Éntekhno


Éntekhno is orchestral music with elements from Greek folk rhythm and melody. Its lyrical themes are often based on the work of famous Greek poets. Éntekhno arose in the late 1950s, drawing on rebetiko's Westernization by Vassilis Tsitsanis and Manolis Chiotis. Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hatzidakis were the most popular early composers of éntekhno song cycles.

Origins

As opposed to other forms of Greek urban folk music, éntekhno concerts would often take place outside a hall or a nightclub in the open air. Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis were the most popular early composers of éntekhno songs. They were both educated in classical music; the lack of a wide public for this kind of music in Greece drove them to the invention of éntekhno, in which they transferred some values of Western art music, such as ballad tunes. Other significant Greek songwriters included Stavros Kouyoumtzis, Manos Loïzos, and Dimos Moutsis. Significant lyricists of this genre are Nikos Gatsos, Manos Eleftheriou and poet Tasos Livaditis. By the 1960s, innovative albums helped éntekhno become close to mainstream, and also led to its appropriation by the film industry for use in soundtracks.

Works

Notable éntekhno works include:
  • Six folk paintings
  • Epitaphios
  • Epifania
  • Dead brother's song
  • Mikres Kyklades
  • "To Axion Esti"
  • Gioconda's Smile
  • Romiossini
  • Ballos
  • O Megalos Erotikos
  • Eighteen Short Songs of the Bitter Motherland
  • Our Great Circus
  • Tetralogia
  • ''Stavros tou Notou''

    Artists

Composers:
  • Manos Hatzidakis
  • Manos Loïzos
  • Yannis Markopoulos
  • Thanos Mikroutsikos
  • Dimos Moutsis
  • Mimis Plessas
  • Mikis Theodorakis
  • Stavros Xarchakos
  • Nikos Gatsos
  • Manos Eleftheriou
Singers:
  • Haris Alexiou
  • Giorgos Dalaras
  • Nikos Xilouris
  • Maria Dimitriadi
  • Maria Farantouri
  • Manolis Mitsias
  • Nana Mouskouri
  • Nena Venetsanou
  • Grigoris Bithikotsis
  • Dimitris Mitropanos

    New Wave

A form of éntekhno which is even closer to western classical music was introduced during the mid-1960s, which was called New Wave and was a mixture of éntekhno and chansons from France. One of the first contributors to the genre was Dionysis Savvopoulos, who mixed American musicians like Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa with Macedonian folk music and politically incisive lyrics. In his wake came more folk-influenced performers like Arleta, Mariza Koch, Mihalis Violaris, Kostas Hatzis and the composer Giannis Spanos. This music scene flourished in a specific type of boîte de nuit.

Artists

  • Arleta
  • Keti Chomata
  • Kostas Hatzis
  • Mariza Koch
  • Rena Koumioti
  • Yiannis Parios
  • Giannis Poulopoulos
  • Dionysis Savvopoulos
  • Giannis Spanos
  • Mihalis Violaris
  • Giorgos Zographos

    Contemporary éntekhno

Contemporary éntekhno is the form of éntekhno that emerged in the 1980s and is mostly what éntekhno means when used in context today.

Artists

  • Eleftheria Arvanitaki
  • Haris Alexiou
  • Giannis Haroulis
  • Alkinoos Ioannidis
  • Katsimihas Brothers
  • Yannis Kotsiras
  • Stamatis Kraounakis
  • Lavrentis Machairitsas
  • Savina Yannatou
  • Miltos Paschalidis
  • Sokratis Malamas
  • Thanassis Papakonstantinou
  • Nikos Papazoglou
  • Alkistis Protopsalti
  • Tania Tsanaklidou
  • Nikos Xydakis
  • Natassa Bofiliou