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”.

Naturally, in the large urban centers of the Ottoman Empire around the Mediterranean Sea, the “conversations” of the Greek-speakers with their Turkish-speaking Muslim “co-tenants”, the Catholic Greek-speakers, the Armenians, the Sepharadi and Ashkenazi Jews, the Levantine Protestants, and the Europeans and the Americans, were more than intense. Very often, the scope of this network extends to the Balkans, to Eastern and even to a part of Central Europe. Especially regarding relations between Orthodox and Muslims, the relevant evidence demonstrates the musical exchanges between them and elucidate an ecumene where everyone contributed to the great musical “melting-pot”, and where everyone may draw from it, as well as redeposit it, in a new form, with a reformulated text and its meaning, with sometimes clear and sometimes blurred references to its pre-text, until someone else pulls it out again, through the “melting-pot”, so that it becomes clear that there is no end in this recreational and dynamic process where fluidity prevails. A case that comes from such repertoires is this recording.

Οf particular interest is a musical phrase of the song "Daskala", as it can also be found, with various aesthetic transformations, in other recordings of both the Greek-speaking repertoire and the repertoires of other ethno-cultural groups.

This is the second musical phrase of the song, which, after its introduction by the clarinet (from 0′ 15″ to 0′ 28″), constitutes the melodic material in which Papagkika sings the last lyrics of each stanza beginning with the lyrics poios s' echei filimeni sta cheili dagkameni (who has kissed and bitten you on the lips) [from 0′ 53″ to 1′ 05″].

Continuing with Greek discography, we should note the recording of the same name, "Daskala", made three years later, on November 5, 1928, by Sotiris Stasinopoulos in New York (Victor CVE 48122-2 – V-58039-A). In this cover too the tune constitutes the melodic material of the second phrase that musically invests the last lyrics of each stanza (me ti ta 'cheis giomata, daskala paizomata / me ti ta 'cheis giomata, daskala mavromata, etc.[what are you full of, you wandering eyed teacher / what are you full of, you black eyed teacher, etc.]), with the clarinet, in a "responder" role, then repeating the melodic phrase.

The musical phrase in question was found in another variation of the song "Daskala" with a different title and different lyrics. This is the song "Mario mou, katse fronima" recorded in 1950 in New York by Maria Alexandrou and Popular Orchestra (Standard 25-114 – F-9096-B).

In Greek historical discography, however, the tune is found in two songs of exotic content, entitled "Xelogiastra" and "Mousme", which come from two musical theater plays staged in the 1920s.

The song "Xelogiastra" (see here) comes from the three-act operetta "I despoinis Sorolop" (Miss Laziness) by Theofrastos Sakellaridis. The play premiered on July 28, 1924 (and not on the 27th, as stated in the musical score, see I vradyni newspaper, Year A', issue No. 279, 28/8/1924, page 3) by the Fotis Samartzis - Nikos Miliadis troupe, at the Alhambra Τheater. Initially, the lead role of Miss Sorolop (that is, Miss Laziness) was performed by Afroditi Laoutari and from September 18 onwards by Olympia Kantioti-Ritsiardi.

Seven covers of the song have been released:
– "Xelogiastra", by Mrs Zafeiropoulou and the Karatzas Orchestra, recorded in Athens, 1925 (Odeon Go-116 – A 154095)
– "Xelogiastra", by Giorgos Vidalis, recorded in Athens, 1925 (Odeon Go72-2 – A154063)
– "Xelogiastra", by Tetos Dimitriadis, recorded in New York, October 1925 (Columbia 105964 – 7023-F)
– "I xelogiastra", by Eleni Vlachopoulou, O. Kokkinos and an orchestra, recorded in Athens, March 11, 1926 (HMV BJ 307-1 – AO-133/7-14222)
– "I xelogiastra", by Eleni Vlachopoulou, O. Kokkinos and an orchestra, recorded in Athens, March 11, 1926 (HMV BJ 307-2 – AO-134/7-14223)
– "I xelogiastra", by a choir and an orchestra conducted by Angelos Martinos, recorded in Athens, probably in 1927 (Polydor V-45154)
– "Xelogiastra", by Antonis Delendas, recorded in Athens, probably in 1934 (Odeon GA 1723)

The other song, "Mousme" (see here), comes from the 1925 revue "Protevousiana" (big-city girl/woman) by Aimilios Dragatsis, Antonis Vottis and Grigoris Konstantinidis, which premiered on June 23, 1925 at the Kentrikon Τheater, in Athens, by the Alekos Gonidis troupe.

Five covers of the song can be found in historical discography:
– "Mousme", by Giorgos Vidalis Trio and Jazz Band, recorded in Athens in 1925 (Odeon Gο 83 – GA-1006/A 154065)
– "I Mousme", by Soso Chalkiopoulou and G. Stone with his orchestra, recorded in Chicago in 1927 (Greek Record Company 4942-1 – A-533)
– "Mousme", by a choir and an orchestra under the direction of Angelos Martino, recorded in Athens in 1927 (Polydor V 45162)
– "Mouzme", by the Athinaiki Estudiantina (Athenian Estudiantina), recorded in Athens in 1928 ((Homocord Τ.Μ. 775 – G. 4-32023)
– "Mousme", by Maria Karela and Spyros Stamos with his orchestra, recorded in New York on October 23, 1941 (Columbia CO4028 – 7217-F).

The tune is also found in Turkish discography. In February 1911 Udi Karenkin & Kemancı Mike recorded in Constantinople (Istanbul) the song "Jaleli" (Favorite 4423-t – 1-53217 and reissue Columbia USA E6133). Around 1930, in Constantinople, Karındaş Mahmut Bey recorded the song "Ya muallim ya muallim" (Sahibinin Sesi AX-1191). The tune (from 1′ 00″ to the end) is also found in the recording "Lalanın Eğlenceleri" (Columbia W.T. 2121 - 18545 and Columbia G.G. 1024), which contains an excerpt from a Turkish play. It was recorded in Istanbul, in 1930, by actor Komik Hasan Efendi (Kel Hasan Efendi) and E. Dedeoğlou, accompanied by an İnce Saz (Turkish style orchestra). It was also recorded under the title "Ya muallim", in Istanbul, between 1947–1956, by Şükrü Tunar (clarinet), Ahmet Yatman (qanun), Şerif İçli (oud), Ali Kocadinç (darbuka) for Balkan (Balkan 4025-B – 4025-B).

The tune can also be found in the Armenian repertoire that was recorded in America. Around 1927, Edward Bogosian (Եդուարդ Պօղոսեան) and the Gulazian Orchestra recorded "Pessan Zokanchin Kove" (Փեսան զոքանչին քովը) in New York for the label Pharos (P 322 – 549). The phrase in question can be heard after 2′ 20″.

The tune can also be found in the Arab repertoire that was recorded in America. More specifically, in the 1940s, an unknown orchestra recorded, probably in New York, the song "Raks el Badou" (رقص إل بدو, Dance of the Bedouins), for Alamphon (A-2020-1 - A-2020), owned by the Lebanese-Syrian Farid Alam al-Din (فريد علم الدين).

America, where this recording took place, was a microcosm of the globe: a "successful Babel". Naturally, a unique syncretism also dominated in the field of music. The birth, on the other hand, of discography, built a condition that favored debates and osmosis between the innumerable ethno-cultural groups that made up the population. These processes led to the re-imagining, the update and the renewal of old musical trends arriving in the United States and, at the same time, to their re-exportation to the "old worlds", thus setting up a uniquely multi-layered network. "National" repertoires live a new, parallel life, largely molded by discography, which attended to and "tuned" the overlapping relationships that had already developed in the "Old World". Repertoires communicated with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe. The circulation of music was already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours, but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography is not only embedded in this context, but also plays a key role in its transformation.

Research and text: George Evangelou, Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis