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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”.
We stumble upon wandering musical tunes in various places in Europe, Africa, Asia and America, where local musicians adopt and reconstruct them. In addition to these, the mutual influences concern the performance practices, the instrumentation, the rhythm, the harmonization, the vocal placement and, in general, the habits that each musician carries in him/her. Repertoires are deterritorialized and mixed with others, which take on supralocal characteristics. Musicians are often on the move within multicultural empires, serving diverse repertoires and coming from heterogeneous ethno-cultural groups.
This is one of the interesting cases that concern tunes which have been adopted by various ethnocultural groups in a wide geographical area. It was recorded in various versions, languages and locations, such as in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Riga, Tbilisi, Kharkiv, Petrovsk (Republic of Dagestan), New York, Belgrade, Paris, Warsaw, Turkey.
Its earliest and most recordings have so far been found in Russian discography, and namely the ones of the song under the title "Ах, зачем ета ночь?" (Ah, why this night?). For example:
- И. Н. Бобровъ (I.N. Bobrov), Moscow, 1908 (Zonophone 7861L – X-2-62038)
- Русскiй хоръ Ф. П. Павлова (Russian folk chorus of F.P. Pavlof), Moscow, Januay 1909 (Zonophone 8404L – X-64777)
- Хоръ подъ упр. К.Башарина соло г. А.МАКАРОВЪ (Choir conducted by K. Basharin, solo by A. Makarov), probably in Russia, 1908-1909 (Syrena Record 8181 - 8181)
For performances of the song in Russian discography, see the database resulting from Alan Kelly's research (under the title "Akh, zachem eta noch"), as well as the website of Yuri Bernikov's archive.
According to the above sources, as well as anthologies and publications published in the 2000s (see here), the song is sometimes attributed entirely to F. Sadovsky or the music to Nikolay Bakaleynikov and the lyrics to Nicolay von Ritter or A. Davydof.
The tune can also be found in the Georgian repertoire. More specifically, in July 26, 1910, the Armenian Bagrat Bagramiants (ბატონი ბაგრატი) recorded in Tiflis (now Tbilisi) the song ნეტავ ეს ღამე [Netaves game (Akhzageletztopoch), If only this night] for Gramophone (1097 ae - 11-12068).
However, the most famous versions/variations of the tune can be found in the Serbian repertoire. It is the song "Зар је морала доћ" (O zar je morala doć, And he had to come?), but mostly the iconic patriotic Serbian song "Тамо далеко" (Tamo daleko, Away), which uses a part of the tune, and, in some versions, uses the first couplet or the melody of the song "Зар је морала доћ".
"Тамо далеко" was sung by Serbian soldiers in World War I and refers to the dramatic events that occurred at the front in late 1915 early 1916. Following the attack of the Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian troops and the occupation of the country, the Serbian army, the Belgrade government and thousands of civilians retreated through Montenegro and Albania towards Corfu. This route, referred to in Serbian history as the "Albanian Golgotha", cost the lives of more than 200,000 people, and Corfu, the "Island of Salvation" as the Serbs called it, to which approximately 150,000 soldiers and civilians were transported, was for three years the unofficial Serbian capital.
According to Panko Jakovljević (see here), a collaborator of the Historical Archive in Negotin, the composer and lyricist of "Тамо далеко", whose authorship is claimed by many, including Mihajlo Zastavniković (Михайла Заставниковића), is Đorđe Marinković (Дорђе Маринковић), who was with the Serbian army in Corfu in 1916.
The earliest recordings found so far took place in New York around April 1917 by the tamburica ensemble Tamburaško pevačko društvo for Columbia: "Тамо далеко" was released on the record E 3421 (matrix number: 58180) and "Зар је морала доћ" on the record with catalog number E 3422 (matrix number: 58187).
"Тамо далеко" was also recorded later in Serbian historical discography (see here and here). For example:
- Мијат Мијатовић (Mijat Mijatović) probably in Belgrade, 192? (Edison Bell Electron Z.1126 - Z.181)
- Едо Љубић (Edo Ljubic), New York, July 30, 1942 (Victor V-3144-B)
On the occasion by the two above recordings, it should be noted that in Greek discourse, the study about the relations of Greek-speaking music with Serbo-Croatian one is completely absent. In general, the Balkan repertoires were “locked” within a specific geographical and cultural context, that of the south-eastern Mediterranean, always following the now well-established origins mentality. The relevant bibliography highlights the Ottoman dimension of the Balkan past and examines the musical creations through the lens of easterness. In this way, the rest of the also interesting components is omitted, and especially that of the rich North. Nevertheless, if we look at Serbia’s urban folk-popular formations, we will notice the existence of orchestras where plucked instruments play the leading role, which is precisely what also happens in Greece, at least since the 19th century. We are talking about the tamburitza tradition, which communicates with that of the estudiantinas. Cosmopolitan urban centers, within a cultural amalgam amongst the Ottoman, Austrian and Serbian condition, developed unique musical networks of urban popular musics who communicated with each other: Thessaloniki, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Vienna and Budapest.
