At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.

Tango is one of the main musical elements of the national identity of modern Argentina. It is born in the marginalized environment of the port of Buenos Aires, but soon conquers Europe and the USA, where it is carried by traveling Argentine musicians and dancers during the first decade of the 20th century. Its acceptance by the upper and middle classes was due to its transformation from a multicultural musical expression of the underworld to a dance-music one for whites, as well as to its thematic cleansing of its overtly sensual origins. Primarily marginal types and their provocative liminality are replaced by quaint figures who are possessed by unquenchable, but stylized love passions. This is how a “tamed” musical genre emerges that recalls a more romantic Argentina. Tango takes Parisian cabarets by storm, and its initially targeted popularity soon develops into widespread appeal. Record companies, composers and orchestras manage it as an integral part of their business. At the end of the 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s, Greece succumbs too to this “tangomania”. During the interwar period, tango has a central place in the repertoire of elafro (light music) and enriches discography’s catalogs with hundreds of original compositions which complement the systematic arrangements of popular pieces, mainly of European origin, “dressed” with Greek lyrics.

This recording includes an adaptation with Greek lyrics by Pol Menestrel (Giannis Chidiroglou) of the "Jalousie" Tango Tzigane. It is an instrumental piece composed by the Danish composer and violinist Jacob Thune Hansen Gade (Vejle, Denmark, November 29, 1879 - Thorøhuse, Assens, Fyn, Denmark, February 20, 1963) for the musical accompaniment of the silent American film "Don Q, Son of Zorro" (1925) directed by Donald Crisp, starring Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Astor. It was performed by a 24-piece orchestra conducted by the composer at the Danish premiere of the film screening on September 14, 1925 at the Paladsteatret in Copenhagen. The opening violin part was performed by Gade himself (see here). In 1926, English lyrics were added by the the English poet Winifred May (see here) and in 1931 by the American Vera Bloom.

The musical score for piano and orchestra was published in 1925 in Copenhagen by the Gade & Warny-Musikforlag publishing house (see here).

"Jalousie" was a global hit, has been arranged and recorded countless times in historical discography, in many forms and in various locations and languages (see here, here and here). For example:

– "Jalousie", Leo Reisman Orchestra, New York, February 25, 1931 (Victor BVE-67468 – 22928)
– "Jalousy", Geraldo's Gaucho tango Orchestra – Gino Berni, London, January 20, 1932 (Columbia CA 12369 – CB-417
– "Čigāna skumjas", Bellaccord orkestris, Riga, 1934 (Bellaccord M 3406 – 3196)
– "Цыганское танго", И. Д. Троянов – С. С. Жак, Moscow, 1938 (Noginsk Plant 6490 – 6490)
– "Jalousie (Ciúme)", Francisco Alves com Orquestra de Salão, Rio de Janeiro, February 6, 1941 (Continental 388-1 – 15.020 B)
– "Jalousie", Wandy Tworek og hans Koncert-Orkester, Denmark, October 20, 1941 (Polyphon 1748 hdk – XS 50896 A)
– "Gelosia", Ilda Tulli, Italy, 1946 (Cetra 52153 – DC 4709)
– "Jalousie", Helena Korff-Kaweska, Poland, 1946 (Melodje 46163 – 40)
– "Jalousie", José Granados et son Orchestre Argentin de Tangos, Paris, October 16, 1947 (Columbia CL 8461 DF-3213, BF-138)
– "Ljubomora", Zabavni orkestar Radio Zagreba, Zagreb, 1950 (Jugoton 299 – J-6097 B)
– "Jaloezie", Will Ferby, Belgium, 1952 (Decca Fo 3329 – 21727)
– "Mustasukkaisuutta", Olavi Virta, Finland, 1953 (Decca M 1940 – SD 5218)
– "Banvæn Ást", Guðrún Á Símonar Með Johnny Gregory & Hljómsveit, London, July 30, 1956 (His Master's Voice OEF 383-1 – JOR 230)

Whether in orchestral or vocal form, it has been included in many films and television productions.

In Greek historical discography, apart from the present recording, which has been reissued in the USA (Columbia USA CO 38779 – 7246-F) and in Turkey (Turkish Columbia CG 2244 – DT 254), the song was also recorded by Elsa Vita under the title "Zileia" (Athens, 1947, Odeon Go 3776 – GA 7379).

The Greek musical score, under the title "Zileia" and lyrics by Pol Menestrel was published in Athens in 1926 by the Gaitanos publishing house.

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis