4 ms·

Every year, for about 10 years, I have spent a month's holiday in Greece, in the Cyclades, in Crete. Visiting Greece, especially the more remote regions, is an

Every year, for about 10 years, I have spent a month's holiday in Greece, in the Cyclades, in Crete. Visiting Greece, especially the more remote regions, is an experience that I recommend to everyone. It is a journey into the past that only some regions of the world can still offer. There are places in the Peloponnese where you can really breathe in the history. Lately I've been very interested in ancient (and not so ancient) Greek music. It's not easy to find really original sounds (not heavy modernization) so this post is really welcome. Thank you

lm28469 2y ago
It's true for most countries tbh, mass tourism became the norm but step out of it and you're in for an amazing time, even in your own country
- Forgeties79 2y ago
  Just remember that you are still a tourist in these places and be extra respectful!
aliasxneo 2y ago
Would you mind giving some additional recommendations? I found the music in this link captivating. I would love to hear more of these original sounds.
- andoando 2y ago
  Check out some Armenian music. We have a lot of practioners of the duduk for example which goes back 1500-2000 years. https://youtu.be/E2q5PZqqZek?si=nV-_ESM3BT4dDTzK https://youtu.be/E2q5PZqqZek?si=nV-_ESM3BT4dDTzK https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2KglJSZGZE&pp=ygUWYW5jaWVudCBhcm1lbmlhbiBtdXNpYw%3D%3D https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2KglJSZGZE&pp=ygUWYW5jaWVudCB...
  - tomcam 2y ago
    That first video by Canberk Ulaş is a revelation. Wow. The music is as good as it gets. Albioni's music is sensational, and Canberk Ulaş plays with both artistic and technical mastery. The wind player in me freaks out seeing his cheeks blown out to cartoony proportions, which as I understand may be considered good form, but still.
    - andoando 2y ago
      Its got a really unique harrowing sound. Heres some more if you like that. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PluzIW9LKSE&list=OLAK5uy_kqaRpJHIRYeNvDlBofoP74OWbE8xinuWg&index=1&pp=8AUB https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PluzIW9LKSE&list=OLAK5uy_kqaRp...
  - zharknado 2y ago
    Wow. The glissandos are chill-inducing.
- noahlt 2y ago
  [not OP] On Naxos, in the summer the DOMUS Festival has traditional (not ancient, but traditional) Greek music: https://www.facebook.com/p/DOMUS-Festival-100066336529833/ https://www.facebook.com/p/DOMUS-Festival-100066336529833/ The performances are great, the venue (a courtyard of the Venetian castle) is cool, and the host is warm and welcoming — we had a really good experience. Also, in Athens, outside the Roman Forum site, the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments is really great, sometimes has performances, and the restaurants on that street are frequented by bouzouki players as well.
- andsoitis 2y ago
  If you go to an island like Paros and venture into small towns away from the tourist centers like Parikia and Naoussa, you will not only walk on ancient Byzantine roads but stumble upon a lot of traditional gatherings. Not quite platonic or Aristotelian, but still different enough from most western musical geometry.
- lukan 2y ago
  Not op, but my main recommendation would be to visit greek in spring or autumn and not in summer, unless you really like it hot. Spring can be more wet, so late autumn, when most of the tourists are gone, but while it is still warm enough, would be my recommendation. And Daemonia Nymphe for example would a greek band, that tries to reproduce the spirit of ancient greek music (not 1:1 reconstruction, but with authentic instruments). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemonia_Nymphe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemonia_Nymphe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRxEXasEDj8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRxEXasEDj8 And I also can recommend crete. I camped wild next to an old temples there, which was otherwise occupied by goats. Interesting experience.
  - SmallBets 2y ago
    Great band recommendation, thank you! From a fellow Cretan
buggythebug 2y ago
Crete is not part of Cyclades
- Clamchop 2y ago
  There's a more charitable reading that you should probably give them given how much time they have spent in the region! It's a list of three distinct places: mainland Greece, the Cyclades, Crete.
- dylan604 2y ago
  Did you read over some of the punctuation? I did not read Cyclades as being part of Crete as written
  - giva 2y ago
    It's subtle, as a non native english speaker I read it as a "zoom" too.
    - dylan604 2y ago
      The the author is at fault for one's own misunderstanding? That's pretty egregious on it's own reading.
buggythebug 2y ago
Shhh and don't tell anyone about mainland Greece yet to be disturbed by tourism even though it has always been very easily accessible

lm28469 2y ago

It's true for most countries tbh, mass tourism became the norm but step out of it and you're in for an amazing time, even in your own country

Forgeties79 2y ago
Just remember that you are still a tourist in these places and be extra respectful!

aliasxneo 2y ago

Would you mind giving some additional recommendations? I found the music in this link captivating. I would love to hear more of these original sounds.

andoando 2y ago
Check out some Armenian music. We have a lot of practioners of the duduk for example which goes back 1500-2000 years. https://youtu.be/E2q5PZqqZek?si=nV-_ESM3BT4dDTzK https://youtu.be/E2q5PZqqZek?si=nV-_ESM3BT4dDTzK https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2KglJSZGZE&pp=ygUWYW5jaWVudCBhcm1lbmlhbiBtdXNpYw%3D%3D https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2KglJSZGZE&pp=ygUWYW5jaWVudCB...
- tomcam 2y ago
  That first video by Canberk Ulaş is a revelation. Wow. The music is as good as it gets. Albioni's music is sensational, and Canberk Ulaş plays with both artistic and technical mastery. The wind player in me freaks out seeing his cheeks blown out to cartoony proportions, which as I understand may be considered good form, but still.
  - andoando 2y ago
    Its got a really unique harrowing sound. Heres some more if you like that. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PluzIW9LKSE&list=OLAK5uy_kqaRpJHIRYeNvDlBofoP74OWbE8xinuWg&index=1&pp=8AUB https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PluzIW9LKSE&list=OLAK5uy_kqaRp...
- zharknado 2y ago
  Wow. The glissandos are chill-inducing.
noahlt 2y ago
[not OP] On Naxos, in the summer the DOMUS Festival has traditional (not ancient, but traditional) Greek music: https://www.facebook.com/p/DOMUS-Festival-100066336529833/ https://www.facebook.com/p/DOMUS-Festival-100066336529833/ The performances are great, the venue (a courtyard of the Venetian castle) is cool, and the host is warm and welcoming — we had a really good experience. Also, in Athens, outside the Roman Forum site, the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments is really great, sometimes has performances, and the restaurants on that street are frequented by bouzouki players as well.
andsoitis 2y ago
If you go to an island like Paros and venture into small towns away from the tourist centers like Parikia and Naoussa, you will not only walk on ancient Byzantine roads but stumble upon a lot of traditional gatherings. Not quite platonic or Aristotelian, but still different enough from most western musical geometry.
lukan 2y ago
Not op, but my main recommendation would be to visit greek in spring or autumn and not in summer, unless you really like it hot. Spring can be more wet, so late autumn, when most of the tourists are gone, but while it is still warm enough, would be my recommendation. And Daemonia Nymphe for example would a greek band, that tries to reproduce the spirit of ancient greek music (not 1:1 reconstruction, but with authentic instruments). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemonia_Nymphe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemonia_Nymphe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRxEXasEDj8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRxEXasEDj8 And I also can recommend crete. I camped wild next to an old temples there, which was otherwise occupied by goats. Interesting experience.
- SmallBets 2y ago
  Great band recommendation, thank you! From a fellow Cretan

buggythebug 2y ago

Crete is not part of Cyclades

Clamchop 2y ago
There's a more charitable reading that you should probably give them given how much time they have spent in the region! It's a list of three distinct places: mainland Greece, the Cyclades, Crete.
dylan604 2y ago
Did you read over some of the punctuation? I did not read Cyclades as being part of Crete as written
- giva 2y ago
  It's subtle, as a non native english speaker I read it as a "zoom" too.
  - dylan604 2y ago
    The the author is at fault for one's own misunderstanding? That's pretty egregious on it's own reading.

buggythebug 2y ago

Shhh and don't tell anyone about mainland Greece yet to be disturbed by tourism even though it has always been very easily accessible