Traditional Cretan Music

Music. Rethymnon. Words that somehow go together. Regular readers will realise by now that the Bugle crew embraces all forms of musical genres - Peggy Wood, ‘Climb Every Mountain’ (singing nun in Sound of Music –though rumour has it that she may have been dubbed ) X-Ray Spex ‘Germ Free Adolescent’ and pretty much everything apart from the duck in ‘Peter and the Wolf’ are our current retro faves - but anyway, let’s get back to the beat. If you are actually fortunate enough to live in this town and also happen to have a faint interest in anything musical, you often feel a little bit like a kid in a sweet shop with unrestricted pocket money…. There’s so much on offer, here, music wise. It is with some trepidation, then, that we give you just a few of our impressions on Cretan music.

Cretan Musical Instruments: The Lyra, Laouto, Violin and Bagpipes!

For many foreigners, when you mention Greek music, the immediate thing that springs to mind is ‘Bouzouki and smashing plates’. The bouzouki is a fine instrument, with a long and respected history. It was the first fretted instrument known - you will an image of it on the 4th Century BC Mantineia marble on display at the Archaeological Museum in Athens. However, the traditional Cretan sound is very different from the bouzouki style (oh, and by the way, smashing plates is now considered to be passé).

Cretan traditional music is classed as belonging to the Eastern modal form and has clearly been heavily influenced by Arabic and Turkish musical traditions. The main instruments are the lyra (which is a small pear shaped fiddle) and the laouto, which is a large lute. In Rethymnon there are still a number of workshops where these instruments are both made and played. The distinctive ‘non-Western’ sound of the lyra comes in part from the playing technique adopted by musicians. Rather than pressing the tips of the fingers down on the strings—as with a violin or cello, the sound is made by using the back of the nails in a sensitive fashion. Aside from the lyra and the laouto, other traditional Cretan instruments include the violin, and in some mountainous regions a form of bagpipes.

A lot of Cretan music is dance music which you will hear played at festivals such as Panigyria (local saints’ days) and weddings. Initially, to the untrained ear the music may sound harsh — however, in our experience it has an infectious and joyful quality which is hard to resist. Add to the mix some raki, mezedes and good company in a local Taverna and you have the makings of a wonderful evening!

Rethymnon is very proud of its Cretan musical traditions, and over the years has produced some of the finest lyra and laouto players on the island. As winter approaches and the visitors leave, Cretans get back in touch with their roots, and this one of the best times to hear real Cretan music in authentic settings. Over the coming months we hope to be able to give you details of traditional music venues in the Rethymnon area, and we will be providing listings on the www.rethymnon.biz website as and when we get them.

Ross Daly: The Circle at the Crossroads

One of the most renowned authorities on traditional Cretan music is Ross Daly, a musician, ethnomusicologist and composer of Irish descent. Ross spent much of his early life travelling around the world with his family and frequently found himself drawn towards the musical traditions of the different cultures he encountered - in particular those relating to Eastern and Indian classical music. He first came to Crete in the 1970’s and studied lyra under Kostas Mountakis; during this time he also continued to travel widely. Aside from the Cretan lyra, he is a virtuoso performer of a variety of musical instruments including the Afghan rabab, oud, saz and tanbur. Ross Daly frequently collaborates with musicians from all over the world, and it is fair to say that any live performance involving him as a musician is likely to be something special.

Along with his group Labyrinth, Ross Daly conducts workshops and seminars throughout the summer months at his Cretan base in Houdetsi, in the Heraklion province of the island. His base is also home to a permanent collection of over 200 musical instruments that he has collected on his travels. To check for visiting hours to the exhibition it is best to phone or email in advance. Telephone + 30 2810 741027, email info@labyrinth.gr. You will find more information about Ross Daly, the work of Labyrinth and also a selection of texts about music from the www.rossdalymusic.com and www.labyrinth.gr websites. Ross Daly often plays in the Rethymnon region - both at venues like the Erofili theatre at the Fortezza, and at more intimate locations such as Makam in NikiForou Foka Street (Makri Steno) in the Old Town. Often (as ever!), though, performances are advertised at the very last minute—so keep looking out for flyers on lampposts! If we get details of performances we will keep you updated both in the Bugle and on the www.rethymnon.biz site