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This recording includes a tune that has been recorded many times in Greek historical discography, either in the form of a song or as an instrumental piece. For example:
– “Karagkouna”, Vasileiou – Popular Orchestra, Athens, 1928 (Columbia UK W 20264 – 8232).
– “Karagkouna”, Lazaros Rouvas – Popular Orchestra, Athens, 1929 (Pathé 70050 – X. 80046).
– “Karagkouna”, Folk Orchestra, Giannis Kyriakatis (clarinet), Athens, May 27, 1931 (His Master's Voice OW-219 – AO-1042).
– “Karagkouna”, Dimos Cholevas – Folk Orchestra, Kostas Giaouzos (clarinet), Athens, January 8, 1934 (His Master's Voice OT-1494-1 –AO-1053 and Orthophonic S-639-B).
– “Karagkouna”, Demosthenis Vlachangelis (Kalantzis) – Vaios Malliaras (clarinet) and Folk Orchestra, Athens, 1950 (Columbia C.G. 2844-1 – D.G. 6927), as a composition by M. Malliara.
– “Karagkouna”, Ka [Mrs.] Koula, USA, 1947 (Panhellenic P 107 A).
– “Karagkouna”, Roza Eskenazy, Apostolos Stamelos (clarinet), USA, 1950s (Standard GR-660B – F-9132-B).
The musical score of the song was released by the Michalis Gaitanos publishing house in an arrangement by Iosif Ritsiardis (see here) and by the Gr. Konstantinidis – G. Nikolaidis publishing house in an arrangement by Grigoris Konstantinidis (see here).
From the findings in discography (for example, see here for here discographical releases over the last eight decades), it is clear that the song is still active not only in the modern folk repertoire, in festivals, music scenes throughout Greece and in the related discography, but has also ventured into other repertoires, constantly producing new performances and arrangements both in Greece and in various parts of the world. The appearance of the tune in multiple performative environments, which determine its performative and, ultimately, overall aesthetic identity, is of great interest, which in several cases is far removed from the context in which it first appeared and operated.
For example, we should note the cover by Mimis Plessas with the band The Orbiters "Karagouna (Thessalian dance" in 1967 (LP "Greece goes modern", Pan-Vox X 33 PV 10101), by Christos Dantis in 1996 ("Karagkouna", CD "Foni Voontos", RCA – 74321-438992, BMG – 74321-438992), by The Swing Shoes in 2008 ("Karaguna", CD "Ladies and Gents, here's The swing shoes, Prominence Recordings PRMNCD014, released in 2010).
Regarding the appearances of the song in foreign discography and live recordings:
On May 15, 1993, the American Black Cat Orchestra included "Karaguna" in the music they played live accompanying the screening of the 1911 motion picture "Dante's Inferno" directed by Gieseppi DeLiguoro, at the Capitol Theatre in Washington, as part of the Olympia Film Society presentations. In American discography, the recording "Karagouna" by the five-member female band Rusalki, based in Santa Fe, shoud also be noted. It is included in the CD "...Pearls from the bottom of the ocean..." released in 2009. We should also mention the performance "Karaguna" by Derek Wright from the CD "Salaam Axé" released in 2016.
Continuing with French discography, in 2002, the band Productions Strada recorded the song "Karagouna" for the CD "Gadje - Musiques nomades".
On June 6, 2003, the Jazz trio named "3" released a CD in Germany entitled "Karaguna" (JazzSick Records JS-5005). The song of the same name, that is, "Karaguna", is based on this tune.
Three years later, in 2006, the Jazz band Gypsophilia from Nova Scotia, Canada, included the recording "Kara Gouna" in the CD "Crazy move the belt".
In 2008, the Melbourne-based band Babaganoush released their second album entitled "Lyubov", which contains their own approach to the tune under the title "Karaguna". The live performance of the Sydney-based "Balkansi" Klezmer band in 2012 (see here) should also be noted.
In the same year, that is, in March 2008, the Cypriot band Trio Tekke arranged the song by recording in London the album "Karagkouna" (CD "Ta reggetika", self-released TT001).
