Greek traditional music

This refers to the traditional Greek popular songs and music of mainland Greece and islands, which date back to the Byzantine times.

[1] Kostas Mountakis, is an example of a person of Greek origin who played the Lyra and helped popularise it in Greece.

[11] Folk dances include the Ballos, Syrtos, Sousta, Chiotikos, Kalymniotikos, Stavrotos, Lerikos, Kamara, Michanikos, Trata, Panagia and Ikariotikos.

A prominent singer of Cycladic music was Domna Samiou, who was trained by Greek musicologist, Simon Karas.

[13] In Central Greece many folk songs make references to the klephts and their role during the Greek war of independence.

[13] Folk songs accompany dances in central Greece such as the Antikrystos, Hasapiko, Syrtaki, Kalamatianos, Kamilierikos, Koulouriotikos, Syrtos, Zeibekiko, Tsamiko and Syrto-kalamatianos.

[23] These romantic songs developed mainly in Kefalonia in the early 19th century but spread throughout Greece after its liberation in 1821.

[22] The island of Zakynthos has a diverse musical history with influences also from Crete and many of these traditional, Heptanese songs would be played in theatre productions.

[24] Folk dances include the Tsirigotikos (from Kythira), Levantinikos (from Zakynthos), Ballos, Syrtos, Ai Georgis, Kerkiraikos (from Corfu).

[25] Notable songs are "Kato Sto Yialo", "S'ena paporo mesa", "Apopse tin kithara mou".

[25] The Church music (Byzantine) of the islands is also different from the rest of Greece, containing many Western European and Catholic influences, which played a large role on the Orthodox rite.

[26] Folk dances in Macedonia include the Hasapiko, Syrtaki, Leventikos, Zonaradiko, Endeka Kozanis, Stankena, Baidouska, Makedonikos Antikristos, and Kapitan Louka.

Folk songs from Thessaly are mostly slow and stately, however the music accompanying the Syrtos dance, is typically livelier and more energetic than it is in other parts of Greece.

[28] Songs accompany dances such as the Kalamatianos (popular universally in Greece), Thessalikos, Galanogalani, Kangeli, Gaitanaki, Tsamikos, Sta Tria, Karagouna and Beratis.

Folk dances include the Tapeinos Horos, Baidouska, Tromakton, Souflioutouda, Zonaradiko, Sousta, Tsestos, and Apadiasteite Sto Choro.

[33] Other bowed musical instrument are also used, such as the Kit violin and Rebec, these are more popular in the Western region of Pontus.