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”.

One of these fascinating networks concerns the Spanish world, which, through a variety of paths, meets the Greek one. A key chapter in this influence was the unparalleled international success achieved by a Spanish estudiantina in 1878 in Paris. Following its success, the band toured countless locations around the world. According to the sources, on February 28, 1886, the Spanish estudiantina gave a concert in Constantinople (Istanbul) and on April 26 and 29, 1886, in Athens (for the first Greek estudiantina, see Ordoulidis, 2021a: 88–100 and Ordoulidis, 2021b). The Spanish students mainstream the culture of semi-professional music bands, the culture of the banduria, the mandolin, the guitar, the “tuna”, that is, the street serenades, and the habanera. The latter follows a path that starts from the Afro-Cuban repertoires and ends up being appropriated by Greek musicians, finding its place even in the form of the manes (see, for example, the Smyrneiko minore (Smyrnaean minor), Gramophone 12574b). The network of the theater is a key environment for the circulation of music; and the relationship between the two (music-theater) is more than dynamic. 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, the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms and in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition, based on their own capabilities. In 1894, when the play of the then most popular zarzuela “La Gran Vía” was played for the first time, a new path that led to the appearance of the Athenian revue opened. Spanish songs started being adapted into Greek since then. 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 was not only embedded in this context, but played a key role in its transformation. 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-Spanish relations.

This recording (re-issued in Turkey from the record Pathé X-80017) includes an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the Spanish song "Te quiero, morena". It comes from the zarzuela "El trust de los tenorios" with music by José Serrano Simeón and libretto by Carlos Arniches and Enrique García Álvarez, which premiered at the Teatro Apolo in Madrid on December 3, 1910.

The libretto was published in Madrid in 1910 by R. Velasco (see here).

Songs from the zarzuela were recorded, probably for the first time, about two months after the premiere, in February 1911 by Gramophone (see here). The first recording of the song in question can be traced a few years later. In September 1918, Antonio M. Corts recorded the song in Barcelona ("El Trust de los Tenorios: Jota - Te quiero", Gramophone 20121 u – 2-62223 and AA68).

The song can be found mainly in Spanish-speaking historical discography. For example:

– "El Trust de los Tenorios: Te quiero morena", Miguel Fleta,  Milan, April 14, 1922 (Gramophone ΒΕ 388-1 – 7-62034 / DA445)
– "Te quiero", Julián Mario Oliver, New York, May 1926 (Columbia W95125 – 2425X, Columbia [Argentina] A8126, Regal [Spain] RS-584)
– "El Trust de los Tenorios: Je t'aime", Armand Crabbé – La Scala Orchestra conducted by Carlo Sabajno, Milan, February 5, 1929 (Gramophone 700-3 – P-822 -  7-32155)
– "El Trust de los Tenorios: Española (Te quiero, morena)", Joseph Schmidt – Orchestra conducted by Clemens Schmalstich, Berlin, January 9, 1930 (Gramophone BLR 5931-1T1 – 60-733, AM2666, B8033, EG1721, JK2456)
– "El Trust de los Tenorios (Jota Te quiero morena)", Nino Martini – Orchestra conducted by Alfredo Cibelli, New York, September 21, 1933 (Victor BS-77656 – 4231 and Victrola 4231-A)

This recording is the only recording of the song in Greek historical discography.

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis