Kalamatianó
Encyclopedia
Kalamatianó is a type of Greek folk music associated with a dance sharing its name. Originating in the southern Greek port city of Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...

, its most recognizable feature is its asymmetrical time signature of 7/8 time, meaning that there are seven beats per measure, generally subdivided into two groups of 3 and 4 beats respectively. Although this rhythmic structure is unfamiliar to westerners, it is thoroughly at home in Greece, Cyprus and the surrounding countries. The kalamatiano is a traditional line dance admitting of varying speeds. Probably the best known folk song in this genre is Mandili Kalamatiano (Μαντήλι Καλαματιανό). An especially haunting example of the kalamatiano, Mekapses Yitonisa (Μ'έκαψες γειτόνισσα), was recorded for the National Geographic Society's groundbreaking Music of Greece album, released in 1968. The American jazz composer, Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...

, well known for his exploration of asymmetrical rhythms in his own music, used a variant of the rhythm of the kalamatiano for his Unsquare Dance
Unsquare Dance
"Unsquare Dance" is an iconic musical piece written by the American jazz composer Dave Brubeck in 1961.Written in 7/8 time, the piece is a typical example of Brubeck's exploration of time signatures. According to Brubeck, it was written during a single trip from his home to the recording studio,...

, though the measure was divided into 4 followed by 3 beats rather than 3 followed by 4.

See also

  • Greek music
  • Greek dances
    Greek dances
    Greek dance is a very old tradition, being referred to by authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and interpretations from all of the islands and surrounding mainland areas. Each region formed its own choreography and style to fit in with their own ways...

  • Greek folk music
    Greek folk music
    Greek folk music includes a variety of Greek styles played by ethnic Greeks in Greece, Cyprus, Australia, the United States and elsewhere. Apart from the common music found all-around Greece, there are distinct types of folk music, sometimes related to the history or simply the taste of the...

  • Nisiotika
    Nisiotika
    Nisiotika is the name of the dances of Greek islands including a variety of Greek styles, played by ethnic Greeks in Greece, Cyprus, Australia, the United States and elsewhere....

  • Sousta
    Sousta
    Sousta is the name of a folk dance in Cyprus and Crete which is danced in Greece and generally in the Balkans. The music is generally played with a lyre , laouto, and mandolin ....

  • Ikariotikos
    Ikariotikos
    Ikariotikos is a traditional dance and accompanying song originating by Ikaria a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, At first it was a very slow dance, but today Ikariotikos is a fast dance from Aegean islands . Some specialists say that the traditional Ikariotikos was slow and the quick "version" of...

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK