More Greek music - Amalgamation Choir and Phoebe Vlassis

[sonia]

Back in 2019, I posted links to the fabulous Amalgamation Choir from Crete, led by Vasiliki Anastasiou. In particular, I loved Tis Trihas to Gefyri from Pontos in 9/8. (lyrics)

Recently I went to a concert by Phoebe Vlassis, who weaves at a loom and sings at the same time, with the rhythm of the loom in sync with the singing. At the end of the concert she raffles off the weaving she made during the concert. She opened with Tis Trihas to Gefyri, which I recognized immediately. I asked her about it after the concert, and she said it was the first song she tried combining with weaving.

Watch on YouTube

So I looked around for Amalgamation Choir, and it turns out they're still around! Here's a 20 min concert, posted in 2020.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[thistleingrey]

2020 doesn't seem much more recent to me than 2017 :) but Anastasiou does seem still to be making and encouraging music: https://www.hellenic.news/en/article/cyprus/culture/vasiliki-anastasioy-neos-diskos-tis-kardias-ke-i-dunami-tis-amalgamation-choir

(I first learned of her work via someone else's link, and searching for her name rather than the choir on YouTube turns up a variety of things. I think, partly, they're not keen on consistent marketing.)

[sonia]

Thanks for the link! Agreed, 2020 is a while back. I did see more recent stuff, but this is the video I've had open for a while and finally decided to post in an effort to clear out my tabs.

[thistleingrey]

Thanks for sharing the video.

[silveradept]

The song using the loom as percussion to work with was very different than most things I've heard that incorporate objects into their songs. Enjoyable in a specific way, but I think my brain was trying to trip itself over expecting a certain kind of rhythm from it.

The choir concert was lovely to listen to.

[sonia]

Yeah, that song is in 9/8, divided up as 3-2-2-2, slow quick quick quick. The rhythm of the song is one of the things I love about it, and yes, that unexpected slow beat can trip you up when you're expecting something more even. Weaving in a 9/8 rhythm is also unexpected.

I'm glad you enjoyed the concert!

[silveradept]

Ah, that would do it. I'm used to the slow beat being at the end of the measure, rather than the beginning. And for something like weaving, having a slow beat at all makes me think about the disruption if the rhythm of the weave as well.

[zdenka]

That song with the loom was very cool!

[sonia]

Glad you enjoyed it! Neat to see someone with a unique combination of skills taking them out into the world. Phoebe Vlassis has done a bunch of research into folk songs around fiber arts too.