“The birds say it secretly, the nightingales say it secretly,
This is what the priest from Agia Lavra says secretly:
“Guys, take it easy, talk it out.
it’s not last year’s weather and this year’s winter.
Earth came to us bitter spring, summer black,
because a war broke out and they are fighting the Turks..”
Of the war of ’21
See a rare item from the ERT Archive for the anniversary of the 1821 Revolution TV documentarywhich aired 35 years agoas of today March 25, 1989. A music anthology with songs about the Revolution of 1821, in collaboration with Early Music Workshop. Patriotic hymns, traditional songs, songs of the Philhellenic and the Holy Society, hymns and church hymns, compose the musical image of the uprising of 1821.
THE BIRDS CALL IT HIDDEN
Songs revealed by musicological research and some are presented for first time to the audience from the Early Music Workshop, are combined with historical sources of the period and external shots in places connected with the Revolution (Monastery of Agia Lavra etc.). The show features traditional soloists and art music Myrsini Katsivanaki, Nikos Konstantinopylos, Tassos Aloupis, Kostas Georgalis, An.Giakoumakis, Tsoulia Souglakou, Iota Prevelakis, traditional music band, mandolin and Byzantine choir. Kalliopi Germanou accompanies on the piano. Conductor of the male and mixed choir of the Early Music Workshop: Yiannis Mantakas.
The following songs are played in order:“The birds say it secretly” (performed by Myrsini Katsinavaki), “Patriotic Anthem” by Rigas Velestinlis (“All Nations”), “War Song” (poetry by Adamantios Korai, music by an unknown person – performed by the group of men from the Old Music Workshop), “Thurios” by Antonio Martelau, “Mia prustagi gika” (performed by Nikos Konstantinopoulos), “Thurios” of Riga, “Forty Thieves”, “What have you, poor platan” (performed by Julia Souglakou). They are also presented for the first time songs of the Holy Societyone march of the Greek expeditionary force of Napoleon who fought the Turks in Egypt, as well as small ones sequences and supplications, which were secretly chanted in churches with wishes for the Revolution. Finally, songs by the composer Constantinos Nikolopoulos and the poetess Angelika Pallis, Greeks of the Diaspora who contributed to the Struggle, are included.
The following are also heard, among others excerpts from the historical sources of the period: Excerpt from the “Essays” by Dimitrios Katartzis, the poem “Eis to Ieron Lohon” by Andreas Kalvos, excerpt from the poem “A Canaris” (Victor Hugo, 1832), from the announcement of Alexandrou Ypsilantis (February 24, 1821) (“The hour has come, O men of Greece”), ta memoirs of Th. Kolokotronis.
Directed by: Christos Rallis
Year of production: 1989
Air date: 03/25/1989
Production manager: Andreas Carbone
Production manager: Stelios Makris
Narration: Christos Tsagas