CHRISTMAS CONCERT: "LOVE SONGS FROM SMYRNA"
The concert titled "Η Σμυρνη του ερωτα" ("Love Songs From Snyrna") by the Greek ensemble, Εστουδιαντίνα Νεας Ιωνιας (the Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia) (website), is a collection of love songs and orchestrations written in Smyrna in the beginning of the previous century or somewhat later. It is essentially a collection of popular love songs that come to life, together with the buried memories of the Hellenistic birthright of generations of Greeks who lived in the area of Smyrna, today called Izmir. It is a memory of a Greece that no longer exists, except in the hearts of the unfortunate millions who had to flee the city for the Greek mainland in the aftermath of the First World War. The name Estoudiantina is derived from the most famous Greek orchestra established in Smyrna making the rounds around the world in the period between 1898 and 1921.
Playlist: "Η Σμυρνη του ερωτα" ("Love Songs From Snyrna") by Εστουδιαντίνα Νεας Ιωνιας (the Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia).
The present day Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia is a 20-member orchestra based in the city of Volos, engaged in the study of the musical idioms of Greece and the countries around the Mediterranean.
The Artistic Director of the orchestra, Ανδρέας Κατσιγιάννης (Andreas Katsiyannis) writes in a preamble to the performances:
"It took two years to put this concert together in a mystical process of agony in order to do justice to yesterday and the present. We practiced every night in order to produce the most honest result, creating a record in an explosion of creativity.
"In the madness of today's materialism and selfishness, we found romance, meraki and love. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. The result of our efforts was presented to the public at the Athens Concert Hall, during two performances in March 2012."
You can read more on Estoudiantina's history and origins on this page (link).
Notes from the curator
On Sep. 11 we commemorated the period between September 4 and September 20 marking what is referred to in Greece as the Asia Minor Catastrophe, the sacking of the Ottoman Empire's most cosmopolitan city, Smyrna.
We wrote then that "there are many excellent musical tributes available in remembrance of the beloved city and its culture, but we will leave those for some other day when that's more appropriate" (link). That time has now come.
We complemented the playlist of the concert in March 2012 at the Athens Concert Hall, with parts of two other performances involving the same musicians and artists. The first was held at the Athens Technopolis in October of the same year, 2012. The second are records of a later show on Alpha TV in the program "Stin Ygeia Mas" that aired on April 8, 2017 (you can watch it here in its entirety).
Time marks (lyrics and translations in the hyperlink marked *)
00.00 Εμβατηριο Σμυρνης (Smyrna March - instrumental)
04.40 Που θα βρω γυναικα να σου μοιαζει (Pou tha vro gynaika na sou miazi - Where to find a woman like you) *
07:42 Introduction by Yannis Kotsiras
09.10 Το κουκλι της Κοκκινιας (To koukli tis Kokkinias - The doll of Kokkinias) *
12.40 Τα ματακια σου τα δυο (Ελενιτσα μου) (Ta matakia sou ta dio - Both your eyes) *
17.40 Καρδια ορφανη (Kardia orphani - Orphaned heart) *
22.45 Μηλο μου και μανταρινη (Milo mou kai mandarini - My apple and mandarin) *
26.50 Η Mικροπαντρεμενη (I mikropantremeni - The young married woman) *
33.50 Instrumental
47.00 Aspasia Stratigou: Αχ βρε θαλασσα κακουργα (Ach vre thalassa kakouria - You wicked sea) *
50.28 Τα παιδια της γειτονιας (Ta pedia tis geitonias - The kids in the neighborhood) *
54.42 Instrumental
58.13 Instrumental
1.01.07 Yannis Kotsiras: Μισιρλου (Misirlou) *
1.05.56 Ο Αντωνης ο βαρκαρης (O Antonis a varkaris - Antonis the boatman) *
1.09.47 Η πεθερα μου (I pethera mou - My mother-in-law) *
1.13.50 Μπαρμπαυιαννακακης (Barbayannakakis) *
1.21.03 Εγω θελω πριγκιπεσσα (Ego thelo pringhipessa - I want a princess) *
1.24.51 Το γελεκακη (To ghelekaki - The vest) *
1.28.30 Thodores Mermingas: Παραπονιαρα μου (Paraponiara Mou - My Crybaby) *
Video 2 Yannis Kotsiras & Thodores Mermingas: Ομορφη Σμυρνια μου (Omorphi Smyrnia mou - My beautful Smyrna) *
Video 3 Φορα τα μαυρα (Phora ta mavra - Wear the black dress) *
Video 4 Μανακι μου (Manaki mou - My little one) *
Video 5 Yannis Kotsiras , Aspasia Strategou & Thodores Mermingas: Αμαν Κατερινα μου (Aman Katerina mou - Oh my Katerina) *
Technopolis in Oct. 2012
Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia and Yannis Kotsiras performed during a great concert at the Athens Technopolis on the occasion of the ninety years commemoration of the Smyrna Catastrophe. The concert was dedicated to the popular traditions and artistic creations of Smyrna.
Video 6 Τικι τικι τακ (Tiki tiki tak) *
Video 7 Η μικροπαντρεμενη (I mikropantremeni - The young married woman) *
Video 8 Μισιρλου (Misirlou) *
Video 9 Η πεθερα μου (I pethera mou - My mother-in-law) *
Video 10 Το γελεκακη (To ghelekaki - The vest) *
Video 11 Αμαν Κατερινα μου (Aman Katerina mou - Oh my Katerina) *
Alpha TV show Stin Ygeia Mas on April 8, 2017
On April 8, 2017 the Estoudiantina of Nea Ionia performed compositions, from smyrneika and rebetika to music of the Mediterranean and around the world. In the videos contributions from Yannis Kotsiras. Watch it here in its entirety with artists like Giorgos Dalaras, Miltos Paschalides and Babis Tserto.
Video 13 Που θα βρω γυναικα να σου μοιαζει (Pou tha vro gynaika na sou miazi - Where to find a woman like you) *
Video 14 Μισιρλου (Misirlou) *
Video 15 Αμαν Κατερινα μου (Aman Katerina mou - Oh my Katerina) *
Video 16 Το γελεκακη (To ghelekaki - The vest) *
Video 17 Καρδια ορφανη (Kardia orphani - Orphaned heart) *
Video 18 Ομορφη Σμυρνια μου (Omorphi Smyrnia mou - My beautiful Smyrna) *
Estoudiantina of Neo Ionia; discography|
Order at Musical Paradise (link)
Spotify (link)
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