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”.

This song was transcribed –with differences in the lyrics– by Lailios Karakasis in his article "Laika tragoudia tis Smyrnis" (Folk-popular songs of Smyrna) ["Mikrasiatika Chronika" (Asia Minor Chronicles), issue 4, 1948].

The recording was also released under the label Zonophone (record number: X 102813). The sound engineer Max Hampe was responsible for the recording (for more information see http://www.recordingpioneers.com).

In addition to this version, the song, under the title "Giasemi", was recorded in Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1906-1907 by the Kotsos Vlachos Estudiantina (Odeon Cx 942 G – 46006).

The musical score of the song, transcribed by Nikolaos Kokkinos, was published in Athens by the Georgios Fexis publishing house.

Aristomenis Kalyviotis (2020: 146) mentions the following about the singer of the recording Giagkos Psomathianos (or Psomatianos or Psamathianos or Psamatianos or Psamatialis or Pantelonas): "His real name was Giannis Kalaitzoglou, and he obviously came from the Psamathia district of Constantinople (Istanbul). In the 1920s, he ran a phonograph store near the Peran (Beyoğlu) Tekke in Constantinople (Istanbul)".

The harmonization-cover of the song by the Norwegian composer, poet, translator and record collector Arne Dørumsgaard (Fredrikstad, Norway, December 7, 1921 - Marzio, Italy, March 13, 2006) is of particular interest. It was recorded under the title "To giasemi" by mezzo-soprano Irma Kolasi (Athens, May 28, 1918 - Paris, March 27, 2012) with an orchestra accompaniment under the direction of Robert Cornman. It was included on the double LP "Chants d' amour du monde: Volume I" (Le Chant du monde, LD-A-8220/8221) released in France in 1958.

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis