mavrothis - 2-11-2007 at 07:30 PM
Hi guys,
I thought I'd share some really great old pictures from my family's village in Greece (Megali Panagia, Halkidiki). Notice any familiar
instruments...? 
Interestingly, in Megali Panagia (Revenikia) they call the ud "ut,", instead of "outi" like most Greeks. I'm not sure if this is b/c of the dialect
there, or because they were more familiar with the Turkish pronunciation of the instrument.
The pictures are mostly from social events and parties, but one is of a musical family posing in the 1930's.
I hope you enjoy them! They are from the book "Diadromes" which is a photo log of the "good old days" in Megali Panagia - my father is even in one of
them as a young teenager.
Take care,
mavrothis
mavrothis - 2-11-2007 at 07:31 PM
outdoor party...
mavrothis - 2-11-2007 at 07:33 PM
musical family in the 1930's...smile! (lol)
mavrothis - 2-11-2007 at 07:41 PM
musicians playing outside the house of the groom just before the wedding... (drink up son!)
Orahim1 - 2-11-2007 at 08:44 PM
Great pics Mav! It looks like there are a few laouta players as well. Whihc leads me to a question you may be able to answer: being that the laouta is
fretted, can one play chords on it like a guitar. Sorry for my ignorance in this area.
mavrothis - 2-12-2007 at 06:31 AM
Hi Orahim,
Yes, the laouto is most often a rhythm instrument, though of course there are many virtuoso players who do amazing things on it.
There are 2-3 very common tunings, which depend on the region of Greece you are in, and it is usually tuned in fifths like a mandocello.
When you hear someone who knows the various traditional ways of playing, including strumming and chording techniques, it can blow you away. Each
region/island has its own style. 
I'm glad you liked the pictures.
mavrothis
Jameel - 2-12-2007 at 01:43 PM
I love anything old, and these meet that criterion perfectly. Thanks for sharing these Mav. Personally, I like seeing the sober expression of these
folks. It's a nice change and lends a particularly nostalgic feeling to the photo. So which one is your papa?
mavrothis - 2-12-2007 at 01:52 PM
Hey Jameel,
Yeah, I'm glad you like these. It makes me feel a great connection to my village, even though I've spent little time there.
My late father isn't in these pictures specifically, but he's in a full page pic in the book with one of his cousins. It's very nice to see that, and
have a flavor of what his life was like in the village. (No ouds in that pic though)
mav
spyros mesogeia - 2-13-2007 at 11:22 AM
Mavro
Regards to all
Amos - 2-13-2007 at 03:01 PM
Mav,
These pohots are wonderful. My own family came to the US from Sicily and I have been very lucky to know my relatives on the other side since I was
young...these pictures look like countless albums that we have from the old country, and it made me very happy to see them. It makes me wish we all
had warm breezes and a table to sit around with our instruments...Thanks so much for this contribution.
Amos
spyros mesogeia - 2-13-2007 at 03:05 PM
you know what?How would that be to make a meeting,In Greece,with '''mezedes'',and our instruments....just to play and to sing songs from all our
regions.......
Just think about it....I think something like that is done every summer in Aigina island in Greece with the ''rembetes'''
mavrothis - 2-13-2007 at 05:48 PM
Thanks again guys for all your positive responses - it's really great to see how big a part music, and specifically the oud, played in the lives of
our ancestors, whether we were directly related to them or not.
Spyro, sounds like a great idea. You know I'm into it - I haven't been to Greece in a while, and will probably be there this summer.
mavrothis
Melbourne - 2-14-2007 at 10:35 PM
Yes....they were the days...Long gone sadly. 