Azizies

Continuing from the previous post on this, two renditions of the composition in the classical Ottoman style.

St. George and the dragon

St. George is himself an example of cultural cross-overs. He has something to do with Eastern Christians' take on the figure of the crusader. But imagery of people on horseback slaying serpents goes back even to ancient Egypt (according, at least, to wikipedia):

From Rhodes:



From Crete:



One might even stretch it so that it goes up to here:


And maybe even here?

Η βρύση των Πεγειώτισσων

[I should have mentioned these guys in this post.]

Parts of the lyrics of Βρυση των Πεγειώτισσων are found in various Cretan songs.
For example, this version of the 'Χαλεπιανός Μανές' which I discussed here.:




[The same lyrics are sung over different melodies, and there's an old recording of a version of this that I couldn't find online.]

And also Ξηροστεριανό Νερό:





There's also something about the way in which the melody closes which kind of reminds me of the standard melody on which mantinades are played ('κοντυλιές'), e.g.



(Thanks, I.)

Το γιασουμι

Update: On the lyra in Cyprus

This article claims that, contrary to the speculative discussion in my previous entry on the subject, there is some evidence that a kind of lyra used to be played in Cyprus.
There is even an artist and instrument maker notable for his lyras, Leonidas Spanos, who works in the village of Dali.

(Let's hope this isn't occasion for the kind of weird ethnocentric speculation that came up with the tabouras (see the link to the relevant article from this previous entry.)