Maria Farantouri sings a poem by Giorgos Seferis
Άρνηση
Στο περιγιάλι το κρυφό
κι άσπρο σαν περιστέρι
διψάσαμε το μεσημέρι·
μα το νερό γλυφό.
Πάνω στην άμμο την ξανθή
γράψαμε τ' όνομά της·
Ωραία που φύσηξε ο μπάτης
και σβήστηκε η γραφή .
Με τι καρδιά, με τι πνοή,
τι πόθους και τι πάθος
πήραμε τη ζωή μας· λάθος!
κι αλλάξαμε ζωή.
Denial
On the secret seashore
white like a dove
we thirsted at noon;
but the water was brackish.
On the golden sand
we wrote her name;
but the sea-breeze blew
and the writing vanished.
With what spirit, what heart,
what desire and passion
we lived our life; a mistake!
So we changed our life.
Comments
The funeral last Wednesday at the Metropolitan church of Athens
The premier minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is not welcome at Theodorakis' funeral and some of the community start to sing one of his songs against the fascist regime which is there again! (he dropped down because he feels so ashamed! 8 September)
End of the ceremony at the Metropolitan church
After the funeral the people of Athens sing the same song like in Vengo's film Θα σημάνουν οι καμπάνες
while a banda in Piraeus (where Mikis was born) play Ένα το χελιδόνι (an aria of the oratorio Axion esti)
Theodorakis' music during the period of Greek fascism
During the dictatorship (1967-1974) Theodorakis' political music was banned in Greece. This is a part of the comedy "O Thanasis sti hora tis sfaliaras" (1976) where the protagonist (the popular Greek comedian Thanasis Vengos) is listening full of enthusiasm to some of Theodorakis' revolutionary songs, not being aware of the fact that the car's loudspeaker is turned on.
The whole film "Thanasis in the land of slap" (1976)
Θα σημάνουν οι καμπάνες sung by Gregoris Mpithikotsis
Lyrics by Giannis Ritsos
με τόσα φλάμπουρα λάμπει, λάμπει ο ουρανός
Αυτό το χώμα είναι δικό τους και δικό μας.
κρατάνε τις καμπάνας το σχοινί,
προσμένουνε την ώρα, προσμένουν να σημάνουν την ανάσταση
τούτο το χώμα είναι δικό τους και δικό μας
δεν μπορεί κανείς να μας το πάρει
Αυτό το χώμα είναι δικό τους και δικό μας
English translation: Soon the bells will sound
With so many leaves the sun waves you a "Happy day!" [kalimera]
With so many flashes heaven is shining bright,
and some are behind iron bars
and others under the soil.
Hush, because soon the bells will sound!
The soil is theirs and ours.
Under the soil, in their crossed hands they hold the bell's rope,
Longing for the time, longing to announce the resurrection
This soil is theirs and ours,
no one can take it away from us. (3 times)
Hush, because soon the bells will sound!
The soil is theirs and ours.
The singer Giorgos Ntalaras
sings the song βρέχει στη φτωχογειτονιά from a soundtrack for the film "Συνοικία το όνειρο" (1961) in honour of Theodorakis at the Herod Atticus theatre of Athens in 1995.
Μικρά κι ανήλιαγα στενά
και σπίτια χαμηλά μου
βρέχει στη φτωχογειτονιά
βρέχει και στην καρδιά μου.
Αχ ψεύτη κι άδικε ντουνιά
άναψες τον καημό μου
είσαι μικρός και δε χωράς
τον αναστεναγμό μου.
Οι συμφορές αμέτρητες
δεν έχει ο κόσμος άλλες
φεύγουν οι μέρες μου βαριά
σαν της βροχής τις στάλες.
(English translation of the Greek verses by Tasos Livaditis in the subtitles)
Canto generale with poems by Pablo Neruda
Performance in Chile conducted by Mikis Theodorakis in 1993:
Alexis Zorbas
Bis (2005)
The oratorium Axion esti
Performance at the Likavettou Theatre of Athens conducted by Mikis Theodorakis in 1977.
German version by Dirk Mandel realised in collaboration with the Dresdner Musikhochschule (GDR) conducted by Mikis Theodorakis at the Gewandhaus Leipzig in 1982.
Concert in 1974
Mikis Theodorakis' career as a musician in Greece began after the end of fascism in 1974, when a first legendary public concert became possible in Greece and the well-known songs could be performed in public, after his early success he had to go underground (1967-70), and finally into exile in Paris (1970-74) where he also got once (1954-60) his formation as a musician by Eugène Bigot and Olivier Messiaen:
The German version "Zusammenleben"
sung by Milva
The Italian version "Sogno di libertà"
sung by Milva
The original
sung by Gregoris Mpithikotsis, music by Mikis Theodorakis