Entekhno

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Éntekhno (Greek: έντεχνο, pronounced ['endexno], pl: éntekhna [tragoudia]) is orchestral music with elements from Greek folk rhythm and melody. Its lyrical themes are often based on the work of famous Greek poets. Éntekhno arose in the late 1950s, drawing on rebetiko's Westernization by Vassilis Tsitsanis and Manolis Chiotis. Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hatzidakis were the most popular early composers of éntekhno song cycles.

Origins

As opposed to other forms of Greek urban folk music, éntekhno concerts would often take place outside a hall or a nightclub in the open air. Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis were the most popular early composers of éntekhno songs. They were both educated in classical music; the lack of a wide public for this kind of music in Greece drove them to the invention of éntekhno, in which they transferred some values of Western art music,[1] such as ballad tunes. Other significant Greek songwriters included Stavros Kouyoumtzis, Manos Loïzos, and Dimos Moutsis. Significant lyricists of this genre are Nikos Gatsos, Manos Eleftheriou and poet Tasos Livaditis. By the 1960s, innovative albums helped éntekhno become close to mainstream, and also led to its appropriation by the film industry for use in soundtracks.

Works

Notable éntekhno works include:

Artists

New Wave

Dionysis Savvopoulos.

A form of éntekhno which is even closer to western classical music was introduced during the mid-1960s, which was called New Wave and was a mixture of éntekhno and chansons from France. One of the first contributors to the genre was Dionysis Savvopoulos, who mixed American musicians like Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa with Macedonian folk music and politically incisive lyrics. In his wake came more folk-influenced performers like Arleta, Mariza Koch, Mihalis Violaris, Kostas Hatzis and the composer Giannis Spanos. This music scene flourished in a specific type of boîte de nuit.[2]

Artists

Contemporary éntekhno

Contemporary éntekhno is the form of éntekhno that emerged in the 1980s and is mostly what éntekhno means when used in context today. During this decade, bands such as Termites (formerly P.L.J. Band)[3] featuring Lavrentis Machairitsas[4] and Antonis Mitzelos[5], along with Nikos Portokaloglou's Fatme[6], formed the musical core that shifted Greek song from traditional acoustic or laiko motifs toward a purely electric and Western-style sound[7]. Within this framework, Antonis Mitzelos is recognized for his contribution to shaping the Greek electric sound through his guitar approach, compositions, and arrangements, both with Termites and through his participation as a musician, arranger, and composer[8] in numerous albums within the Greek discography. In the same context of sonic renewal, Nikos Papazoglou and the Katsimicha Brothers were subsequently added, introducing an experiential and folk-rock style. The following decade (1990s) saw the emergence of a new generation of songwriters and bands, such as Alkinoos Ioannidis, Miltiadis Paschalidis, Pyx Lax, and Sokratis Malamas, who continued in the same artistic mindset, consolidating the form of contemporary electric entechno. Characteristic examples of this early period include songs such as "Skoni" (1984) and "Poso se thelo" (1988)[9] by Termites, "San Star tou Sinema" (1985) by Nikos Ziogalas, "Filaraki" by Sofia Vossou (1986), "Kaloferaki" by Fatme (1986), as well as the single "Me to idio mako" (1991) with music by Mitzelos and lyrics by Lina Nikolakopoulou for Eleftheria Arvanitaki[10].

Notable complete works of electric entechno song include:[11]

* I Amartoli Maria  ("Sinful Mary") –Termites, featuring George Dalaras (1984)[12]

* Zesta Pota ("Warm Drinks") – Haris & Panos Katsimichas (1985)

* Vgainoume apo to tounel ("We are exiting the tunnel") – Fatme (1986)

* Meno ektos ("I remain outside") – Eleftheria Arvanitaki (1991)[13]

* Tis Meras kai tis Nychtas ("Of Day and Night") – Sokratis Malamas (1992)

* O Ilios tou Cheimona Me Melancholei ("The Winter Sun Makes Me Melancholy") – Pyx Lax (1993)

* Pafsilypon ("Anodyne") – Lavrentis Machairitsas (1996)[14]

* O Dromos, o Chronos kai o Ponos ("The Road, Time and Pain") – Alkinoos Ioannidis (1997)

* Kakes synitheies ("Bad habits") – Miltiadis Paschalidis (1998)

* Fylakas aggelos  ("Guardian angel") – Adonis Mitzelos lyrics by Eleni Zioga, performed by Yiannis Kotsiras (1999)[15]

Artists

See also

References

  1. Paris Konstantinidis (April 2014). "When Progress Fails, Try Greekness: From Manolis Kalomiris to Manos Hadjidakis and Mikis Theodorakis". In Maliaras, Nikos (ed.). The National Element in Music (Conference proceedings, Athens, 18–20 January 2013) (PDF) (First ed.). Athens: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. pp. 314–320. ISBN 978-960-93-5959-7. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  2. Takis Kalogeropoulos: "Neo Kyma" in Lexiko tis Ellinikis mousikis, Athens 1998–99. ISBN 960-7555-39-2 (online version).
  3. “Pigame stin parousiasi tou vivliou 'Termites - To taxidi' - Documento” [We attended the presentation of the book 'Termites - The journey' - Documento]. www.documentonews.gr (in Greek). 6 December 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  4. mousikogramma.gr. “O Notis Mavroudis grafei gia ton Lavrenti Machairitsa” [Notis Mavroudis writes about Lavrentis Machairitsas]. mousikogramma.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  5. “Viografiko Kallitichni ANTONIS MITZELOS” [Artist Biography ANTONIS MITZELOS]. Ellinikosfm.com Radio (in Greek). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  6. “FATME - 1981”. TO VIMA (in Greek). 13 January 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  7. “TERMITES”. ADONIS MITZELOS OFFICIAL SITE. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  8. “O Antonis Mitzelos milaiei gia ti synavlia ton Termiton ston Lykavitto to 1986” [Antonis Mitzelos talks about the Termites concert at Lycabettus in 1986]. www.enikos.gr (in Greek). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  9. “TERMITES: 'Poso se thelo' - 1988”. TO VIMA (in Greek). 27 January 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  10. “Me to idio mako - Greek Lyrics”. greeklyrics.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  11. "You searched for Μιτζέλος - ENIKOS". www.enikos.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  12. "Η ΑΜΑΡΤΩΛΗ ΜΑΡΙΑ - Δισκογραφία Γιώργου Νταλάρα". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  13. tanea.gr (2020-10-28). "Ελευθερία Αρβανιτάκη: Από την Οπισθοδρομική Κομπανία στις μεγαλύτερες σκηνές του κόσμου". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  14. "«Παυσίλυπον», Λαυρέντης Μαχαιρίτσας". www.e-tetradio.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-10-28.
  15. domianos (1999-02-11). "Φύλακας Άγγελος". Γιάννης Κότσιρας (in Greek). Retrieved 2026-10-28.