Greek traditional music (, , 'traditional music'; also , , 'folk songs') includes a variety of

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

styles played by

ethnic Greek Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Cyprus, southern Albania, Anatolia, parts of Italy and Egypt, and to a lesser extent, other countries surrounding the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. They also fo ...

s in

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and other parts of Europe. Apart from the common music found generally in Greece, each region of Greece contains a distinct type of

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

that originated from the region due to their history, traditions and cultural influences.

Overview

Greek folk music originally, predominantly contained one genre, known as Greek ''Demotiko (or Demotic/Paradosiako).'' This refers to the traditional Greek popular songs and music of mainland Greece and islands, which date back to the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

times. It was the sole popular musical genre of the Greek people until the spread of ''Rebetiko'' and '' Laiko'' (other genres of folk music) in the early 20th century, spread by the Greek refugees from Asia Minor. This style of music evolved from the ancient and the medieval Greek era and is still played today. The lyrics of Greek folk music are largely based on Demotic (folk) poetry (usually by anonymous lyricists) and consist of popular themes such as love, marriage, humor, death, nature, water, sea, and religion. Some lyrics make reference to the Ottoman Empire, in particular bandit insurgents (known as

klepht Klephts (; Greek κλέφτης, ''kléftis'', pl. κλέφτες, ''kléftes'', which means "thieves" and perhaps originally meant just "brigand": "Other Greeks, taking to the mountains, became unofficial, self-appointed armatoles and were know ...

s), Ottoman soldiers (known as

armatoloi The armatoles (; ; ; ), or armatole in singular, were irregular soldiers, or militia, commissioned by the Ottoman Empire, Ottomans to enforce the sultan's authority within an administrative district called an armatoliki ( in singular, , in plura ...

), as well as various war figures and notable battles. The songs are played mainly in the following two categories of tempos: ' Syrtos' (various versions) and ' Pidiktos'. Pidikto songs are more energetic and involve leaping, whilst the Syrto songs and accompanying dances are slower and more free-flowing. Some songs also are a combination of Pidikto and Syrto tempos. Universal dances that accompany Greek folk music include

Kalamatianos The Kalamatianós (Modern Greek Συρτός Καλαματιανός ''Syrtós Kalamatianós'', but usually only called Καλαματιανός ''Kalamatianós'') is one of the best-known dances of Greece. It is a popular Greek dances, Greek fol ...

(a universal Greek dance from

Kalamata Kalamata ( ) is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece after Patras, and the largest city of the Peloponnese (region), homonymous administrative region. As the capital and chief port of the Messenia regiona ...

Tsamiko The Tsamikos (, ''Tsamikos'') or Kleftikos () is a popular traditional folk dance of Greece, done to music of Triple metre, 3/4 meter. The dance The dance follows a strict and slow tempo not emphasising on the steps, but more on the "attitude, ...

Ballos The Ballos () is a Greek folk dance and a form of sirtos. There are also different versions in other Balkan countries. The Ballos is of Greek origin, with ancient Greek elements. The name originates in the Italian ''ballo'' via Latin "ballo" ...

and

Sousta Sousta () is a Greek folk dance, performed at weddings as an activity of courtship between husband and wife. It originates from Ancient Greece, and holds prominence in Dodecanese Islands, and the broader Aegean region. It is the second most c ...

Notable folk songs

Some notable folk songs include: * "Itia" * "Milo mou kokkino" * "Kontoula lemonia" * "Mou parigile to aidoni" * "Enas aetos" * "Kira Vangelio" * "Gerakina" * "Saranta palikaria" and from Nisiotika (the songs from the islands) * "Ikariotikos" * "Samiotisa" * "Thalassaki" * " Armenaki" * "Amorgos Sousta" * "Ela Na Pame S'ena Meros * "Dari Dari * "Dirlada" * " Lygaria" * "Psaropoula", such as "Tilirkiotissa" and "Psintri Vasilitsia mou" (Cyprus).

Crete

The Greek islands of

Kárpathos Karpathos (, ), also Carpathos, is the second largest of the Greek Dodecanese islands, in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Together with the neighboring smaller Saria Island it forms the municipality of Karpathos, which is part of the regional unit ...

, Khálki, Kássos and

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

form an arc where the

Cretan Lyra The Cretan lyra () is a pear-shaped three-stringed Greece, Greek Violin, a traditional Greek musical instruments, musical instrument, central to the traditional music of Crete and other islands in the Dodecanese and the Aegean Islands, Aegean Ar ...

is the dominant instrument.

Kostas Mountakis Kostas Mountakis (, a.k.a. Μουντόκωστας) (10 February 1926, in Alfa in Mylopotamos, Crete – 31 January 1991) was a Greek musician who popularized the traditional music of the island of Crete, primarily with the lyra, the bowed str ...

, is an example of a person of Greek origin who played the Lyra and helped popularise it in Greece. The Lyra is often accompanied by the Lute (

laouto The laouto (, pl. laouta ) is a long-neck fretted instrument of the lute family, found in Greece and Cyprus, and similar in appearance to the oud. It has four double-strings. It is played in most respects like the oud (plucked with a long ple ...

) which resembles a

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

Askomandoura Askomandoura () is a type of bagpipe played as a traditional instrument on the Greek island of Crete, similar to the ''tsampouna''. Its use in Crete is attested in illustrations from the mid-15th Century.Ioannis TsouchlarakiThe folk musical instr ...

(a type of

bagpipe Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, No ...

) is also used in Cretan folk music. Crete has a unique history of folk dance tradition, which includes swift dances like Pentozalis,

Syrtos SyrtosModern Greek συρτός ''syrtós''; accusative singular συρτό ''syrtó''; plural συρτοί ''syrtoí''; from σύρω ''sýro'' . Also known as sirtos or sirto in English. is a traditional Greek dance in which the dancers link ha ...

, Trizali,

Katsabadianos Katsabadianos (), is a folk dance with Cretan origin. It is very widespread in Heraklion and Chania. See also *Music of Greece *Greek dances Greek dance (''choros''; ) is an old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle ...

, Chaniotikos, Siganos, Pidichtos Lasithou, Maleviziotikos, Tsiniaris, Ierapetrikos and Laziotikos.

Aegean islands

The Aegean islands of Greece are known for their

Nisiótika Greek traditional music (, , 'traditional music'; also , , 'folk songs') includes a variety of Greek styles played by ethnic Greeks in Greece, Cyprus, Australia, the United States and other parts of Europe. Apart from the common music found gen ...

(meaning from the islands) songs. The characteristics of these Greek island folk songs vary widely. Although the basis of the sound is characteristically secular-

. The relative isolation of the islands allowed the separate development of island-specific

Greek music The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its History of Greece, history. Greek music separates into two parts: Greek folk music, Greek traditional music and Byzantine music. These compositions have existed for millennia: they originat ...

. Nisiótika songs are often accompanied by the

lyra , from ; pronounced: ) is a small constellation. It is one of the 48 listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the modern 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Lyra was often represented on star ...

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

tsampouna The tsampouna (or tsambouna; ) is a Greek musical instrument and part of the bagpipe family. It is a double- chantered bagpipe, with no drone, and is inflated by blowing by mouth into a goatskin bag. The instrument is widespread in the Greek isla ...

, souravli and

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

. Notable singers include

Yiannis Parios Yiannis Parios () is a Greek singer, with a career spanning five decades. Biography Yiannis Parios was born Ioannis Varthakouris (Ιωάννης Βαρθακούρης) on the island of Paros. He made his first appearance as a singer in 1969 ...

, the Konitopoulos family and

Mariza Koch Mariza Koch (; born 14 March 1944) is a Greek folk music singer who has recorded many albums since starting her career in 1971. On the wider stage she is best remembered for representing her homeland at the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 with the so ...

who was an active Greek folk singer in the 1970s and performed the song 'Panayia Mou' in the

Eurovision Song Contest 1976 The Eurovision Song Contest 1976 was the 21st edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in The Hague, Netherlands, following the country's victory at the with the song "Ding-a-dong" by Teach-In (band), Teach-In. Organised by the Euro ...

. Folk dances include the

, Chiotikos, Kalymniotikos, Stavrotos,

Lerikos Lerikos () is a traditional Greek circle dance. Participants hold hands at the shoulder level and dance in a counterclockwise direction. See also *Greek music *Greek dances * Sousta *Greek folk music Greek traditional music (, , 'traditional ...

, Kamara, Michanikos, Trata,

Panagia Panagia (, fem. of , + , the ''All-Holy'', or the ''Most Holy''; pronounced ) (also transliterated Panaghia or Panayia), in Medieval and Modern Greek, is one of the titles of Mary, Mother of God, used especially in Orthodox Christianity and E ...

and

Ikariotikos ''Ikariotikos'' () or ''Kariotikos'' (, sometimes written with an apostrophe as 'Καριώτικος) is a traditional dance and accompanying song originating in Ikaria a Greek island in the North Eastern Aegean Sea. Some specialists say that th ...

.Andrew R. Martin, & Matthew Mihalka Ph.D. (2020). ''Music Around the World: A Global Encyclopedia Volumes��: A Global Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO. In the Aegean

Cyclades The CYCLADES computer network () was a French research network created in the early 1970s. It was one of the pioneering networks experimenting with the concept of packet switching and, unlike the ARPANET, was explicitly designed to facilitate i ...

, the

is used more often than the

Cretan lyra The Cretan lyra () is a pear-shaped three-stringed Greece, Greek Violin, a traditional Greek musical instruments, musical instrument, central to the traditional music of Crete and other islands in the Dodecanese and the Aegean Islands, Aegean Ar ...

as well as the clarinet, mandolin, bagpipe, dulcimer and guitar. Some Nisiotika musicians includ
Nikos Oikonomidis
Leonidas Klados an
Stathis Koukoularis
Folk dances in the Cyclades include

(Serifou, Naxou and Kythnou) , Amorgos dance and

. A prominent singer of Cycladic music was

Domna Samiou Domna Samiou (; 12 October 1928 – 10 March 2012Greek fol ...

, who was trained by Greek musicologist,

Simon Karas Simon Karas (Lepreo ,21 May 1903 – Athens, 26 January 1999) was a Greek musicologist, who specialized in Byzantine music tradition. Simon Karas was born in Lepreo, Zacharo municipality, Elis. He studied paleography of Byzantine musical nota ...

. The folk music of the Dodecanese (part of the Aegean Islands), also contains prominent elements of Cretan music. Dodecanese folk dances include the Trata, Ballos, Syrtos,

Kremasti Kremasti () is a town on the Greek island of Rhodes (', ''Ródhos''). Located on the west coast of the island, Kremasti is 12 kilometers from the capital of Rhodes, on the road to the airport. It has a population of 5,597 people (2021 census) an ...

, Issos, Syrtos Rodou, Michanikos and Kalymnikos, which originates from the island of

Kalymnos Kalymnos (; ) is a Greek island and municipality in the southeastern Aegean Sea. It belongs to the Dodecanese island chain, between the islands of Kos (south, at a distance of ) and Leros (north, at a distance of less than ): the latter is lin ...

Central Greece

In Central Greece many folk songs make references to the

klephts Klephts (; Greek κλέφτης, ''kléftis'', pl. κλέφτες, ''kléftes'', which means "thieves" and perhaps originally meant just "brigand": "Other Greeks, taking to the mountains, became unofficial, self-appointed armatoles and were know ...

and their role during the

Greek war of independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...

. Folk songs accompany dances in central Greece such as the

Antikrystos Antikristos or Antikrystós () is a dance of Greek origin. “Aντικρυστός” in Greek language refers to the verb αντικρύζω “be across, opposite, face-to-face” (from Ancient Greek ἀντικρύ “vis-à-vis, face-to-fa ...

Hasapiko The hasapiko (, , meaning “the butcher's ance��) is a Greek folk dance from Constantinople. The dance originated in the Middle Ages as a battle mime with swords performed by the Greek butchers' guild, which adopted it from the military of ...

Syrtaki Sirtaki or syrtaki () is a dance of Greek origin, choreographed for the 1964 film ''Zorba the Greek''. It is a recent Greek folkdance, and a mixture of "syrtos" and the slow and fast rhythms of the hasapiko dance. The dance and the accompanyi ...

Kamilierikos Greek dance (''choros''; ) is an old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed ...

Koulouriotikos

Zeibekiko Zeibekiko (, ) is a Greek dances, Greek folk dance, similar to Turkish Zeybek (dance), Zeybek dance. Origin and history It takes its name from the Zeybeks, an irregular militia living in the Aegean Region of the Ottoman Empire from late 17th ...

and Syrto-kalamatianos. The musical tradition of the region is also influenced by Polyphonic songs, through the

Arvanites Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They are bilingual, traditionally speaking Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded ...

Epirus

Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...

, folk songs are pentatonic and

polyphonic Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice ( monophony) or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ...

, sung by both male and female singers. These songs often fall into three main categories including firstly, Mirolóyia (the mournful, lamenting songs) that are accompanied by instrumentals, which form the second category and are named Skáros and the third category is named

Tis Távlas The music of Epirus (), in Epirus, northwestern Greece, present to varying degree in the rest of Greece and the islands, contains folk songs that are mostly pentatonic and polyphonic, characterized as relaxed, gentle and exceptionally beautiful, ...

(songs played when drinking). Prominent instruments used in folk songs in Epirus, include the

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

and the

clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...

(largely replaced the Lute in the 19th century). Ensembles may also use the violin and defi (a rimmed drum) to accompany dances, mostly slow and heavy, like the

Tsamikos The Tsamikos (, ''Tsamikos'') or Kleftikos () is a popular traditional folk dance of Greece, done to music of 3/4 meter. The dance The dance follows a strict and slow tempo not emphasising on the steps, but more on the "attitude, style and gr ...

, Koftos, Fisouni, Sta Dio (4/4 tempo), Sta Tria (3/4 tempo), Zagorisios, Metsovitikos and Beratis.

Peloponnese

Folk dances that accompany

Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...

folk music include the

(tempo is in 3/4 meter),

Monodiplos Monodiplos is a traditional dance from the area of Messenia in the Peloponnese. The dance is typically a Kalamatiano dance with two variations. There is a single step and a double step back variation that occurs in the dance. The song typically u ...

Tsakonikos The Tsakonikos or Tsakonikos horos ( "Tsakonian dance") is a dance performed in the Peloponnese in Greece. It comes from the region, chiefly in Arcadia, known as Tsakonia. It is danced in many towns and villages there with little variation to the ...

Ai Georgis Ai Georgis () is a dance from the village of Nestani in Arkadia, a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus which takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. The dance is performed and danced on the feast day of St George usually after Easte ...

and Maniatikos. In the songs there are also references to the

. In

Mani Mani may refer to: People * Mani (name), (), a given name and surname (including a list of people with the name) ** Mani (prophet) (c. 216–274), a 3rd century Iranian prophet who founded Manichaeism ** Mani (musician) (born 1962), an English ...

there also exists a traditional category of songs named the "μοιρολόγια" Mirolóyia (laments), typically sung by the old women of

Ionian Islands

The

Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...

were never completely under Ottoman control (only Kefalonia was under Ottoman control during 1479–1481 and 1485–1500) and were largely occupied by the Venetians.Stavrianos, L., & Stoianovich, T. (2008). ''The Balkans since 1453'' (2nd ed.). Hurst& Company. This is reflected in the folk music. For example Kantadhes (καντάδες), which are a form of romantic serenade, stylistically reflect the Venetian presence and Macedonian Romani (Gypsy) presence in the Ionian Islands. Greek Kantadhes are typically performed by three male singers accompanied by the

. These romantic songs developed mainly in

Kefalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia (), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallonia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th-largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It is also a separate regio ...

in the early 19th century but spread throughout

after its

liberation Liberation or liberate may refer to: Film and television * ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War * "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode * "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode Gaming * '' Liberati ...

in 1821. An

Athenian Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

form of Kantadhes arose later, accompanied by the

and

. However the style is accepted as uniquely Ionian or Heptanese. The island of

Zakynthos Zakynthos (also spelled Zakinthos; ; ) or Zante (, , ; ; from the Venetian language, Venetian form, traditionally Latinized as Zacynthus) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands, with an are ...

has a diverse musical history with influences also from

and many of these traditional, Heptanese songs would be played in theatre productions. Folk dances include the Tsirigotikos (from

Kythira Kythira ( ; ), also transliterated as Cythera, Kythera and Kithira, is an island in Greece lying opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is traditionally listed as one of the seven main Ionian Islands, although it is dist ...

), Levantinikos (from

, Kerkiraikos (from

Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...

