Mikis Theodorakis RIP

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Mr.Gumby
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Mikis Theodorakis RIP

Post by Mr.Gumby »

When I saw the obit my first thought was 'Jesus, was he still alive'

Many people will think of the Zorba theme on hearing the name. It was different for me, there was an lp in our house when growing up of the Mauthausen cycle, sung by Maria Farantouri. That will leave an impression.The sadness contained in it still gives me the shivers

And ofcourse there was a piping recital at the Willie week, 1983 I believe. Ronnie Wathen came on with his brand new massive Wooff set, read an epic poem about its maker before Breandan Breathnach did an introduction about traditional piping. Ronnie followed that with 'now I am going to play a slow air by Mikis Theodorakis". And he did.

And there is the bouzouki. He definitely brought those to the attention of the world by using them in his music.
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Re: Mikis Theodorakis RIP

Post by ChristianRo »

Well put, Mr. Gumby. Thanks for that.
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Re: Mikis Theodorakis RIP

Post by Mr.Gumby »

Christian, it's a name that's tied up with my time growing up. I must have heard the Mauthausen cycle hundreds of times during my teens and there was more of his music around too. It was part of the environment I grew up in and as such seems be nestled in my subconscious. Perhaps more than I realised before revisiting the clip I posted above. What an interpreter of his music Farantouri was at such a young age, she wasn't even twenty when that clip was filmed. Such emotion in that second song, Asma Asmaton. No-one knew she was so beautiful...
My father was involved in the labour movement and left wing politics (and in fact ended up a member of Parliament and an MEP, which is probably not relevant here but today is his birthday and the anniversary of his death, aged 53, occurred two days ago. That part of the past tends to come to the forefront around this time). Theodorakis' music very much had a presence that environment.
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Re: Mikis Theodorakis RIP

Post by ChristianRo »

Song of songs

My love how beautiful she is
In her everyday dress,
With a little comb in her hair.
Nobody knew how beautiful she was.
Young girls of Auschwitz,
Young girls of Dachau,
Have you seen my love?
We saw her on a long journey
She no longer had her everyday dress
Nor the little comb in her hair.

My love how beautiful she is,
Fondled by her mother
And the kisses of her brother.
Nobody knew how beautiful she was
Young girls of Mauthausen
Young girls of Belsen
Have you seen my love?
We saw her in the frozen square
A number in her white hand
And a yellow star on her heart.
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Re: Mikis Theodorakis RIP

Post by Mr.Gumby »

Theodorakis wrote this about the Mauthausen cycle and the sentiment bears emphasising:
A good friend of mine, the poet lacovos Kambanellis, was a prisoner in Mauthausen during World War II. At the beginning of the sixties, he wrote his memories of this time under the title of Mauthausen. In 1965, he also wrote four poems on the subject and gave me the opportunity to set them to music. I did this with much pleasure, firstly, because I liked the poetry of the texts, and secondly, because I myself was detained in Italian and German prisons during the Nazi occupation, but mainly because this composition gives us the chance to remind the younger generation of history, of events that must never be forgotten.First and foremost, of course, the Mauthausen Cantata is addressed to all those who suffered under Fascism and fought against it. We must keep the Nazi crimes continually in our minds, because that is the only guarantee and the only way to assure that they are not repeated. And we can see every day that the ghost of Fascism is far from being laid. It seldom shows its real face, but Fascist cultures and mentalities exist all over the world. For us, who had to live through this time of horror, the most important task is to protect our children against this peril. (Mikis Theodorakis, 1999)

I'll add this, another take by Maria Farantouri/Farandouri, nearly fifty years after the one I posted above : Asma Asmaton - Maria Farantouri
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