The Best of Mikis Theodorakis

Theodorakis, Mikis

album cover

"Zorba" and Then Some

Those who know the wistful music of the 1964 film Zorba the Greek have a sense of the persuasive power of Mikis Theodorakis. Like Béla Bartók and a handful of others, Theodorakis writes melodies that spring from and celebrate the soul of his country—for a time his music was a kind of surrogate ambassador, a "symbol" of modern Hellenic culture. Yet the ethnicity isn't exclusionary: Anyone with a pulse can love these hymns to an elusive deity and songs that make a lover's wistfulness sound noble.

Theodorakis is a unique figure in music. Though known mostly for "Zorba" and similar popular songs, he's also a prolific composer of contemporary classical music—he's written ballets, symphonies, cantatas, film scores, and operas. He began composing as a teenager and at seventeen gave his first performance— with a choir he'd assembled himself. Later he studied at conservatories in Athens and Paris (one teacher was Olivier Messiaen; see p. 497), and then, upon returning to Greece, began investigating his country's musical traditions. This yielded treasure right away: A main theme of Zorba is derived from the "Syrtaki dance," a traditional dance that originated on the island of Crete.

This collection offers a sampling of Theodorakis's output, with emphasis on his songs and smaller pieces. The excerpts from Zorba, particularly the "Love Dance," ooze a lazy, breathtaking lyricism, while other instrumental pieces, including "Strike of the Pick," capture the lively swirling music heard at Greek weddings. Several pieces were written after the outspoken composer, a leftist who's since become part of the Greek legislature, was put in a prison camp by the fascist Greek government; among these is the oddly calm "They Were Imprisoned."

Though the Best of doesn't represent the full sweep of Theodorakis's contribution, it's a great starting point—a way to hear how a man, deeply moved by the beauty and character of his country, repays the debt in song.

Genre: World, Greece
Released: 1999, Delta
Key Tracks: "The Sad Lady," "Love Dance," "They Were Imprisoned."
Catalog Choice: Litany; El-Las/Canta Theodorakis (with María del Mar Bonet).
Next Stop: Savina Yannatou and Primavera en Salonica: Sumiglia
After That: Melina Kana: Portrait
Book Pages: 772–773