I have recently found some interesting videos of guitarists from Greece, and so I decided it was time to find some interesting music from Greece with guitar and mandolin.
Today i want to present a work by Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis which is performed by a big orchestra including two mandolins and two guitars. It is the suite Gicondas Smile. This suite is composed of 10 instrumental songs and belongs to the most important compositions by Hadjidakis
Hadjidakis is the composer of the song Never on Sunday from the movie with the same title, he got an acadamy award for this song in 1961. The tune is very popular and is also played by mandolin orchestras all over the world.
Enjoy Giocondas Smile by Manos Hadjidakis!
Manos Hadjidakis – To hamogelo tis Tzokontas (part 1)
Consisted of ten instrumental songs, “To hamogelo tis Tzokontas” (“Gioconda’s smile”, 1965) is one of the most important works of Greek music. This concert was held at Megaron Mousikis in 1995, one year after Hadjidakis’ death. The songs performed in the first part are: “Otan erhonte ta synnefa” (“When the clouds come”), “Kontessa Esterhazy” (“Countess Esterhazy”), “I parthena tis gitonias mou” (“Virgin in my neighbourhood).
Manos Hadjidakis – To hamogelo tis Tzokontas (part 2)
The songs performed in the second part are: “Vrohi” (“Rain”), “Prosopografia tis miteras mou” (“Portrait of my mother”), “Τo konserto” (“Concerto”).
Especially the Concerto ist a beatiful tune for the two mandolins!
Manos Hadjidakis – To hamogelo tis Tzokontas (part 3)
The songs performed in the third part are: “O kyrios Noll” (“Mr. Noll”), “Oi dolofonoi” (“Assassins”).
Manos Hadjidakis – To hamogelo tis Tzokontas (part 4)
The songs performed in the fourth part are: “Vradini epistrofi” (“Returning in the evening”), “Horos me ti skia mou” (“Dance with my own shadow”).
More information about Manos Hadjidakis
Wikipedia (Engl.): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manos_Hatzidakis
Wikipedia about Gioconda’s Smile: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gioconda%27s_Smile
Songs by Manos Hadjidakis at greeksongs-greekmusic: http://www.greeksongs-greekmusic.com/t/hadjidakis-manos/