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”.

Τhe 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. 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 “convergence” of geographical coordinates is often accompanied by another one, the “convergence” of internal cultural “coordinates”. These are the fields of scholar and popular music, which have traditionally been treated not only as independent, but also as segmented. The popular and the scholar enter into a creative dialogue in a variety of ways, introducing in-between “places” depending on historical conditions. 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. 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. Discography is not only embedded in this context, but plays a key role in its transformation.

This recording is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the song "Si vous l'aviez compris", set to music by the Neapolitan composer Luigi Denza and lyrics by the French poet Stéphan Bordèse.

Two of the earliest recordings of the song took place in 1903: in January-February, in Paris, by Louis Berton (Zonophone 12107 - 12107) and in March, in Saint Petersburg, by Oscar Kamionsky ["K0ogda b vy znali vsyo, romans (Denza)", Gramophone 1091 A - 22108].

It was recorded many times in historical discography in various languages and locations. For example:

- "КОГДА Б ВЫ ПОНЯЛИ МЕНЯ", А. М. Лабiнский (Andrej Labinsky), Saint Petersburg, 1903 (Columbia 35077 - D 6044)
- "Когда-бъ Вы поняли меня", О.И.Камiонскiй (Oscar Kamionsky), Saint Petersburg, 1905 (Gramophone 2828 l - G.C.-2-22741)
- "Gdybyś odczuła, Romans", Sergiusz Metaxian, Warsaw, 1908 (Gramophone 6972 l - X-62674)
- Marius Corpait, Paris, 1909 (Odeon xP 4603 - X 97283)
- Enrico Caruso, New York, February 6, 1915 (Victor C-15682 - 89084)
- Mattia Battistini, Milan, February 25, 1924 (Gramophone CK 1429-1 - 2-032079 DB731)
- "Ack varför", Torsten Lennartsson, Stockholm, May 28, 1924 (Gramophone BE 2175-2 - 0-3701 X3468)
- "Kui armastaks", Alfred Sällik, Tallinn, June 12, 1928 (Gramophone BW 1755 1 - X-7-62023 EO37)
- "Farvel", Erling Krogh, Copenhagen, January 22, 1930 (Gramophone BT 733-1 - 18-282153 X2111)
- Andre d'Arkor, Brussels, November 1930 (Columbia France WLB186 - DF-315)

In Greek historical discography, it was recorded by Odysseas Lappas, Petros Epitropakis, Antonis Delendas.

The Greek musical score, with lyrics by Nina Foka, was published in Athens by the Gaitanos publishing house.

The label of the record reads "Romantso" (from the Italian romanzo).

Research and text: Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis