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”.

One of these fascinating networks concerns French songs, which were adopted by Greek musicians, among others. The adoption 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 heard to their own condition, based on their own capabilities. The French ecumene lends its chansons, which carry a dynamic tradition of songwriting and performance. Paris, Montmartre and the cabarets artistiques influence the musics of the world. The atmosphere from the Chat Noir, which had been operating since 1881, also reaches the Greek world. Music venues of this type, the famous “cafés chantants”, appeared in Athens but also in other urban centers of the Greek state. These French songs were exported to 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 also plays 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 resulting network is extremely complex and does not only concern Greek-French relations. Finally, we have time and time again stumbled upon songs whose creators were born in a different place, worked in another, and, in the end, met in a third location and created a new work, often inspired by something pre-existing. Undoubtedly, cases of this type demonstrate the complexity regarding the issues of ownership of works, but also the problem of applying national signs to musical creations.

This recording is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the French song “Mon Paris”, set to music by Vincent Scotto - Jean Boyer and lyrics by Lucien Boyer. It comes from the French revue “Paris-Voyeur”, which premiered at the Palace Theater, in Paris, on September 18, 1925.

The song was recorded several times in historical discography. For example:

- M. Alibert, Paris, February 24 1926 (Gramophone BD 4052-1 - 2-232725 K3305)
- Perchicot, Paris, March 11, 1926 (Disque Francais Salabert 235 - 665)
- Louis Lynel, France, April 12, 1926 (Pathé 4244A - 200162)
- Gardoni (accordion), Puig (banjo), Baiz (flute), France, September 1926 (Pathé 9652A)
- Dajos Béla Orkester, Berlin, September 14, 1926 (Odeon Be 5236-3 - O-3339)
- Emma Liebel, France, September 1926 (Odeon KI 889 - 74.174)
- George W. Byng Orchestra, London, October 11, 1926 (Gramophone Bb 9090-1 - 18-280694 - X2386)

The musical score of the song was published in Paris in 1925, by the Editions Francis Salabert.

According to the available data, this recording is the only recording of the song in Greek historical discography.

The appearance of an adaptation of the song in the Sephardic repertoire of Thessaloniki under the title "Salonik ya se troko" is of special interest. The lyrics of the song in Ladino and their translation into Greek are included in Albert Nar's text "Jews and Rebetiko" (1997: 281–327). This text was translated into English and is in the process of being published in the collective volume edited by Ed Emery: The SOAS Rebetiko Reader. It is also accompanied by a critical commentary and a citation of an appendix by Rivka Havassi. The latter mentions that the lyrics of this particular song were also included in Sadik Gershon's and Moshe Kazes' collection "10 kantes populares de Sadik i Gazoz" (around 1927), noting that the song is an adaptation of the French foxtrot "Mon Paris".

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis