Μια κόρη συναπόβγανε ⬥ A maid was seeing her husband off to foreign parts holding a candle out for him to see, tankards of wine for him to drink. And as the wine poured forth, the words did too: – You’re leaving, Konstantinos my love, what would you have me [...]
Κάστρο και πού ’ν’ οι πύργοι σου ⬥ – Castle, what has happened to your towers and your belfries? And where are all those gallant lads, those fine upstanding fellows? – Ah me, those gallant lads of mine, those fine upstanding fellows, the gloomy earth enjoys them now in dark [...]
Ο Χάροντας και οι αντρειωμένοι ⬥ My friends, what happened to all the brave men in the world? They're not on the mountains and they're not in the passes. They're down at the edge of the sky, at the end of the world, building a castle to hide from Charon. [...]
Πασχαλιάτικες μαντινάδες ⬥ Because today is Easter Day, the world is making merry, all strangers, kith and kin, and friends embrace, kiss one another. If only every day were like this day that’s Easter Sunday, when girls dress in their finery, as pretty viola flowers. I greet you: ‘Christ is [...]
Ούλες οι χώρες χαίρουνται ⬥ Great joy across the land, great joy in every village and all in the best, the best of spirits save Rhodes, poor ill-fated Rhodes. Great joy across the land, great joy in every breast save ill-fated Rhodes that stands defenceless. Three years bombarded now from [...]
Όνειρο το ’δα η λυγερή ⬥ English translation is not available. The lyrics in French follows: – Ce que j'ai vu en rêve, mon roseau, explique-le moi: ce soir-là je commandais des pays et je ramassais des poireaux et je cassais des noisettes, mon petit, dans ton tablier. – Ne [...]
Μαύρο καπνό είδα κι έβγαινε ⬥ I saw some black smoke rise up out of the reeds; The reeds are numberless and a monster hides in them. Three huntsmen have decided to go and kill it. On the way they talk about it: When we have killed the monster in [...]
Κοντυλιές ⬥ Sweet bird flown far from home, I’ve had no peace at all since we parted. No Cretan far from home should die, for the soil is heavy and the tombstone strange. A thousand blessings on all who hear me, and one request: Crete you must never forget. Birthplace [...]
Οψές επέρνου ποταμούς ⬥ Last night I forded rivers and crossed bridges and heard sighing and wondered what it was. Digenis is fighting for his life and the world cowers, the sky thunders and lightning flashes. The whole upper world is shaking, and the underworld is gaping open, its foundations [...]
Ο βασιλιάς και ο Μαυριανός ⬥ Mavrianos and the king were dining in a garden. Having nought of note to discuss, the talk turned to blonde girls and curly-headed girls, to girls with dark black eyes and how there wasn’t one in the world that couldn’t be seduced. – I [...]
Πεντοζάλης ⬥ This pentozalis tune is performed by a lute, replacing the Cretan lyra. Domna Samiou recorded it in Chania, in 1965. On the lute, Paylos Papadakis.
Αργός πεντοζάλης ⬥ The "pentozalis" is in 2/4 meter and is the most characteristic and spectacular of all the Cretan dances. Its foot movements are small, quick and precise and are varied by interesting leaps. It starts in moderate or slow tempo and becomes quicker and quicker by degrees. The [...]
