Most of the information was taken from this book:
Klaus Eckhardt/Κώστας Χρηστάκης: "That's The Way Greece Sings -Έ τσι τραγουδάει η Ελλάδα" (So singt Griechenland) (c) Romiosini Verlag, Koeln (Publishers)

Nowadays in Greece, the Greek folksong is as popular as all the innumerable songs and melodies, which have turned from artistic (composed) songs to "artistic folksongs".

There are three groups/types of Greek songs:

1. The original folk song (δημοτικό τραγούδι)
2. The Rembetiko (το ρεμπέτικο τραγούδι)
3. The artistic (composed) folk song (το καλλιτεχνικό λαϊκό τραγούδι)

There is no need to talk much about the folk song, because the only thing concerning the Greek song discussed by music scientists was the original folk song (except for Theodorakis). And that's the reason for the misbelieve to see the Sirtaki as the typical Greek folk dance and the Bouzouki as the typical folk instrument, which actually became popular through the Rembetiko. The typical folk instruments are the clarinet, the fiddle, the mandolin and drums.

The second group of Greek songs is the Rembetiko (το ρεμπέτικο),a special kind of music, which isn't possible to discribe with a few sentences. These songs, which are mostly full of sentimentality and blues, were created by immigrants from Asia Minor, who settled in Greece's urban regions and created there a subculture. The most important instruments used are the Bouzouki (το μπουζούκι)and the Baglamas (ο μπαγλαμάς), some kind of mini-Bouzouki. The most popular composers of this rembetiko music are Vasilis Tsitsanis (Βασίλης Τσιτσάνης), Jorgos Mitsakis (Γιώργος Μιτσάκης) and Markos Vamvakaris (Μάρκος Βαμβακάρης).

The Bouzouki is also used in Irish and Celtic Music. (Don't ask me why!) More info on Han's Irish Bouzouki Homepage .

If you want to know more about the Rembetiko culture, it is recommended to read this book:
Gail Holst: "Rembetika - The Music of a Greek Subculture"
(c) 1979 Gerhardt Verlag, Berlin (Publishers)


The third group of songs contains the said artistic (composed) folk songs.

The probably most popular Greek composer of the world is Mikis Theodorakis, who used the poems of the greatest modern Greek poets(Odysseas Elytis, Jannis Ritsos, Jorgos Seferis) for his song compositions.

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