Kakourga pethera

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It is a song that recorded one of the most horrific crimes that shocked modern Greek society. It talks about the murder of the contractor Dimitris Athanasopoulos on 4/1/1931 in the area of Kallithea, in Athens, with abettors and accomplices hia mother-in-law Artemis Kastrou, his wife Sofia (Foula) Athanasopoulou and the house maid Giannoula Bellou; the actual assassin was the 18-year-old cousin of his wife Dimitris Moskios, who shot the unfortunate man. After the fatal injury of the victim, they dismembered his body and, after failing to burn it, threw the half-burnt pieces into the river Ilissos, where they were found by chance in the following days.
This crime was so brutal by the standards of the day that it was a matter of public concern for years: it made headlines of newspapers, people could read about it in leaflets, chronicles, it was incorporated into jokes, revues, advertisements, caricatures and satirical songs, etc.
Five more recordings related to the event have been found in 78 rpm discography: "Pethera kai Foula sti fylaki", "To parapono tou Moskiou" "Foula", "I diki tis petheras" "Metanoia amartolis".
It was probably the most commercial song of 78 rpm discography and unconfirmed information raises the number of sold records to 90,000.
On May 15, 1932, at the Selwyn Theater in New York, the "Ellinikon Theatron" ("Greek Theater") troupe presented the "musical drama" "Kakourga pethera", written by Nikos Altaris and set to music by Dimosthenis Zattas. It was "a play that was written based on this multi-faceted drama" as reported by the newspaper "Ethnikos Kiryx" ("National Herald") (14.4.1932, p. 5). The play, which was staged again on 25.5.1932 at the New Century Club Auditorium in Philadelphia ("Ethnikos Kiryx" ["National Herald"] 23.5.1932, p. 5), was initially scheduled in honor of Dimosthenis Zattas on 24.4.1932 at the Palm Garden, but was replaced by the operetta "Gia tin agapi tis" (set to music by D. Zattas - written by O. Karavias) and the revue "To kako synapantima", "because", as the newspaper "Ethnikos Kiryx" ("National Herald") wrote (18.4.1932 "Eirini imin! Pos kai diati anevlithi i 'Kakourga pethera'", p. 5 & 20.4.1932, p. 5), "the folks from Kefalonia in our city protested against the reenactment of the terrible crime."
Re-release of Columbia's (Greece) recording under number DG-113 which has been uploaded for research purposes.

Author (Composer):
Lyrics by:
Montanaris Iakovos
Singer(s):
Nouros Kostas
Orchestra-Performers:
Violin (Makrykostas [Kitro]), Santur (Paterakis), guitar (Skarvelis Kostas)
Recording date:
1931
Recording location:
Athens
Language(s):
Greek
Publisher:
Columbia (Turkey)
Catalogue number:
DT 22
Matrix number:
W.G. 152
Duration:
3:23
Item location:
Kounadis Archive Record Library
Physical description:
10 in. (25 cm)
Source:
Kounadis Archive
ID:
Col_DT22_KakourgaPethera
Licensing:
cc
Reference link:
Kounadis Archive, "Kakourga pethera", 2019, https://vmrebetiko.gr/en/item-en?id=9689

It is a song that recorded one of the most horrific crimes that shocked modern Greek society. It talks about the murder of the contractor Dimitris Athanasopoulos on 4/1/1931 in the area of Kallithea, in Athens, with abettors and accomplices hia mother-in-law Artemis Kastrou, his wife Sofia (Foula) Athanasopoulou and the house maid Giannoula Bellou; the actual assassin was the 18-year-old cousin of his wife Dimitris Moskios, who shot the unfortunate man. After the fatal injury of the victim, they dismembered his body and, after failing to burn it, threw the half-burnt pieces into the river Ilissos, where they were found by chance in the following days.
This crime was so brutal by the standards of the day that it was a matter of public concern for years: it made headlines of newspapers, people could read about it in leaflets, chronicles, it was incorporated into jokes, revues, advertisements, caricatures and satirical songs, etc.
Five more recordings related to the event have been found in 78 rpm discography: "Pethera kai Foula sti fylaki", "To parapono tou Moskiou" "Foula", "I diki tis petheras" "Metanoia amartolis".
It was probably the most commercial song of 78 rpm discography and unconfirmed information raises the number of sold records to 90,000.
On May 15, 1932, at the Selwyn Theater in New York, the "Ellinikon Theatron" ("Greek Theater") troupe presented the "musical drama" "Kakourga pethera", written by Nikos Altaris and set to music by Dimosthenis Zattas. It was "a play that was written based on this multi-faceted drama" as reported by the newspaper "Ethnikos Kiryx" ("National Herald") (14.4.1932, p. 5). The play, which was staged again on 25.5.1932 at the New Century Club Auditorium in Philadelphia ("Ethnikos Kiryx" ["National Herald"] 23.5.1932, p. 5), was initially scheduled in honor of Dimosthenis Zattas on 24.4.1932 at the Palm Garden, but was replaced by the operetta "Gia tin agapi tis" (set to music by D. Zattas - written by O. Karavias) and the revue "To kako synapantima", "because", as the newspaper "Ethnikos Kiryx" ("National Herald") wrote (18.4.1932 "Eirini imin! Pos kai diati anevlithi i 'Kakourga pethera'", p. 5 & 20.4.1932, p. 5), "the folks from Kefalonia in our city protested against the reenactment of the terrible crime."
Re-release of Columbia's (Greece) recording under number DG-113 which has been uploaded for research purposes.

Author (Composer):
Lyrics by:
Montanaris Iakovos
Singer(s):
Nouros Kostas
Orchestra-Performers:
Violin (Makrykostas [Kitro]), Santur (Paterakis), guitar (Skarvelis Kostas)
Recording date:
1931
Recording location:
Athens
Language(s):
Greek
Publisher:
Columbia (Turkey)
Catalogue number:
DT 22
Matrix number:
W.G. 152
Duration:
3:23
Item location:
Kounadis Archive Record Library
Physical description:
10 in. (25 cm)
Source:
Kounadis Archive
ID:
Col_DT22_KakourgaPethera
Licensing:
cc
Reference link:
Kounadis Archive, "Kakourga pethera", 2019, https://vmrebetiko.gr/en/item-en?id=9689

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