)."HDNJ - The Ionian Islands". ''www.hellenicdancersofnj.org''. Retrieved 2021-12-08. Notable songs are "Kato Sto Yialo", "S'ena paporo mesa", "Apopse tin kithara mou". The Church music (Byzantine) of the islands is also different from the rest of Greece, containing many Western European and

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

influences, which played a large role on the

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

rite. In this region the first School of modern Greek classical music ( Heptanesean or Ionian School, Επτανησιακή Σχολή) was also founded and established in 1815.Romanou, K., Barbaki, M.(2011). "Music Education in Nineteenth-Century Greece: Its Institutions and their Contribution to Urban Musical Life". ''Nineteenth-Century Music Review''. 8 (1): 57–84. doi:10.1017/s1479409811000061.

ISSN An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit to uniquely identify a periodical publication (periodical), such as a magazine. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSNs a ...

1479-4098.

Macedonia

Folk dances in Macedonia include the

, Leventikos,

Zonaradiko Zonaradiko () is a traditional Greek folk dance from Thrace (Greece) that is named after the dance's handhold. Dancers hold the adjacent dancer's ''zonaria'' ( belt) during the dance. Zonaradiko is a village line dance done in one form or another ...

, Endeka Kozanis, Stankena, Baidouska, Makedonikos Antikristos, and Kapitan Louka.Keil, C., & Keil, A. V. (1997). The instruments. ''The Village Voice'' There are also folk songs which make references to the

Macedonian Struggle The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts that were mainly fought between Greek and Bulgarian subjects who lived in Ottoman Macedonia between 1893 and 1912. From 1904 to 1908 the conflict was p ...

, describing the difficulties faced by Macedonian people during the Balkan wars and allude to those who became refugees and sought asylum in Greece. Often, Macedonian folk music uses the dauli (a medium sized bass drum) and a

zurna The zurna is a double reed wind instrument played in Central Asia, West Asia, the Caucasus, Southeast Europe and parts of North Africa. It is also used in Sri Lanka. It is usually accompanied by a davul (bass drum) in Armenian, Anatolian and Ass ...

(a wider oboe) as well as hand drums (tympana),

trumpets The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard B o ...

and bells (

koudounia The Koudounia (), are bell-like percussion instruments. Most often, they are made from copper and upon playing (that is, hitting them with a stick) they give out a special ringing sound. Originally the koudounia had been used as an amulet which prot ...

or "chálkina" in the local vernacular). Other instruments used include violin, clarinet and Macedonian lyra.

Thessaly

Folk songs from

Thessaly Thessaly ( ; ; ancient Aeolic Greek#Thessalian, Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient Thessaly, a ...

are mostly slow and stately, however the music accompanying the

dance, is typically livelier and more energetic than it is in other parts of Greece.Hunt, Y., & Dragoumēs, M. (1996). ''Traditional dance in Greek culture'' (1st ed.). Centre for Asia Minor Studies. Songs accompany dances such as the

(popular universally in Greece), Thessalikos, Galanogalani, Kangeli, Gaitanaki,

, Sta Tria, Karagouna and Beratis.

Thrace

Instruments used in Ancient

Thracian The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared between north-eastern Greece, ...

music include goatskin bagpipes (''

Gaida Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, Nor ...

'') and the

Byzantine lyra The Byzantine lyra or lira () was a medieval bowed string musical instrument in the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. In its popular form, the lyra was a pear-shaped instrument with three to five strings, held upright and played by stopping ...

. Folk dances include the Tapeinos Horos, Baidouska, Tromakton, Souflioutouda,

, Tsestos, and Apadiasteite Sto Choro. Traditional Thracian dances are usually swift in

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...

and are mostly

circle dance Circle dance, or chain dance, is a style of social dance done in a circle, semicircle or a curved line to musical accompaniment, such as rhythm instruments and singing, and is a type of dance where anyone can join in without the need of Partne ...

s in which the men dance at the front of the line. The

, a goatskin

, is commonly used in Thracian music and

s are also used. The Thracian Gaida, also called ''Avlos'', is different from the

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North Macedonia * Mac ...

or other Bulgarian bagpipes. It is more high in pitch than the Macedonian Gaida but less so than the Bulgarian gaida (or Dura). The Thracian Gaida is also still widely used throughout Thrace in northeastern

. Notable singers of Thracian music include

Chronis Aidonidis Chronis Aidonidis (; 23 September 1928 – 23 October 2023) was a Greek singer from Karoti, a village now belonging to Didymoteicho, Greece. His parents were Fr. Christos and Chrysanthi Aidonidis. He learned his first songs in his hometown and ...

and

Kyriakos Sfetsas Kyriakos Sfetsas (; born September 29, 1945) is a Greek composer. His body of work consists of a large number of compositions: symphonic, choral, ballet and theatre music, chamber, electronic, film scores, pieces for solo instruments, pieces in ...