In 2013, the Brazilian band Terra Sonora released the CD "Terras" with music and songs from various regions of the world. The regions include Greece with the recording "Karagouna".
The tune can also be found in the scholar repertoire. Around 1941, Nikos Skalkottas (Chalkida, March 21, 1904 – Athens, September 19, 1949) harmonized the tune for a three-voice female choir without accompaniment (see here), and in 1947 he arranged it for piano (see here) should also be noted. A handwritten musical score of the work is uploaded to the Great Music Library of Greece "Lilian Voudouri", where the Nikos Skalkottas archive (see here) is kept (see here) should also be noted.
In 1956, the American composer of Armenian origin Allan Hovhaness [Alan Vaness Chakmakjian (Աական Հայիկան Պայաներեն), Somerville, Massachusetts, March 8, 1911 – Seattle, June 21, 2000] completed his work "Seven Greek Folk Dances, Op. 150". Hovhaness, who considered the Greek painter Ermolaos Ionidis (better known as Hermon di Giovannno) as his spiritual teacher while visiting Greece in the period 1953 – 1955, arranged seven Greek dances for harmonica and strings (or piano): 1. Hassapiko, 2. The Selybrian Syrtos, 3. Sweet Basil Green, 4. Karagouna, 5. Tsaconian dance, 6. Pastoral, 7. Sousta. The forth, entitled "Karagouna" draws material from the tune we are examining. The work was presented in 1958 in Berlin by John Sebastian, harmonica, and Renato Josi, piano (see here), in 2001 in Athens by Christos Zerbinos, accordion, and the Athens String Orchestra conducted by Lefteris Kalkanis (see here), in 2003 in Tokyo by the Japanese Joe Sakimoto, harmonica, and Haruki Mino, piano (see here), and in 2013 in Milan by the Italian Gianluca Littera, harmonica, and the Orchestra Stesichoros conducted by Francesco Di Mauro (see here).
In 1959, the musical score for guitar under the name "Danza Greca n. 1 / Karaguna" was published by the Ricordi publishing house in Milan by the Greek guitarist, composer and teacher Dimitris Fampas. Fampas' arrangement of this tune has become part of the guitar repertoire of many Greek guitarists. Among them is Eleftheria Kotzia, who recorded "Karaguna" at the Guitar Salon International showroom in Santa Monica, California, USA, in 2018.
The tune also inspired the British composer John W. Duarte. As stated on his personal website (see here), the "Greek Suite (Greek meets Greek") Op. 39 for two guitars was written in 1968, following a letter from guitarist Evangelos Asimakopoulos, in which he asked Duarte for a work based on Greek themes, attaching relevant musical material. Some movements of the "Greek Suite", which is dedicated to the Athenian Greek Duo of Evangelos Asimakopoulos and Liza Zoi (for more information see here, here and here), were presented for the first time by the Greek guitarists in January 1969 at the Wigmore Hall in London. It consists of movements I - Zagoresios, II - In The Valleys, III - Tsirigotikos, IV - Karagouna, V - Kalamatianos. In the forth movement, that is, "Karagouna", the composer elaborates in the melody on the melody of this song. The work was recorded by the Italian guitar duo Liliana Pesaresi and Luca Trabucchi in 2002, in Milan (CD "John W. Duarte. Variations on a French Nursery Song, Op. 32", MAP Lira Classic LR CD 086), and by the Athens Guitar Duo (Dusty Woodruff and Matthew Anderson) in June 2013 in Brighton, United Kingdom CD "Magellan's Playlist, Vol. 1: On tour in China", Claudio CR-60192).
Συγκαταλέγεται στις ηχογραφήσεις που πραγματοποίησε η αγγλική δισκογραφική εταιρεία The Gramophone Co Ltd στην Αθήνα το διάστημα 11 Μαΐου-14 Ιουνίου 1931 με ηχολήπτη τον Arthur Douglas Lawrence.
This recording includes a tune that has been recorded many times in Greek historical discography, either in the form of a song or as an instrumental piece. For example:
– “Karagkouna”, Vasileiou – Popular Orchestra, Athens, 1928 (Columbia UK W 20264 – 8232).
– “Karagkouna”, Lazaros Rouvas – Popular Orchestra, Athens, 1929 (Pathé 70050 – X. 80046).
– “Karagkouna”, Folk Orchestra, Giannis Kyriakatis (clarinet), Athens, May 27, 1931 (His Master's Voice OW-219 – AO-1042).
– “Karagkouna”, Dimos Cholevas – Folk Orchestra, Kostas Giaouzos (clarinet), Athens, January 8, 1934 (His Master's Voice OT-1494-1 –AO-1053 and Orthophonic S-639-B).
– “Karagkouna”, Demosthenis Vlachangelis (Kalantzis) – Vaios Malliaras (clarinet) and Folk Orchestra, Athens, 1950 (Columbia C.G. 2844-1 – D.G. 6927), as a composition by M. Malliara.
– “Karagkouna”, Ka [Mrs.] Koula, USA, 1947 (Panhellenic P 107 A).
– “Karagkouna”, Roza Eskenazy, Apostolos Stamelos (clarinet), USA, 1950s (Standard GR-660B – F-9132-B).
The musical score of the song was released by the Michalis Gaitanos publishing house in an arrangement by Iosif Ritsiardis (see here) and by the Gr. Konstantinidis – G. Nikolaidis publishing house in an arrangement by Grigoris Konstantinidis (see here).
From the findings in discography (for example, see here for here discographical releases over the last eight decades), it is clear that the song is still active not only in the modern folk repertoire, in festivals, music scenes throughout Greece and in the related discography, but has also ventured into other repertoires, constantly producing new performances and arrangements both in Greece and in various parts of the world. The appearance of the tune in multiple performative environments, which determine its performative and, ultimately, overall aesthetic identity, is of great interest, which in several cases is far removed from the context in which it first appeared and operated.
For example, we should note the cover by Mimis Plessas with the band The Orbiters "Karagouna (Thessalian dance" in 1967 (LP "Greece goes modern", Pan-Vox X 33 PV 10101), by Christos Dantis in 1996 ("Karagkouna", CD "Foni Voontos", RCA – 74321-438992, BMG – 74321-438992), by The Swing Shoes in 2008 ("Karaguna", CD "Ladies and Gents, here's The swing shoes, Prominence Recordings PRMNCD014, released in 2010).
Regarding the appearances of the song in foreign discography and live recordings:
On May 15, 1993, the American Black Cat Orchestra included "Karaguna" in the music they played live accompanying the screening of the 1911 motion picture "Dante's Inferno" directed by Gieseppi DeLiguoro, at the Capitol Theatre in Washington, as part of the Olympia Film Society presentations. In American discography, the recording "Karagouna" by the five-member female band Rusalki, based in Santa Fe, shoud also be noted. It is included in the CD "...Pearls from the bottom of the ocean..." released in 2009. We should also mention the performance "Karaguna" by Derek Wright from the CD "Salaam Axé" released in 2016.
Continuing with French discography, in 2002, the band Productions Strada recorded the song "Karagouna" for the CD "Gadje - Musiques nomades".
On June 6, 2003, the Jazz trio named "3" released a CD in Germany entitled "Karaguna" (JazzSick Records JS-5005). The song of the same name, that is, "Karaguna", is based on this tune.
Three years later, in 2006, the Jazz band Gypsophilia from Nova Scotia, Canada, included the recording "Kara Gouna" in the CD "Crazy move the belt".
In 2008, the Melbourne-based band Babaganoush released their second album entitled "Lyubov", which contains their own approach to the tune under the title "Karaguna". The live performance of the Sydney-based "Balkansi" Klezmer band in 2012 (see here) should also be noted.
In the same year, that is, in March 2008, the Cypriot band Trio Tekke arranged the song by recording in London the album "Karagkouna" (CD "Ta reggetika", self-released TT001).
In 2013, the Brazilian band Terra Sonora released the CD "Terras" with music and songs from various regions of the world. The regions include Greece with the recording "Karagouna".
