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Music from Zante musicians Zante Dilemma

They have many fans from all over Europe

Music is another important field of the culture of Zante. The “cantata” is a purely local music idiom, elaborated both in folk music and in pieces of known composers. The same happens with the “ arechia ” (a false pronunciation of the Italian term “a orrechio”, literary meaning “by the ear”), a kind of folk song in four parts.
The continuous cultural exchange with the West, mainly Italy, has strongly influenced the music tradition and taste of the people on the island. Opera and operetta was beloved kinds of music in Zakynthos and constituted links between nobles and the rest of the people. Thus, in 1815 it was established the first Music School in Greece, whereas in 1896, during the first Olympic games of modern times, the Music Band of Zakynthos took part to the event. It was the period when composers of Zantiote origin, as Domeneginis Kapnissis and others became famous in Europe.

Theatre, with strong influence by the Italian folk theatre, also flourished on the island, especially during the period of Venetian domination. The conquest of Crete by Ottomans (1669) helped a lot the development of theatre in Zakynthos, as then many authors and other artists moved to the island. A local idiom has been created, where it is easy to detect the direct influence of the “comedian dell’ arte”, the Cretan theatre of the period and the ancient Greek Drama.

Zantiotes loved theatre and during the Venetian domination theatre was very often part of the feasts of nobles. Later on theatres were also established which presented many plays not only of traditional kinds, but also of contemporary local authors.

In Zalkynthos (Zante) music is not merely a feature of culture; it is an essential component of everyday life of the people. As Leonidas Zois, a student of life and culture of Zakynthos puts it, the music on the island is a “sweet occupation”, both art and tradition. A tradition that goes back to mythology, as it is said that the people of Zakynthos was taught to make and play music by Apollo, the god of music, himself.

In most recent periods, religious music was the first to develop on a high level, mainly after the occupation of Candia (Herakleion) by the Ottomans in 1669; it was then that all artists and intellectual life of the Creto-Venetian culture moved to Eptanissa (Ionian Islands), and first of all to Zakynthos.

An original music system, the Creto-Ionian is established in religious music: the melody resembles to the Byzantine music, where it has its roots, but it is performed in the way of Occidental music (four voices).

Another originality of the Zantiote music is the folk songs known as “arechia”. The origins of the “arechia” are going back in time and it is a purely folk creation, with several elements of “impromptu”, both in music and in the lyrics. Sometimes, the lyrics are works of known poets.

In 1860, 60 Zantiotes music amateurs, on the initiative of the Italian music teacher Marco Battagel, established a Music Association, the first in Greece. The Association helped a lot to make the great European music familiar to the people of the island. The band formed was directed by eminent music directors and for many years it used to play music at the central squares of the town of Zakynthos. The Zantiote Chorus, with 40 members, excelled not only on the island and Greece, but also abroad, mainly in the 1960s’.

Apart from the guitar, mandolin is also a beloved instrument of the people of Zakynthos; it is always present in every music band strolling around in the night to sing for a girl, but also in the “official” string orchestras.

Other music bands active in Zakynthos are the important chorus “To Fioro tou Levante”, where both expert choristers and amateurs take part, aiming at diffusing good music in Zakynthos, but also to familiarize Greece and other countries of the world with the Zantiote music. Another important chorus is the religious one named “Kyria ton Angelon” (“the Lady of the Angels”); the chorus take part to every religious celebration on the island, the most important being the period of the Holy Week.

The cultural village "Skalia" in Tragaki, at Zakynthos, would only serve a specific purpose; to bring people of different places and cultures in contact with each other and with the art in a natural environment. A human friendly place, in which children and adults are going to feel joy and peace enjoying a variety of interesting events. It offers what every cultural centre, built with love and no financial interest would offer. And that is because its owner (Dimitris Avouris), is its creator himself. Very important is, the fact that it is built on an island worldwide known for its tradition in the areas of music and (folklore) theatre.

Go to AVOURIS website