Polyphonic Group of Pogoni

The members of the “Polyphonic Group of Pogoni” were:

Anthoula Kotsou
Penelope Matsia
Sofia Matsia
Dimitris Matsias
Lazarus Tsiavos
Socrates Tsiavos

All were residents of the village Ktismata, Pogoni, near Greek-Albania borders.

Songs

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  • SongEpirusPastoral SongPolyphonic

A Peasant Woman Washing by the River

  • Βλάχα πλένει στο ποτάμι ⬥ Studio recording, 1984. After a superb introduction on the clarinet, the song is constructed around a series of questions without answers; we will never know the real reasons for the sadness of this peasant woman ‘washing by the river’.
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  • SongEpirusImmigration SongPolyphonic

Forgetful, I Am Truly Glad

  • Αλησμονώ και χαίρομαι ⬥ Forgetful I am truly glad, but mindful I am saddened; remembering those foreign lands, I want to set out for them. – Get up, good mother, knead some dough, bake fresh rusks for my journey. Aggrieved she pours the water in, she kneads with tears a-plenty; [...]
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  • SongEpirusImmigration SongPolyphonic

Happy When I Forget, Sad When I Remember

  • Forgetful I am truly glad, but mindful I am saddened; remembering those foreign lands, I want to set out for them. – Get up, good mother, knead some dough, bake fresh rusks for my journey. Aggrieved she pours the water in, she kneads with tears a-plenty; with heavy heart she [...]
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  • SongEpirusImmigration SongPolyphonic

Let Us Go, It Is Time to Leave

  • Σηκωθείτ' ολίγο λίγο ⬥ Studio recording, 1984. A polyphonic wedding song sung at the departure of the bride from her home. Translated by Derek Yeld
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  • SongEpirusPastoral SongPolyphonic

My Mother Told Me

  • Μου ’λεγε η μάνα μου ⬥ Studio recording, 1984. Accompanied homophonic song. The tune is simple and repetitive, borne along by a rhythm whose linear character makes one think that this 'table song' must be one of the oldest in the repertory. Translated by Derek Yeld
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  • SongEpirusFable Song (Ballad)Polyphonic

The Love of Yannos and Marigo

  • Yannos and Marigo went to the same school. Yannos could read and write, Marigo could sing. They loved each other, no one knew it. Yannos came to a decision and told his mother, – Mother, I love Marigo and want to marry her. – What are you saying, my crazy [...]
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  • SongEpirusImmigration SongPolyphonic

The Partridges Are Weeping

  • Κλαιν οι πέρδικες στα πλάγια ⬥ Studio recording, 1984. A capella polyphonic song belonging to the reper tory of emigration songs. The fiancee who has stayed behind in her village sings to her beloved who has gone away to seek his fortune. Her parents want to marry her to a [...]
Καλότυχα είναι τα βουνά
  • SongEpirusPastoral Song, Philosophical SongPolyphonic

They Are Lucky, the Mountains

  • Καλότυχα είναι τα βουνά ⬥ Studio recording, 1984. Polyphonic a capella song. A short but profound meditation on the inexorability of death. We notice the exclamations which punctuate each phrase sung by the ‘embroiderer’; do they not perhaps play the same role as the cries of distress of the Chorus [...]
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Records

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  • AlbumLP1984Ocora

Polyphonic Songs and Music from Epirus

This LP published by Ocora, as well as the concert which preceded it, can be seen as a ‘universal premiere’ for the polyphonic songs of Epirus. Aris Fakinos’ initiatives brought for the first time into French public polyphonic music from Epirus, which was anyway rarely performed locally and almost unknown […]
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  • AlbumCD, Digital release1992UNHCR – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Songs About Greeks Far From Home

This CD, published by UNHCR with an informative booklet, includes sixteen songs narrating different aspects of migrating to foreign lands: departure and life in foreign lands; the lives of families left behind; death in foreign lands or a return home. It marks a new direction to Domna Samiou’s music publications: […]
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  • AlbumDigital release, LP1989UNHCR – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Songs About Greeks Far From Home (LP)

This LP includes nineteen songs narrating all the different aspects of migrating in foreign lands: the departure and the life to foreign lands, the life of the family left behind, death in these foreign lands or the return home. This publication of the UNHCR, with its informative accompanying booklet, introduces […]
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See also

  • The "Musical Travelogue"

Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou – Epirus

  • This travelogue presents the unique musical tradition of Epirus: laments, polyphonic songs, shepherds’ tunes, songs about specific historical events, dances from Zagori, etc, performed by local musicians. ⬥ “Musical Travelogue with Domna Samiou” (“Musiko Odiporiko me ti Domna Samiou”) was a television series researched and presented by Domna Samiou and [...]
  • AlbumLP1984Ocora

Polyphonic Songs and Music from Epirus

This LP published by Ocora, as well as the concert which preceded it, can be seen as a ‘universal premiere’ for the polyphonic songs of Epirus. Aris Fakinos’ initiatives brought for the first time into French public polyphonic music from Epirus, which was anyway rarely performed locally and almost unknown […]
  • SongEpirusBawdy Song, Carnival Song

How Do They Grind the Pepper (Explicit)

  • Πώς το τρίβουν το πιπέρι ⬥ How do they grind, good shepherdess, how do they grind the pepper, how do they grind the pepper, those diabolic monks? With the knee, good shepherdess, they grind it with the knee, with the knee they grind it, and they grind it fine. Ho [...]
  • SongEpirusEaster Song, Lament, Ritual Song

Today, dear George…

(Necrolatric Dance of Easter)

  • Σήμερα Γιώργη μ’ Πασχαλιά ⬥ Today, dear George, is Easter Day, my dearest George, my dearest George, Today’s a major holiday, my dearest George, my handsome boy. Today young men dress in their best, and join the promenade. But you, dear George, did not show up, to join the promenade. [...]
  • SongEpirusFable Song (Ballad)

My Son, Why Dont You Go and Wash?

(Necrolatric Dance of Easter)

  • Γιε μου γιατί δε λούζεσαι ⬥ – My son, why don’t you go and wash, why don’t you change your clothing? Today, my child, is Easter Day, you’ll go and take communion. – No, mother, you must know I sinned while I was in the fighting. The other men all [...]