Pontus

Pontic music retains elements of the musical traditions of

Byzantine music Byzantine music () originally consisted of the songs and hymns composed for the courtly and religious ceremonial of the Byzantine Empire and continued, after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, in the traditions of the sung Byzantine chant of East ...

and the music from the region known as

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

. The primary instruments in Pontic music are a bowed instrument known as Kemençe of Laz or the Pontic Lyra, which originated in the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

period and is similar to the

and

.Margaret J. (1990). On Concepts and Classifications of Musical Instruments. ''Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology'', University of Chicago Press. Other bowed musical instrument are also used, such as the

Kit violin The pochette is a small stringed instrument of the bowed variety. It is a small violin-like instrument designed to fit in a pocket, hence the name "pochette" (French for ''small pocket''). Also known as a pocket fiddle, it was designed to be use ...

and

Rebec The rebec (sometimes rebecha, rebeckha, and other spellings, pronounced or ) is a bowed stringed instrument of the Medieval era and the early Renaissance. In its most common form, it has a narrow boat-shaped body and one to five strings. Origins ...

, these are more popular in the Western region of Pontus. Other instruments include the

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

(a type of bagpipe), Daouli (a type of drum) and

Aulos An ''aulos'' (plural ''auloi''; , plural ) or ''tibia'' (Latin) was a wind instrument in ancient Greece, often depicted in art and also attested by archaeology. Though the word ''aulos'' is often translated as "flute" or as " double flute", ...

(a wind instrument). Folk dances from Pontus include slower dances including the Omál, Tik and Dipát. Faster dances include the Tik Tónyia and Kotsari and other dances include Giouvarlantoum, Serra and Tas.

Constantinople

The main Greek dance, for which folk songs are used as an accompaniment in Constantinople is the

s. Alonso, Torre, F. de la, Anonymous, Encina, J. del, & Ballard, R. (2001). CONSTANTINOPLE: Music of the Middle Ages and of the Renaissance. Naxos Digital Services US Inc. It originated in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

as a military exercise with swords, adopted by the Byzantine military. During Byzantine times, the Hasapiko was called μακελλάρικος χορός (''makellarikos horos''). The songs were later danced by butchers in a social setting, and it was danced in both Turkey and Greece. The use of Politiki Lyra and Politiko Laouto is common to the folk songs from Constantinople. The Hasapiko also later served as one of the bases for the

Sirtaki Sirtaki or syrtaki () is a dance of Greek origin, choreographed for the 1964 film '' Zorba the Greek''. It is a recent Greek folkdance, and a mixture of " syrtos" and the slow and fast rhythms of the hasapiko dance. The dance and the accompa ...

and it is danced in mostly all areas of Greece, with the use of

Bouzouki The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute fam ...

Cyprus

Cyprus is an independent country, currently contested between the

Republic of Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the third lar ...

and the

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a '' de facto'' state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all o ...

. Cyprus includes a variety of classical, folk and popular genres. Cypriot folk music is similar to the folk music of Greece and includes dances such as the

, the Cypriot

and

Antikristos Antikristos or Antikrystós () is a dance of Greek origin. “Aντικρυστός” in Greek language refers to the verb αντικρύζω “be across, opposite, face-to-face” (from Ancient Greek ἀντικρύ “vis-à-vis, face-to-fa ...

.Rousha, Y. (2014). ''The development of musical preferences in Greek Cypriot students''

book A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...

(pp. 32-40). Roehampton University London. https://pure.roehampton.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/429421/Yianna_Rousha_THESIS.pdf Cypriot folk music typically uses the Lute (

Laouto The laouto (, pl. laouta ) is a long-neck fretted instrument of the lute family, found in Greece and Cyprus, and similar in appearance to the oud. It has four double-strings. It is played in most respects like the oud (plucked with a long ple ...

) and since World War Two, the violin has been also used.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greek Folk Music Music of Greece Folk music by country