This recording includes a musical tune that appears several times in Greek-speaking discography in various versions and variations, both musical and lyrical:

– “Manaki mou”, Giorgos Vidalis, Athens, 1925 (Odeon Go 69 – GA 1037).
– “Manaki mou”, Antonis Ntalgkas (Diamantidis), Athens, February 26, 1926 (His Master’s Voice BJ 203 – AO 164).
– “Manaki mou”, Kostas Karipis, Athens, 1927 (Polydor 4577 ar – V 45121).
– “Manaki mou”, Antonis Ntalgkas (Diamantidis) and orchestra with Salonikios (Dimitris Semsis) on the violin, Athens, June 21, 1927 (His Master’s Voice BF-760 – AO 205).
– “Manaki mou”, Lefteris Menemenlis, Athens, 1928 (Columbia UK 20002 – 8006).
– “Ela st’ Anapli”, Antonis Ntalgkas (Diamantidis), Athens, 1929 (Pathé 70026 – X. 80038).
– “Manaki mou”, Paul Gad, probably Constantinople, 1920s (Pathé 11629).

Of particular interest is the fact that in all the aforementioned recordings the tune under examination is combined with the musical theme of “Vournovalios manes”. This tune, one of the most popular in the Greek-speaking repertoire, appears in the discography from the early 20th century in at least thirteen recordings, with several variants, different lyrics and titles, such as “Vournovalitiko”, “Me tin adiaforian sou”, “Kai giati den mas to les”, “I chira” and “Bournovalio”. In the present recording the melody of “Vournovalios manes” is incorporated into the song as an intermediate instrumental theme, performed twice on the violin (see 2′ 28″– 2′ 38″).

The combination of the two tunes is also found in the Turkish repertoire. Specifically, around 1931–1932, İzmirli Santuri Recep (santur), Kemani Cemal (violin), and Udi Mustafa (oud) recorded the instrumental İzmir Zeybeği” in Constantinople (Sahibinin Sesi 0K 574 – AX. 2477).

However, the musical theme of “Bournovalios Manes” is also found in the recording “Ţaţa Mariţa” (Aunt Maritza) made by violinist Nicolas Matthey and his Gypsy Orchestra in New York on September 14, 1938 (Decca 64653 – 2121). He was accompanied by Hungarian Edmund Berky on the cimbalom and unidentified musicians on the cello, piano and double bass. The record label describes it as a “Roumanian Peasant song and dance”. It was included, along with nine other recordings on five 78 rpm records, in Album No. 21 released by the American company Decca under the title “Roumanian gypsy music – Roumanian folk songs and dances”.

According to information provided by Paul Gifford, who uploaded the recording, Nicolas Matthey, whose real name was Nicolae Mateescu (in other sources Nicolae Matei), was born in Moscow in 1903 (or 1905). He was the son of a Romanian musician living in Russia and returned with his father to Bucharest after the October Revolution of 1917, where he continued his studies. In 1923 he emigrated to America, performing exclusively in restaurants catering to Russian aristocratic clientele. He made numerous recordings for Decca and other companies, featuring Russian, Romanian (see here, here and here), and “Oriental” music (see here, here, here and here). He died in New York in 1955 (see here).

It should also be noted that three additional recordings under the title “Manaki mou” are documented; however, they use different melodic material:

– “Manaki mou”, Angelos Stamos, Chicago, 1924 or 1925 (Greek Record Company 1013 – B-523).
– “Manaki mou”, Marika Papagkika, New York, June 1926 (Columbia USA W 205374 – 56033-F; reissued by Columbia UK 11506).
– “Manaki mou”, Popular Orchestra – Kostas Gkantinis (clarinet), USA, 1947 (Standard F-9083-A).

This latter melody also forms the basis of the song “Tora ta pairno”, recorded by Giorgos Katsaros (Theologitis) in Camden, New Jersey, on May 18, 1928 (Victor CVE 45054 – V-58016-A).