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 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. 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 Spanish song "Clavelitos", set to music by Joaquín "Quinito" Valverde Sanjuán and lyrics by José Juan Cadenas.

The musical score was published in Madrid by Unión Musical Española. It was also included in the issue "Four Spanish dances", that was published in 1911 in New York by G. Shirmer.

The song was first introduced to the public by La Fornarina (María del Consuelo Vello Cano) in 1907 (see here) and recorded several times, in various regions and languages, in the historical discography. For example:

- "¡Clavelitos!", La Fornarina (María del Consuelo Vello Cano), Madrid, November 8, 1912 (Gramophone 4513 ab - 3-63094)
- "Clavelitos", Andresperello Desegurola, New York, ca 1912 (Columbia Spain 21589 -  S-16)
- "Clavelitos (Carnations)", Lucrezia Bori, Camden, New Jersey, March 23, 1915 (Victor Β 15823-2 - 87217 & 544, Gramophone 7-63003 & DA131)
- "Clavelitos", Henri Leoni, Paris, probably in 1910s (Pathé 89319-RA-14 - 954/2866)
- "Clavelitos", Amelita Galli-Curci, Camden, New Jersey, June 21, 1920 (Victor Β-24176 - 64904 & 635, Gramophone 7-63005 & DA-215)
- "Клавелитос" (Carnations), Antonina Nezhdanova (А.В. Нежданова), Moscow, 1938 (Noginsk Plant 8959 -8959/ГРК 2429)
- "Clavelitos", Harry Holrick and his Orchestra, New York, September 12, 1938 (Decca 64631 - 2153A)

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis