SOUNDTRACK OF A NATION: THE MUSIC GREEK DREAMS ARE MADE OF

Music in Greece has developed since prehistoric times. Quickly moving beyond the bounds of religious ritual, it extended into all aspects of social life. Over time, Greek musical innovation shed its light across the known world of its era.

With the establishment of the Greek state in 1830, music began to develop more consciously. The first urban popular song, the Athenian song, emerged after 1880, rooted in the Ionian musical idiom. With the arrival of the 20th century, urban folk music also began to flourish, shaped by the rhythms of Ionia and infused with elements of Byzantine chant and tradition.

Several inspired composers played a defining role in the evolution of Greek song. Through their imaginative work, they achieved even global recognition. In writing the book The Composers of Our Soul, I truly struggled to select the first among equals. Ultimately, I focused on those who left a more decisive mark on their era.

Turning to Greek cinema, charismatic composers of the genre began to stand out starting in the 1940s. During the 1950s and 1960s, as the seventh art flourished in Greece, ambitious creators multiplied. But the secrets of the unique musical craft that film demanded were known only to a few. 

I highlight five of them who, in my view, possessed a heightened cinematic sensibility. They knew how to amplify emotions, make love more lyrical, anxiety more intense, and grandeur more majestic.

Starting in 1945, Manos Hadjidakis (1925–1994) scored 100 Greek and 10 international productions. With a minimalist style, inventive melodies, and original orchestrations, he created stunning musical works of rare taste. In folk–themed films, with the laterna (barrel piano) as a key element, he evoked waves of emotion.

Beginning in 1954, Kostas Kapnisis (1920–2007) composed music for 120 soundtracks with exceptional craftsmanship. Switching between classical and more modern styles, he devised inventive approaches for drama, comedy, and adventure.

From 1960 onward, Mimis Plessas (1924–2024) wrote music for 112 films. Combining classical and popular traditions, and employing diverse expressions, he masterfully covered all genres of the seventh art.

Entering cinema in the same year, Giorgos Katsaros, born in 1934, went on to score more than a hundred soundtracks. With his deep sensibility and unique skill, he elevated even lesser–quality productions.

In 1971, as Greek cinema began to decline, Giorgos Hatzinasios, born in 1942, refreshed the soundtrack genre. Amid a shifting atmosphere, with imaginative orchestrations and dreamy piano virtuosity, he achieved melodic embellishments and unexpected rhythmic variations. By approaching the function of film music with the right sensibility, he managed to work on over 35 films.

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