baglamas, and guitar. Rembetiko often features melancholic lyrics and improvisation.
4. Greek Pop and Contemporary Music: Greece has a vibrant pop music scene with artists who blend traditional Greek elements with modern styles. Greek pop music often incorporates catchy melodies, energetic rhythms, and heartfelt lyrics. Popular Greek singers and bands have gained international recognition, and Greek pop music is enjoyed both in Greece and among the Greek diaspora.
5. Greek Traditional Dances: Greek music and dance are closely intertwined. Traditional Greek dances, such as the syrtos, kalamatianos, and hasapiko, are an integral part of Greek culture and social gatherings. These dances are often performed in traditional costumes and accompanied by live music, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.
6. Contemporary Greek Music: Greek musicians have contributed to various genres of contemporary music, including rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic music. Greek artists have achieved success both in Greece and abroad, and their music often reflects a fusion of Greek and international influences.
7. Festivals and Music Events: Greece hosts numerous music festivals and events throughout the year. These include the Athens Epidaurus Festival, which showcases a wide range of music performances, including classical, jazz, and world music, and the Rockwave Festival, featuring international and Greek rock bands.

 

Greek music is diverse, and its appeal extends beyond Greece’s borders. It carries the essence of Greek culture, history, and emotions, reflecting the spirit of the Greek people. Whether it’s traditional folk music, contemporary pop, or lively dance tunes, Greek music has a unique charm that resonates with audiences worldwide.

 

Origin of Greek Music

In Ancient Greece music was seen as a gift of the gods and they believed music had a valuable effect on both body, mind and the listener. With a range of musical instruments, they played music at every occasion like religious ceremonies, festivals, funerals, weddings and athletic activities like the competitions held in Argos, Paros and Sparta.

The invention of music instruments attributed to specific deities including the Lyre to Hermes, the flute to Athena and the panpipes to Pan. Various elements of Greek music were personified by the Muses and they entertained the Gods on Mount Olympus with their divine music and dance. The avloi (lyre) is the oldest music instrument and dates back to the Neolithic Age.

Evidence like Cycladic marble figures representing lyre players, shows that music was part of the three civilizations in the Aegean, the Cyclades, Minoan and Mycenaeans. Also, on the island of Crete intrinsic evidence was found indicating that music was a big part of life on Crete. The Palace of Knossos was decorated with lyres and the Harvester Vase of the Minoan civilization, which depicts a sistrum (rattle) player.

The God Apollo who was a master lyre player, defeated the Phrygian Satyr Marsias in a competition of music judged from the Muses. Music was also an important part of studies of philosophy by the followers of Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher and mathematician, who supposed that music was a mathematical expression.

The musicians of Greece, also known as the makers of songs or melopoioi, were often regarded as composers and lyricists of the music they performed. Music was also associated with religious occasions like the Panathenaia and the Dionysia festival in Athens. In the PanHellenic Festivals, dance, drama, music and poetry recitals were a competitive activity, which were held in Delphi, Isthmia and Nemea.

Eventually, Plato recommended the lyre to be part of the musical education in schools and kids had to be taught how to play it. It started in Crete, followed by Athens.

 

World famous Greek music artists

Manolis Kalomiris (1883-1962)

He was born in Smyrna, attended school in Constantinople and studied piano and composition in Vienna. In 1919 he the founded the Hellenic Conservatory and in 1926 the National Conservatoire. He was also the founder of the Greek National School of Music and also served as the General Supervisor of military bands in Greece.

He wrote 3 symphonies and 5 operas, 1 piano concerto and 1 violin concertino, as well as other music, songs and piano works. He held various posts and was elected member of Academy of Athens.

Manolis found inspiration from Greek folk traditions, music and works from great Greek poets like Palamas, Mavilis, Sikelianos and many more as he was aiming to combine the German Romanticism with Greek motives.

 

Dimitris Mitropoulos (1896-1960)

He was a Greek Conductor, pianist and composer. He received international fame in the 20^th century for both conductor and composer.

Dimitris was born in Athens where his dad owned a leather shop. Form an early age he showed music abilities and every Saturday night he held musical gatherings at his house.

He studied music in Athens Conservatoire, Brussels and Berlin, with Ferruccio Busoni among his teachers. In 1930 at a concert he played a solo part of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 3 and conducted the orchestra from the keyboard, becoming the first to do so.

He moved to the US and made his debut in 1936 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and later in 1946 became a citizen. From 1937 to 1949 he was the conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.

In 1949 he started with the New York Philharmonic as a co-conductor with Leopold Stokowski, the peak of his orchestral career. Later in 1951 he became the sole music director.

He succeeded in 1958 to the Philharmonic’s conductor and in January 1960 he guest conducted the Philharmonic in a performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, which was recorded.

In addition to his orchestral career, he was an equally important force in operatic repertoire. He conducted opera extensively in Italy, and also conducted the Metropolitan Opera in New York form 1954 until his death in 1960.

He did a series of recordings with Columbia Records with performances like Alban Berg’s Wozzeck. Later many of these songs were reissued by Sony Classics on CD with recordings like Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet.

Mitropoulus was known for his monk-like style being very religious with his Greek Orthodox beliefs. He never got married and was known to be homosexual and had a relationship with Leonard Bernstein. He died in Italy, at the age of 64, while rehearsing Gustav Mahler’s 3^rd symphony.

One of his last recorded performances was Verdi’s La forza del destino, with Guiseppe Di Stefamo, Antonietta Stella and Ettore Bastianini at Viena on 23^rd of September 1960. There is a recording of Mahler’s 3^rd Symphony given by Mitropoulos with the Cologne Radio Symphony on 31 October 1960, just two days before his death.

 

Maria Callas (1923-1977)

She was an American born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20^th century. With 39 recorded albums and 50 stage musical roles, she posthumously won a Grammy award and was also voted BBS Music Magazine’s greatest ever soprano. In the 1950’s she also graced the cover Time and many publications.

She was praised by many critics for her bel canto technique, wide-ranging voice and dramatic interpretations. Her repertoire ranged from classical opera seria to the bel canto operas of Donizetti, Bellini and Rossini, as well as works of Verdi, Puccini and Wagner. Her musical and dramatic talents let to her being called as La Divina.

She was born in Manhattan to Greek immigrant parents. She received her musical education in Greece at the age of 13 and later moved to Italy. Forced to deal with the exigencies of 1940’s wartime poverty and near-sightedness she was left nearly blind on stage.

She had a turbulent career as the press exulted her temperamental behaviour, her supposed rivalry with Renata Tebaldi and her love affair with the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.

Although se had personal tragedies, as an artist she was very popular and had achievements like Leonard Bernstein called her “the Bible of opera”. The Opera News in 2006 wrote the following about her: “Nearly thirty years after her death, she’s still the definition of the diva as artist and still one classical music’s best-selling vocalists.”

 

Yannis Xenakis (1922-2001)

Yannis was a Greek French composer, music theorist, architect, performance director and engineer. He was born in Braila, Romania and after his moms’ death he was subsequently educated by a series of governesses and in 1932 he was sent to boarding school on the Aegean island of Spetses, Greece.

After 1947 he moved to France, as he was condemned to death by the Germans for participating in the Resistance, where he became a citizen. He is also known as an important post-World War II composer whose works helped revolutionize 20^th-century classical music.

His musical work consists of acoustic, electro-acoustic and multimedia creations. He was a pioneer of the development of digital synthesis. He integrated music with architecture, designing music for pre-existing spaces, and designing spaces to be integrated with specific music compositions and performances.

Among his famous works are Metastaseis (1953-54) for orchestra, percussion works such as Psappha (1975) and Pleiades (1979), compositions like Terretektorh (1966), electronic works created using Xenakis’s UPIC system and multimedia performances called polytopes. One of his most important works is a book he authored called: “Formalised Music: Thought and Mathematics in Composition”.

As an architect he is known for his work under Le Corbusier: the Sainte Marie de La Tourette. He also designed the Philips Pavilion at Expo 58 himself.

 

Mikis Theodorakis (1925)

Born on 29 July 1925 in Chios, this Greek composer and lyricist has contributed to contemporary Greek music with over 1000 works. He wrote songs against the German occupation and was an active member of the largest Greek resistance group (EAM). He was very active during the Civil War and the years of the Greek Junta.

He scored songs for the films Zorba the Greek (1964), Z (1969) and Serpico (1973). He also wrote “Mauthausen Trilogy” also known as “The Ballad of Mauthausen”, which was described as the most beautiful musical work ever written about the Holocaust, and this was possibly his best work.

