Music of Thrace

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Music of Greece: Topics

Ancient music	Éntekhno
Laïkó	Néo kýma
Nisiótika	Rebetiko
Greek-Turkish	Greek-American

History (Timeline and Samples)

Genres:

Classical music -Folk - Hip hop - Jazz - Rock

Regional styles

Aegean Islands - Arcadia - Argos - Athens - Crete - Cyclades - Dodecanese Islands - Epirus - Ionian Islands - Lesbos - Macedonia - Peloponnesos - Thessaloniki - Thessaly - Thrace - Cyprus

Music of Thrace is the music of Thrace, a region in Southeastern Europe spread over southern Bulgaria (Northern Thrace), northeastern Greece (Western Thrace), and European Turkey (Eastern Thrace).

The music of Thrace contains a written history that extends back to the antiquity, when Orpheus became a legendary musician. At the time the region was considered the musical center of all of Greece^{[citation needed]}. Though the Thracian people were eventually assimilated by surrounding groups, such as the Bulgarians, elements of Thracian folk music continue.

Traditional Thracian dances are usually swift in tempo and are mostly circle dances in which the men dance at the front of the line. The gaida, a kind of bagpipe, is the most characteristic instrument, but clarinets and toumbelekis are also used. The Thracian gaida, also called the avlos, is very different than the Macedonian or Bulgarian bagpipes. It is more high in pitch then the Macedonian gaida but less so than the Bulgarian gaida (or Dura). The gaida originated in ancient Thrace, then spread to Macedonia during Alexander the Great's conquest. Durung the Slavic invasion of Europe, the newly-arrived Slavic people also incorporated the gaida into their music; it is still widely used throughout the Slavic countries. The Thracian gaida is also still widely used throughout Thrace in northeastern Greece.

The Thracians have always been very musical. Today, Thracian weddings last for three days, where there is constant drinking and dancing to the sounds of the gaida and the daouli. During ancient times up until the Slavic invasion, Thracians were taught to dance at a very young age. Since Thrace is the coldest part of Greece, dancing played a large part in keeping warm during the winter months.

[edit] Types of dances

Hassapia: an ancient dance that simulates a stealth approach on any enemy camp, from beginning to victory.The hassapia dance has been dated back to Hellenistic times, before the time of Alexander the Great whose soldiers brought it to Macedonia. It is a warrior's dance in which the movements represent the noiseless approach on the enemy camp, the encounter, the fight, and the victory. This dance is done in a circle using a shoulder hold.
Kallinitikos: performed by three people (either two men and one woman or two women and one man), named after the kalines, or friends of the bride during her wedding, who escort her to the church performing this dance .Kallinitikos is a dance done by groups of three people: a man in the middle and two women at his sides or a woman in the middle and two men at her sides. The dance is named after the kalines, the bride's girlfriends, who do this dance as they escort her to the church.
Kouseftos: derived from kousevo (to run in Thracian language), performed, not in a circle, but in the form of a labyrinthKouseftos, with its characteristic quick running steps, takes its name from the word kousevo in Thrace which means to run. It differs from other Thracian dances in that, instead of being danced in a circle, its dance progression takes the form of a labyrinth.
Mandilatos (Mandra): a couples dance performed at weddings.Mandilatos is a couples' dance which takes its name from the mandilia or handkerchiefs that the dancers hold while dancing. This dance is done at weddings in Thrace as the guests escort the bride or the best man to the church. During the procession, some guests hold a mirror which symbolizes the purity of the bride and others hold brooms which symbolize her housekeeping ability.
Stis tris: a slow but swift dance.Stis Tris means "in threes." Each dance set is composed of three parts of four steps

each. The arms are held down and move in a synchronized motion with the steps.

Syngathistos: performed as the bride and groom are escorted to and from the church during weddingsSyngathistos is a free

style couples dance that is danced as the bride and groom are escorted to and from the church. The bridal party also dances as they display and exchange gifts with the bride and groom, particularly gifts of handkerchiefs and head scarves..

Xesyrtos: a circle dance with men performed at the front of the line.Xesyrtos is a circle dance in which the men dance at the front of the line, followed by the women, and do variations to the dance step with characteristic slaps, jumps, and

kicks.

Zonaradikos: a circle dance in which the participants hold each other's belts. This is the primary dance of Thrace and

primarily danced by men where many tricks are performed.The Zonaradikos is a circle dance in which the dancers hold each other by their belts or zonaria (hence the name Zonaradikos). This dance is done in every village and region of Thrace. Three variations of the basic step are paties or stomps, monopatia or single stomp, and psalidia or scissors, usually followed by the koulouriastos or curling.

Paidushko (Baiduska, Pajdusko, Pajduska, Payduska): a very aggressive dance, usually performed by men. It is performed using heavy movement.
Halay: Halay is a famous dance in the Middle East. It is a symbol for the tempestuous way of life in its place of origin, Anatolia. It is a national dance in Armenia and Turkey. The traditional form of the Halay dance is played on the Zurna, supported by a Davul. The dancers form a circle or line while holding each other with the little finger. From Anatolia the Halay has spread to many other regions such as Armenia and the Balkans.
Karsilama:Suluman Aga etc.

[edit] Listen to

Music of Southeastern Europe
Albania - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Cyprus - Greece Montenegro - Roma - Romania - Serbia - Republic of Macedonia - Thrace - Turkey - Yugoslavia