This tune can also be found in the Turkish repertoire as a composition by Muhlis Sabahattin Ezgi (Adana, 1889 – Constantinople [Istanbul], February 10, 1947) in two versions, "Hatırla Margaretha" (Remember, Margaret) and "Hatırla Sevgili (Remember, beloved). Some of the earliest recordings are the following:
- "Hatırla Margarit", Hanende İbrahim Efendi, Europe, 1928-1929 (Columbia 12253 – 22099)
- "Margarite", Naime, Turkey, 1930s (Polydor V 50393)
- "Hatirla Sevgili", Mustafa Sağyaşar, Turkey, probably in 1960 (Şençalar Plák IS 32 – SN 64)
According to some sources, which are however not substantiated, the song "Hatırla Margarit" is related to the events that shook the political life of the Ottoman Empire and escalated with the dethronement of Sultan Abdülhamid or Abdul Hamid II in 1909. "Margaret", the name of the title and of the lyrics, was the then famous in Constantinople (Istanbul) singer Margarethe Morgan, from New York, mistress of the associate of Sultan, Fehim Paşa (Constantinople 1873 – Yenişehir 1908), who was lynched by an enraged crowd in 1908, in Yenişehir, Bursa.
In addition to the present performance by Tetos Dimitriadis, in which the song is attributed to Sorolof, according to the label of the record, it was also recorded by Fofo Vryoni, in New York, in 1924-1925 (Acropolis M-25115).
In America where this recording took place “national” repertoires live a new, parallel life. This situation is not static and, to a large extent, is molded by discography, which attends to and “tunes” the overlapping relationships that have already developed in the “Old World”. Repertoires communicate with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe. 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. This time, the network is adjusted in a programmatic manner, under new terms and via new paths.
The Greek musical score was published in New York by the Apollo Music Co. publishing house in the name of E. Sorolf. Panos Mavraganis’ website http://palia.kithara.gr also mentions a musical score of the song which was published by the Christidis publishing house in Constantinople, probably in the first decade of the 20th century. According to the above source, it is a "Slavic serenade" arranged by "Sorolf E.".
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”.
We stumble upon wandering musical tunes in various places in Europe, Africa, Asia and America, where local musicians adopt and reconstruct them. In addition to these, the mutual influences concern the performance practices, the instrumentation, the rhythm, the harmonization, the vocal placement and, in general, the habits that each musician carries in him/her. Repertoires are deterritorialized and mixed with others, which take on supralocal characteristics. Musicians are often on the move within multicultural empires, serving diverse repertoires and coming from heterogeneous ethno-cultural groups.
This is one of the interesting cases that concern tunes which have been adopted by various ethnocultural groups in a wide geographical area. It was recorded in various versions, languages and locations, such as in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Riga, Tbilisi, Kharkiv, Petrovsk (Republic of Dagestan), New York, Belgrade, Paris, Warsaw, Turkey.
Its earliest and most recordings have so far been found in Russian discography, and namely the ones of the song under the title "Ах, зачем ета ночь?" (Ah, why this night?). For example:
- И. Н. Бобровъ (I.N. Bobrov), Moscow, 1908 (Zonophone 7861L – X-2-62038)
- Русскiй хоръ Ф. П. Павлова (Russian folk chorus of F.P. Pavlof), Moscow, Januay 1909 (Zonophone 8404L – X-64777)
- Хоръ подъ упр. К.Башарина соло г. А.МАКАРОВЪ (Choir conducted by K. Basharin, solo by A. Makarov), probably in Russia, 1908-1909 (Syrena Record 8181 - 8181)
For performances of the song in Russian discography, see the database resulting from Alan Kelly's research (under the title "Akh, zachem eta noch"), as well as the website of Yuri Bernikov's archive.
According to the above sources, as well as anthologies and publications published in the 2000s (see here), the song is sometimes attributed entirely to F. Sadovsky or the music to Nikolay Bakaleynikov and the lyrics to Nicolay von Ritter or A. Davydof.
The tune can also be found in the Georgian repertoire. More specifically, in July 26, 1910, the Armenian Bagrat Bagramiants (ბატონი ბაგრატი) recorded in Tiflis (now Tbilisi) the song ნეტავ ეს ღამე [Netaves game (Akhzageletztopoch), If only this night] for Gramophone (1097 ae - 11-12068).
However, the most famous versions/variations of the tune can be found in the Serbian repertoire. It is the song "Зар је морала доћ" (O zar je morala doć, And he had to come?), but mostly the iconic patriotic Serbian song "Тамо далеко" (Tamo daleko, Away), which uses a part of the tune, and, in some versions, uses the first couplet or the melody of the song "Зар је морала доћ".
"Тамо далеко" was sung by Serbian soldiers in World War I and refers to the dramatic events that occurred at the front in late 1915 early 1916. Following the attack of the Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian troops and the occupation of the country, the Serbian army, the Belgrade government and thousands of civilians retreated through Montenegro and Albania towards Corfu. This route, referred to in Serbian history as the "Albanian Golgotha", cost the lives of more than 200,000 people, and Corfu, the "Island of Salvation" as the Serbs called it, to which approximately 150,000 soldiers and civilians were transported, was for three years the unofficial Serbian capital.
According to Panko Jakovljević (see here), a collaborator of the Historical Archive in Negotin, the composer and lyricist of "Тамо далеко", whose authorship is claimed by many, including Mihajlo Zastavniković (Михайла Заставниковића), is Đorđe Marinković (Дорђе Маринковић), who was with the Serbian army in Corfu in 1916.
The earliest recordings found so far took place in New York around April 1917 by the tamburica ensemble Tamburaško pevačko društvo for Columbia: "Тамо далеко" was released on the record E 3421 (matrix number: 58180) and "Зар је морала доћ" on the record with catalog number E 3422 (matrix number: 58187).
"Тамо далеко" was also recorded later in Serbian historical discography (see here and here). For example:
- Мијат Мијатовић (Mijat Mijatović) probably in Belgrade, 192? (Edison Bell Electron Z.1126 - Z.181)
- Едо Љубић (Edo Ljubic), New York, July 30, 1942 (Victor V-3144-B)
On the occasion by the two above recordings, it should be noted that in Greek discourse, the study about the relations of Greek-speaking music with Serbo-Croatian one is completely absent. In general, the Balkan repertoires were “locked” within a specific geographical and cultural context, that of the south-eastern Mediterranean, always following the now well-established origins mentality. The relevant bibliography highlights the Ottoman dimension of the Balkan past and examines the musical creations through the lens of easterness. In this way, the rest of the also interesting components is omitted, and especially that of the rich North. Nevertheless, if we look at Serbia’s urban folk-popular formations, we will notice the existence of orchestras where plucked instruments play the leading role, which is precisely what also happens in Greece, at least since the 19th century. We are talking about the tamburitza tradition, which communicates with that of the estudiantinas. Cosmopolitan urban centers, within a cultural amalgam amongst the Ottoman, Austrian and Serbian condition, developed unique musical networks of urban popular musics who communicated with each other: Thessaloniki, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Vienna and Budapest.
This tune can also be found in the Turkish repertoire as a composition by Muhlis Sabahattin Ezgi (Adana, 1889 – Constantinople [Istanbul], February 10, 1947) in two versions, "Hatırla Margaretha" (Remember, Margaret) and "Hatırla Sevgili (Remember, beloved). Some of the earliest recordings are the following:
- "Hatırla Margarit", Hanende İbrahim Efendi, Europe, 1928-1929 (Columbia 12253 – 22099)
- "Margarite", Naime, Turkey, 1930s (Polydor V 50393)
- "Hatirla Sevgili", Mustafa Sağyaşar, Turkey, probably in 1960 (Şençalar Plák IS 32 – SN 64)
According to some sources, which are however not substantiated, the song "Hatırla Margarit" is related to the events that shook the political life of the Ottoman Empire and escalated with the dethronement of Sultan Abdülhamid or Abdul Hamid II in 1909. "Margaret", the name of the title and of the lyrics, was the then famous in Constantinople (Istanbul) singer Margarethe Morgan, from New York, mistress of the associate of Sultan, Fehim Paşa (Constantinople 1873 – Yenişehir 1908), who was lynched by an enraged crowd in 1908, in Yenişehir, Bursa.
In addition to the present performance by Tetos Dimitriadis, in which the song is attributed to Sorolof, according to the label of the record, it was also recorded by Fofo Vryoni, in New York, in 1924-1925 (Acropolis M-25115).
In America where this recording took place “national” repertoires live a new, parallel life. This situation is not static and, to a large extent, is molded by discography, which attends to and “tunes” the overlapping relationships that have already developed in the “Old World”. Repertoires communicate with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe. 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. This time, the network is adjusted in a programmatic manner, under new terms and via new paths.
The Greek musical score was published in New York by the Apollo Music Co. publishing house in the name of E. Sorolf. Panos Mavraganis’ website http://palia.kithara.gr also mentions a musical score of the song which was published by the Christidis publishing house in Constantinople, probably in the first decade of the 20th century. According to the above source, it is a "Slavic serenade" arranged by "Sorolf E.".
Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
