By Nicolas Bard

Vassilis Tsitsanis was one of the most important Greek creators of the Greek song of the 20th century. Through his work he expressed the desires and passions of the people, while at the same time recording the unique social and political events of national life. Half a century struggled dedicated and superhuman to transform into a wave of life, the need for man to express himself, to fall in love, to enjoy, to pray.

Tsitsanis’ countless songs express the people and are a source of power, hope, consolation, support, love and tenderness, for all aspects of modern Greek history and the Greek people. In his face, the folk song found his most characteristic spokesman, who with total dedication, with a sense of responsibility and in harmony with the world, managed to express him a whole period of life.

Tsitsanis supported his work on the great musical tradition of this place, but went a step further. The folk song, the Byzantine music and the newest folk song of the city were the solid base of its songs. He managed to assimilate this tradition and create rare melodies, based on the most characteristic Greek rhythms. Tsitsani’s work came to the world through collaboration with distinguished folk singers. Stratos Paioumtzis, Stellakis Perpiniadis, Sotiria Bellou, Marika Ninou, Stelios Kazantzidis, Katie Gray, Stella Hasskil and Ioanna Georgakopoulou are some of his many and worthy partners.

From Trikala in Athens

He was born in Trikala to Epirus parents. Tsarouchas his father had a mandolin with which he played almost exclusively thief songs of his homeland. These were the first sounds of the little Santa Claus, along with the Byzantine chants he heard in the church. When he was 11 years old he lost his father, and then the mandolin fell into his hands, which has been converted by a local bouzouki organist in the meantime. In his high school years in Trikala he learns violin, while participating in local events. But bouzouki, though without social recognition in the small local community, draws his interest more. He writes his first songs at the age of 15, and in 1936 he left his birthplace for Athens to study in Law.

In order to supplement his revenue, he began working in taverns at the same time. One of them knows singer Dimitris Perdikopoulos, who takes him to a record label. It is first recorded in 1937, but the main part of its pre -war discs takes place in the following years. “Lady” is the most famous song that is recorded then, but with it they find a place in the discography of songs such as “Here’s why I go back”, “For these black eyes” and many more performed by Stratos Paioumtzis, Stellakis Perpiniadis, Stelios Keromytis, as well as Markos Vamvakaris. With these songs, Tsitsanis introduced a new kind of folk song, which is addressed to a larger audience, as opposed to the rebetiko song, which interests a limited circle of listeners.

The art of rebetiko

The first bouzouki school is essentially recommended with Tsitsanis as a musician and artistic director of record companies. So he establishes a new kind of playing with quick pennies and “glisado”, contrasting his craftsmanship in the simple and sharp style of rebetiko. The bouzouki now becomes a leading role and determines the sound in the folk song. At the same time, it also renews organology. It makes the orchestra richer with new sound colors, adding instruments such as piano and accordion. He also tests shapes with 3 bouzouki and 4 voices, while distributing the harmonies to two and three singers who are included as a choir with questions, answers and repetitions. These innovations were also due to influence the country’s music industry, as sound recorders were “forced” to find new ways of recording. Tsitsanis’ songs have a more complex, almost poetic structure, with himself consciously moving away from traditional forms of the couplet and homosexuality, generalizing the role of chorus in the song and in some places imposing mixed lyrics that follow Melody changes.

The museum

At the Research Center – Vasilis Tsitsani Museum in Trikala one can now see rare and high -value documents from the life and work of the late creator. Photos, videos, audio files, records, publications, manuscripts and sheets compose a protected artistic space for anyone who wants to learn from the past and create. There are a recording studio, a library and an event hall today. This is not another static museum, but a living center of research and artistic creation. The aim of the Museum is the digital recording, documentation and promotion of important information and information from Vasilis Tsitsanis’ life and artistic stocks.

On January 18, 1984, on his birthday, Vassilis Tsitsanis dies at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, following complications of lungs. Up to 24 days before the surgery he normally appeared in a center and worked on new songs … The great folk singer, composer and songwriter left this life leaving behind a great artistic heritage and hundreds of songs that “died” its true dimensions.