Difference between revisions of "Rebetiko"

Revision as of 13:07, August 13, 2005

Rebetiko, plural rebetika, (Greek ρεμπέτικο and ρεμπέτικα respectively) is the name for a type of urban Greek music.

Rebetika are the songs of the Greek underworld, sung by the so-called rebetes (Greek: ρεμπέτης). Rebetes were unconventional people who lived outside the social order. They first appeared after the Greek War of Independence of 1821.

The songs, often compared to genres like American blues, are full of grief, passion, romance, and bitterness. They are generally melancholic songs telling of the misfortunes of simple ordinary men.

History

See also: Timeline of Rebetika

Elias Petropoulos, one of the principal historians of the rebetic style, divides the history of the syle into three periods:

1922–1932 — the era when rebetika emerged from its roots in the music of Smyrna
1932–1942 — the classical period
1942–1952 — the era of discovery, spread, and acceptance.

Prehistory

The roots of rebetic song may be found in the music of the coastal settlements of Asia Minor, that of Constantinople, and also in the prisons; the existence of which is attested from the middle of the nineteenth century.

At the end of the 19th century the Kafe Aman arrived in Greece and Asia Minor. These were coffeehouses in which the habitués amused themselves with lively music. These rooms constituted one of the cradles of rebetic song — along with the prison, the tavern, and the opium den.

The mastery period & its Smyrnian roots

1922 was the year of the Asia Minor Disaster, which was followed by population exhanges in accordance with the Treaty of Lausanne. Many Asia Minor Greeks were settled in the larger cites of Greece, bringing with them their traditional music.

From the admixture of the music of Asia Minor with elements from Greece proper, the rebetic style came into being. In this period, the themes of the rebetika revolved mainly around love songs and songs with references to illicit activities (such as narcotics). The influences of the music of Smyrna were profound, given their unrivalled pathos, and at certain times it is difficult to distinguish the rebetic song from the Smyrnian.

The classical period

Gradually the rebetic variety acquired its own peculiar character. In 1932, the first recordings of rebetika arrived, made by Markos Vamvakaris. In 1936 began the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas and with it, the onset of censorship.

Consequently the album was sanitized and the references to narcotics, opium, etc. vanished from the recordings. Yet the recording of illicit themes continued, for in that period a great number of Greeks emigrated to the United States, and with the emigrants went their rebetika. Many noteworthy songs were recorded, while a synthesis of Greek and foreign music produced many new musical varieties.

Instruments

Baglamas

The basic instruments for the performance of rebetic song are the bouzouki, baglamas and whatever similar instruments one might care to include (e.g. the tzouras). Additional instruments used include the tambourine, accordion, guitar, tonbak, finger-cymbals (comparable to castanets). In a few older recordings, something like clattering glass may be heard. It is a matter of some debate whether the sound is possibly produced by the striking of worry beads against a drinking glass. Some manges are in the habit of making the sound in their music with that method, a practice which was passed on and occurs in some modern recordings.

Varieties

All the rebetika songs are for dancing. Almost half of them are zeibekika and the others are hasapika. Zeibekiko is a personal dance. Only one man can dance it. If another gets up, that is a cause of conflict and a fight with knives. Women were not allowed to dance zeibekiko, (except of prostitutes). The dancer of zeibekiko dances looking to the ground. His face is hard, humorless, almost sinister. Hasapika were danced by two or three rebetes. Women could dance too. These two dances came to Greece from Turkey.

Famous performers

Some of the main rebetiko singers and creators include Panagiotis Tountas, Vaggelis Papazoglou, Giannis Eitziridis and Manolis Khrisafakis. The next generation included Markos Vamvakaris, Kostas Skarvelis, Giannis Papaioannou and Vassilis Tsitsanis.

External links

Rebetiko On-lineThere you can read a brief introduction in Greek and English, see many photos and listen 24h a day live rebetika music
The Rembetiko Forum — very rich resource and on-line discussion (in Greek), and a timeline of rebetiko's history (in Greek and English)
Rebetika channel at Live365 — free, advertising-supported; some media players may experience connection problems

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 == Instruments ==
-[[Image:Baglamas.jpg|thumb|right|60px|Baglamas]]
+[[Image:Baglamades.jpg|thumb|right|100px|Baglamas]]
 The basic instruments for the performance of rebetic song are the [[bouzouki]], [[baglamas]] and whatever similar instruments one might care to include (e.g. the [[tzouras]]).  Additional instruments used include the [[tambourine]], [[accordion]], [[guitar]], [[toubeleki|tonbak]], finger-[[cymbals]] (comparable to [[castanets]]).  In a few older recordings, something like clattering glass may be heard.  It is a matter of some debate whether the sound is possibly produced by the striking of [[worry beads]] against a drinking glass.  Some ''[[manges]]'' are in the habit of making the sound in their music with that method, a practice which was passed on and occurs in some modern recordings.