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”.

Historical sources underline the close relations between Italian-speaking and Greek-speaking music. The conversations that developed with specific places, such as the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and Patras, as well as their results, are enough to highlight the strong ties between the two ethno-cultural groups. Furthermore, relationships were forged in places where the two ethnicities lived together, such as, for example, in the case of cosmopolitan Smyrna (Izmir) in the Ottoman Empire, or that of New York, where Italians and Greeks immigrated. When researching the historical material, it seems that one particular city in the Italian peninsula developed special relations with the large urban centers where Greek-speaking musicians played a leading role: it was Naples, with its famous Canzone Napoletana, from which the Greek protagonists borrowed music and/or lyrics. In many cases, the appropriations concern not only Neapolitan-speaking songs but the Italian language as a whole, since, often, the original Neapolitan-speaking songs were translated into Italian, from which the loan arose. 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 is not only embedded in this context, but plays a key role in its transformation. 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, are the performance practices: different instrumentation, different singing style, often differences in melodic and rhythmic forms but also in the harmonies. Greek musicians adapt what they hear to their own condition, based on their own capabilities. After all, the mandolins, the guitars, the marches, polyphonic song and the bel canto singing style are characteristics that reveal the influences of the Canzone Napoletana on the Greek-speaking urban popular song. Greek-speaking urban popular song. 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 doesn not only concern Greek-Italian relations. Neapolitan music, however, seems to have found other ways of communicating with the Greek-speaking music world.

According to the musical scores that were published in Constantinople (Istanbul) by the Sotiris Christidis publishing house (no. 145) and the A. Comendinger publishing house, in the series "La lyre orientale", under the title "Stin Akrothalassia", M. Sirignano appears to be the author of the song.

Little is known about the composer. From the last name we can speculate that it probably originated from the identically named city of Sirignano located in the province of Avellino, in Campania, with Naples as its capital. Athanasios Trikoupis (2015: 44) mentions that M. Sirignano took over as the conductor of the Philharmonic School of Kefalonia in 1896 and probably in May 1899. According to the above source, his work and adaptations were published by the A. Comendinger publishing house in the series "La lyre orientale". In addition, a musical score written by M. Sirignano with the work for orchestra "Sereneta vana" was published in Rome, in 1929, by the Ediz. Mus. S. Calmanti publishing house.

So far, the following recordings have been found in Greek historical discography:

- "Akrothalassia", Athinaiki Estudiantina (Athenian Estudiantina), HMV 3501g – 2-14540, Constantinople (Istanbul), 1904
- "Akrothalassia", Petros Zounarakis, Odeon X 31935, Constantinople (Istanbul), 1906
- "Stin akrothalassia", Elliniki Estudiantina (Greek Estudiantina), HMV 13410b – 3-14582, Smyrna (Izmir), 1909
- “Stin akrothalassia”, Michail A. Magkos, New York, November 13, 1917 (Victor B 20974 - 72099-A), this record
- “Stin akrothalassia”, Giorgos Chelmis, New York, around 1917 (Columbia 84001 - E-3835)
- "I akrothalassia", Pol Gad - Alexandros Achiadis, Europe, 192; (Pathé 11 624 - 7G.281?)
- “Akrothalassia”, Ka Kleoniki, with Spyros Stamos (cimbalom) and Nikos Rellias (clarinet), Chicago, 1920s (Greek Record Company 460 - Α-506)
- “I akrothalassia”, Georgios Paschalis  - Kostas Skarvelis, Athens, 1927 (Polydor 5449 ar - V 50248), this record
- “Piga monos stin akrothalassia”, Chοir & Mandolinata, Athens 1929 (Pathé 70400 - 80180)
- “Stin akrothalassia”, Choir, Mandolinata, solo Dimitris Filippopoulos, Athens 1933 (Columbia W.G. 490 - D.G. 265)

The song was published on a musical score in Athens by the Georgios D. Fexis publishing house under the title "Stin akrothalassia", transcribed by Th. Efstathiadis.

The label of the record reads "Dimodes", which is translated below as "Populaire" ("Popular"). Perhaps the most interesting fact in this recording concerns the participation of Kostas Skarvelis. In the way he plays the guitar he shapes a popular aesthetic in a "different", for him, repertoire in which he participates, giving the image of an insider.

Research and text by: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis