(MUSIC VIDEO) THE CONTINUATION OF ANCIENT AND MODERN GREEK MUSIC
We could of course talk about the upcoming globalist world war, but luckily we got something more funny and interesting to talk about. This treasure just landed in my lap. Farya Faraji is an Iranian Canadian music theorist who travels the world to analyze different indigenous or ancient music scores and tunes and bring them to life. This quest brought him to Greece a few years ago. He relegated the bouzouki to a mere Italian/Ionian novelty not worthy of his time (watch "Why Does Greek Music Sound Eastern? - And Why It's a Dumb Question" link). Ever since he's on my radar. This video is not new, but it somehow failed to draw my attention at the time. But thanks to YouTube's algorithm it found its way belatedly into my orbit. Today operating under the pseudonym of Aristoxenus (noble foreigner) he teaches us about the chromatic mode, microtonality, enharmonics and other interesting musical phenomena you did not know even existed. Enjoy!
Oct. 23, 2023 Farya Faraji: The "Weird" Melodies of Ancient Greek Music - feat. Aristoxenus.
It explains for example why Greek music can be so easily adapted to jazz or the Latin American rhythms. Listen here to Ioulia Karapataki's band (link).
Mar 10, 2021 Aghis Papapanagiotou: Ioulia Karapataki - Της μνήμης το μαχαίρι - (Tis Mnimis to Maheri).
Also the composer Mimis Plessas (Wiki) comes to mind. He frequently combines laiki with jazz, often curiously omitting writing in any refrains.
2002 Forgotton Diamonds: Mimis Plessas and Yannis Kotsiras - Ξημερώνει Κυριακή (Ximeroni Kyriaki). More on this program. More awe inspiring examples: Πρωτη Φορα (Proti Fora) (2010). Τα Μαυρα Ματια Σου (Ta Mavra Matia Sou) (2010). All compositions by Plessas.
It explains why bagpipes fits in so easily.
And it explains why Greek music seldom gets boring. There is always a certain amount of suspense in a song, which leaves one with a lingering feeling that something has eluded you.
Couple that to lyrics, often outright poetry in itself, with an unfathomable level of abstraction (example), and you simply know you were just initiated into some ancient cosmic mystery.
Instruments can be adapted to fit the chromatic and micro notes. But a singer does not have that luxury. It puts my respect for Greek singers in the shock and awe category, as they have to hit every fraction of a note on the head without the help of any tool whatsoever.
If there are any musicians in the readership that can explain to me how instruments can be adapted, I'd be very grateful indeed.
YouTube recently randomly made a playlist based on my own choices. You're welcome to it (link). I'm sure I did not put Farya's anti colonial tastes to shame.
The much lauded composer Mikis Theodorakis according to Farya's classification clearly falls in the diatonic tradition. The absence of microtones or the chromatic mode are conspicuous. Nor is there any attempt to simulate it.
It is no wonder "Zorba", a song accompanied by a made up dance, makes Greeks shiver. But after an odd sixty years of it, Westerners still love it for the same reason Greeks got to hate it.
But never mind. No one has done more for the popularity of Greek music abroad than Theodorakis and Xarchakos (IMDb) (link). So let's be careful with this stuff. To each its own value.
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