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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 network in which the Greek-speaking urban popular song participates, constantly conversing with its co-tenants, is 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”.
Historical sources underline the close relations between Italian-speaking and Greek-speaking music. The conversations that developed with specific places, such as the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and Patras, as well as their results, are enough to highlight the strong ties between the two ethno-cultural groups. Furthermore, relationships were forged in places where the two ethnicities lived together, such as, for example, in the case of cosmopolitan Smyrna (Izmir) in the Ottoman Empire, or that of New York, where Italians and Greeks immigrated. When researching the historical material, it seems that one particular city in the Italian peninsula developed special relations with the large urban centers where Greek-speaking musicians played a leading role: it was Naples, with its famous Canzone Napoletana. "Ninon Nineta" belongs to a corpus of songs from which the Greek protagonists borrowed music and/or lyrics from pre-existing Neapolitan-speaking songs. In many cases, the appropriations concern not only Neapolitan-speaking songs but the Italian language as a whole, since, often, the original Neapolitan-speaking songs were translated into Italian, from which the loan arose. These songs arrived at the Greek-speaking world either directly or indirectly, through other repertoire networks. In any case, the circulation of musics is 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 plays a key role in its transformation. The appropriation by Greek musicians is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they have nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, are the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms but also in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition, based on their own capabilities. After all, the mandolins, the guitars, the marches, polyphonic song and the bel canto singing style are characteristics that reveal the influences of the Canzone Napoletana on the Greek-speaking urban popular song. It should also be noted that, in various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the network that is finally formed is extremely complex and does not only concern Greek-Italian relations.
The song "Ninon Nineta" was recorded in Constantinople (Istanbul) on March 1, 1909 for Gramophone, with the Elliniki Estudiantina (Greek Estudiantina). Sound engineers Fred Gaisberg and Hugh Murtagh were in charge of the recording.
In Greek historical discography another two recordings has been found so far:
– Dnis Klotildi & Elliniki Estoudiantina, Smyrna 1909 (Gramophone 12873b – 4-13550).
– Antonis Melitsianos, Constantinople 1910-1911 (Grammavox 13000).
In the Greek musical score that was published, entitled "Ninon-Ninetta" (Ninon-Ninette in French), by the Christidis publishing house in Constantinople, the song is attributed (music and lyrics) to Χ. Χ. As written on the cover of the musical score, it was a hit by Vasilis Sideris’ Smyrnaiki Estudiantina (Smyrnaean Estudiantina). The fourth page of the musical score contains other lyrics, which were not included in this recording, in Greek and French.
As pointed out by Giorgos Konstantzos, Thomas Tamvakos and Athanasios Trikoupis (2014: 150–151), Χ. Χ. was the nickname used by the composer Sotirios Grec.
The song is mentioned by Stella Epifaniou-Petraki in the book Laografika tis Smyrnis (Folklore from Smyrna) (volume E, pp. 83 and 80, respectively in the first and second edition) and in the paragraph of elafro (light) songs.
This is a Greek adaptation of the Neapolitan song "'E spingole frangese", set to music by Enrico De Leva (1867 – 1955) and lyrics by Salvatore Di Giacomo (1860 – 1934). The song’s Neapolitan musical score was published in Milan in 1888 by the Ricordi publishing house. In the title of the publication we are informed that the song was presented at the "Piedigrotta" festival.
"Piedigrotta" refers to one of the most famous and oldest religious festivals that took place in Naples. During the festival, a music competition took place, which, in the 19th century, turned into a dynamic festival. This festival took the form of a commercial mechanism which played a key role in shaping and promoting Neapolitan song.
The Italian original version of the song seems to have been recorded several times, both on the phonograph and on cylinders. For example:
– "E spingole francese", Ferruccio Corradetti [Corrado Ferretti], Milan, July 1901 (Berliner's Gramophone 3251G – 1401bis - 52250).
– "'E spingole frangese", Edoardo Sottolana, probably Paris, 1904 (Pathé Saphir 4265).
– "'E spingole frangese", Francesco Daddi, Milan, 1905-1906 (Odeon X 37313).
– "'E spingole francese", Nino Nipote – Luigi Vinci and His Orchestra, Italy, 1954 (Cetra 11261 – DC55 and DC 6126).
The song is also found in the French repertoire. A musical score which includes an adaptation of the song with French lyrics by Paul Marinier and under the title "Allons Ninon" was published in Paris by G. Ricordi & Cie.
Three recordings have been found so far in French historical discography:
– "Allons Ninon", Anna Thibaud, Paris, 1904 (Gramophone 3641 – X-83019).
– "Allons Ninon", Diaz, Paris, January 1907 (Odeon France xP 3047 – X 60089).
– "Allons Ninon", Jean Flor, Paris, 1909-1910 (Odeon France xP 4908 – X 97568).
The French musical score, with lyrics by Paul Marinier, was published in Paris, in 1906, by G. Ricordi & Co.
The song is also found in the English-speaking repertoire. A musical score which includes an adaptation of the song with English lyrics by Mowbray Marras and under the title "Cupid's customers" was published in London, in 1895 by G. Ricordi & Co.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
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 network in which the Greek-speaking urban popular song participates, constantly conversing with its co-tenants, is 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”.
Historical sources underline the close relations between Italian-speaking and Greek-speaking music. The conversations that developed with specific places, such as the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and Patras, as well as their results, are enough to highlight the strong ties between the two ethno-cultural groups. Furthermore, relationships were forged in places where the two ethnicities lived together, such as, for example, in the case of cosmopolitan Smyrna (Izmir) in the Ottoman Empire, or that of New York, where Italians and Greeks immigrated. When researching the historical material, it seems that one particular city in the Italian peninsula developed special relations with the large urban centers where Greek-speaking musicians played a leading role: it was Naples, with its famous Canzone Napoletana. "Ninon Nineta" belongs to a corpus of songs from which the Greek protagonists borrowed music and/or lyrics from pre-existing Neapolitan-speaking songs. In many cases, the appropriations concern not only Neapolitan-speaking songs but the Italian language as a whole, since, often, the original Neapolitan-speaking songs were translated into Italian, from which the loan arose. These songs arrived at the Greek-speaking world either directly or indirectly, through other repertoire networks. In any case, the circulation of musics is 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 plays a key role in its transformation. The appropriation by Greek musicians is twofold: on the one hand are the lyrics, which are now in Greek (often, in fact, they have nothing to do with the original ones), and, on the other hand, are the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms but also in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition, based on their own capabilities. After all, the mandolins, the guitars, the marches, polyphonic song and the bel canto singing style are characteristics that reveal the influences of the Canzone Napoletana on the Greek-speaking urban popular song. It should also be noted that, in various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the network that is finally formed is extremely complex and does not only concern Greek-Italian relations.
The song "Ninon Nineta" was recorded in Constantinople (Istanbul) on March 1, 1909 for Gramophone, with the Elliniki Estudiantina (Greek Estudiantina). Sound engineers Fred Gaisberg and Hugh Murtagh were in charge of the recording.
In Greek historical discography another two recordings has been found so far:
– Dnis Klotildi & Elliniki Estoudiantina, Smyrna 1909 (Gramophone 12873b – 4-13550).
– Antonis Melitsianos, Constantinople 1910-1911 (Grammavox 13000).
In the Greek musical score that was published, entitled "Ninon-Ninetta" (Ninon-Ninette in French), by the Christidis publishing house in Constantinople, the song is attributed (music and lyrics) to Χ. Χ. As written on the cover of the musical score, it was a hit by Vasilis Sideris’ Smyrnaiki Estudiantina (Smyrnaean Estudiantina). The fourth page of the musical score contains other lyrics, which were not included in this recording, in Greek and French.
As pointed out by Giorgos Konstantzos, Thomas Tamvakos and Athanasios Trikoupis (2014: 150–151), Χ. Χ. was the nickname used by the composer Sotirios Grec.
The song is mentioned by Stella Epifaniou-Petraki in the book Laografika tis Smyrnis (Folklore from Smyrna) (volume E, pp. 83 and 80, respectively in the first and second edition) and in the paragraph of elafro (light) songs.
This is a Greek adaptation of the Neapolitan song "'E spingole frangese", set to music by Enrico De Leva (1867 – 1955) and lyrics by Salvatore Di Giacomo (1860 – 1934). The song’s Neapolitan musical score was published in Milan in 1888 by the Ricordi publishing house. In the title of the publication we are informed that the song was presented at the "Piedigrotta" festival.
"Piedigrotta" refers to one of the most famous and oldest religious festivals that took place in Naples. During the festival, a music competition took place, which, in the 19th century, turned into a dynamic festival. This festival took the form of a commercial mechanism which played a key role in shaping and promoting Neapolitan song.
The Italian original version of the song seems to have been recorded several times, both on the phonograph and on cylinders. For example:
– "E spingole francese", Ferruccio Corradetti [Corrado Ferretti], Milan, July 1901 (Berliner's Gramophone 3251G – 1401bis - 52250).
– "'E spingole frangese", Edoardo Sottolana, probably Paris, 1904 (Pathé Saphir 4265).
– "'E spingole frangese", Francesco Daddi, Milan, 1905-1906 (Odeon X 37313).
– "'E spingole francese", Nino Nipote – Luigi Vinci and His Orchestra, Italy, 1954 (Cetra 11261 – DC55 and DC 6126).
The song is also found in the French repertoire. A musical score which includes an adaptation of the song with French lyrics by Paul Marinier and under the title "Allons Ninon" was published in Paris by G. Ricordi & Cie.
Three recordings have been found so far in French historical discography:
– "Allons Ninon", Anna Thibaud, Paris, 1904 (Gramophone 3641 – X-83019).
– "Allons Ninon", Diaz, Paris, January 1907 (Odeon France xP 3047 – X 60089).
– "Allons Ninon", Jean Flor, Paris, 1909-1910 (Odeon France xP 4908 – X 97568).
The French musical score, with lyrics by Paul Marinier, was published in Paris, in 1906, by G. Ricordi & Co.
The song is also found in the English-speaking repertoire. A musical score which includes an adaptation of the song with English lyrics by Mowbray Marras and under the title "Cupid's customers" was published in London, in 1895 by G. Ricordi & Co.
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