The “Zorba Dance” became popular around the world after being the soundtrack of the film Zorba the Greek.

He is viewed as Greece’s best-known living composer and was awarded the International Lenin Peace Prize.

 

Manos Hatzidakis (1925-1994)

A Greek composer and theorist of Greek music, born on 23^rd October 1925 in Xanthi, he was widely considered as one of the greatest Greek songwriters of all time. His legacy and contribution are widespread among the works of contemporary Greek music, during the 20^th and 21st century. He contributed to the Entekhno form of music along with Mikis Theodorakis.

He wrote music for many ancient tragedies as well as things for the modern repertory, light and folk songs which provoked a revival of the folk music. He also created music for theatre, ballet and cinema.

In 1960 he received an Academy Award for the Best Original Song for his song “Never on Sunday” form the film with the same name.

He returned to Greece from United States in 1972 and recorded Magnus Eroticus. In 1985 he launched his own record company Seirios. And in 1989 he founded and directed the Orchestra of Colours, a small symphonic orchestra.

He died on 15 June 1994 at the age of 68 in Athens from acute pulmonary edema. In 1999 the City of Athens dedicated Technopolis in his memory. He was buried in Paiania.

 

Vangelis (1943 -)

He was born on 29 March 1943 in Agria, a coastal town in Magnesia, Thessaly. Professionally he is known as Vangelis, but his real name is Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou.

He is a Greek musician and composer of electronic, progressive rock, ambient, jazz, classical and orchestral music. He is sometimes categorized as a new-age composer.

Vangelis is best known for his Academy Award-winning score to Chariots of fire (1981), as well as composing scores to the films Blade Runner (1982), Missing (1982), Antarctica (1983), The Bounty (1984), 1942: Conquest of Paradise (1992) and Alexander (2004), and for the use of his music in the PBS documentary Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan.

In the 1960’s he started working with bands like The Forminx and Aphrodite’s Child, with the latter’s album 666 going on to be recognized as a progressive-psychedellic rock classic. They produced nine singles and one Christmas EP, which made them very popular across Europe, the group disbanded in 1966.

During the 1970’s he composed scores for animal documentaries like L’Apocalypse des Animaux, La Fete sauvage (combination of African rhythms with Western music) and Opera sauvage and many more. He also moved to London and settled in Marble Arch, where he set up a 16-track studio, Nemo Studios, which he named his “laboratory”. He also secured a recording deal with RCA records and he released a series of electronic albums for them until 1979.

In 1979 he also released the album Odes, which included Greek folk songs performed by himself and actress Irene Papas. This was an instant success in Greece, and he composed a second album called Rapsodies in 1986.

In the 1980’s he and Jon Anderson the lead singer of the rock band Yes, started to work together and the two went on to release several albums together as Jon & Vangelis. Their debut album, Short Stories (1980), reached no 4 in the UK. He also began composing for ballet and theatre stage plays. His most famous two ballets he wrote music for was: “Frankenstein – Modern Prometheus” and “The Beauty and the Beast”.

In 1981 he composed the score for the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The soundtrack’s single, the film’s “Titles” theme, also reached the top of American Billboard Hot 100 chart and was also used as the background music at the London 2012 Olympics winners’ medal presentation ceremonies.

His only solo concert was in the US on 7 November 1986 at Royce Hall on the campus of University of California, Los Angeles. He featured a special guest appearance by Jon Anderson.

He had several successes with composing songs for sporting events like:

• He composed the music for The Sport Aid TV broadcast (1986),
• Conceived and staged ceremony of the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in Greece,
• Composed, designed and directed the Olympic flag relay for the closing ceremonies at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney,
• Presentation of the emblem of the 2004 Athens Games,
• Created the official Anthem for the 2002 FIFA World Cup,
• Chariots of Fire played at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London.

 

Vangelis carried on composing many more songs and scores for films. In 2018 he composed and original score for Stephen Hawking’s memorial at Westminster Abbey. A CD titled “The Stephen Hawking Tribute” was shred with the family and 1000 guests who attended.

He has composed and performed more than 50 albums over the course of his career and won several outstanding awards which makes him one of the most important figures in the history of electronic music.

Vangelis in 2012 with stars on the stage of the adaptation of Chariots of Fire.