The tune can also be found in the scholar repertoire. Around 1941, Nikos Skalkottas (Chalkida, March 21, 1904 – Athens, September 19, 1949) harmonized the tune for a three-voice female choir without accompaniment (see here), and in 1947 he arranged it for piano (see here) should also be noted. A handwritten musical score of the work is uploaded to the Great Music Library of Greece "Lilian Voudouri", where the Nikos Skalkottas archive (see here) is kept (see here) should also be noted.
In 1956, the American composer of Armenian origin Allan Hovhaness [Alan Vaness Chakmakjian (Աական Հայիկան Պայաներեն), Somerville, Massachusetts, March 8, 1911 – Seattle, June 21, 2000] completed his work "Seven Greek Folk Dances, Op. 150". Hovhaness, who considered the Greek painter Ermolaos Ionidis (better known as Hermon di Giovannno) as his spiritual teacher while visiting Greece in the period 1953 – 1955, arranged seven Greek dances for harmonica and strings (or piano): 1. Hassapiko, 2. The Selybrian Syrtos, 3. Sweet Basil Green, 4. Karagouna, 5. Tsaconian dance, 6. Pastoral, 7. Sousta. The forth, entitled "Karagouna" draws material from the tune we are examining. The work was presented in 1958 in Berlin by John Sebastian, harmonica, and Renato Josi, piano (see here), in 2001 in Athens by Christos Zerbinos, accordion, and the Athens String Orchestra conducted by Lefteris Kalkanis (see here), in 2003 in Tokyo by the Japanese Joe Sakimoto, harmonica, and Haruki Mino, piano (see here), and in 2013 in Milan by the Italian Gianluca Littera, harmonica, and the Orchestra Stesichoros conducted by Francesco Di Mauro (see here).
In 1959, the musical score for guitar under the name "Danza Greca n. 1 / Karaguna" was published by the Ricordi publishing house in Milan by the Greek guitarist, composer and teacher Dimitris Fampas. Fampas' arrangement of this tune has become part of the guitar repertoire of many Greek guitarists. Among them is Eleftheria Kotzia, who recorded "Karaguna" at the Guitar Salon International showroom in Santa Monica, California, USA, in 2018.
The tune also inspired the British composer John W. Duarte. As stated on his personal website (see here), the "Greek Suite (Greek meets Greek") Op. 39 for two guitars was written in 1968, following a letter from guitarist Evangelos Asimakopoulos, in which he asked Duarte for a work based on Greek themes, attaching relevant musical material. Some movements of the "Greek Suite", which is dedicated to the Athenian Greek Duo of Evangelos Asimakopoulos and Liza Zoi (for more information see here, here and here), were presented for the first time by the Greek guitarists in January 1969 at the Wigmore Hall in London. It consists of movements I - Zagoresios, II - In The Valleys, III - Tsirigotikos, IV - Karagouna, V - Kalamatianos. In the forth movement, that is, "Karagouna", the composer elaborates in the melody on the melody of this song. The work was recorded by the Italian guitar duo Liliana Pesaresi and Luca Trabucchi in 2002, in Milan (CD "John W. Duarte. Variations on a French Nursery Song, Op. 32", MAP Lira Classic LR CD 086), and by the Athens Guitar Duo (Dusty Woodruff and Matthew Anderson) in June 2013 in Brighton, United Kingdom CD "Magellan's Playlist, Vol. 1: On tour in China", Claudio CR-60192).
Συγκαταλέγεται στις ηχογραφήσεις που πραγματοποίησε η αγγλική δισκογραφική εταιρεία The Gramophone Co Ltd στην Αθήνα το διάστημα 11 Μαΐου-14 Ιουνίου 1931 με ηχολήπτη τον Arthur Douglas Lawrence.
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
![26 [San pethano 's to karavi]
(Trente mélodies populaires de Grèce et d'Orient)](https://kounadisomeka.aegean.gr/files/thumbnails/1be123bd81c747722e69cf7db3c7d6ff.jpg)
