CHAPTER 5: Dulcimers in other countries since 1800 > Eastern Europe
Greece - 1 of 4: A general overview, 1976
[2004: I found only a few references to Greek santouris in 1976: now we can enjoy pictures, sounds and descriptions from Dimitris Kofterós' work here]
Greece has been left to the last of the East European countries because it presents a fascinating meeting-point between Europe and Asia; the santouris seen in this study have look almost identical to Romanian tambals mic, and the Hungarian cimbalom of Derek Bell (fig. 214), but the solo playing of Konsolos Ermollos - who, incidentally, was seen performing in Steiermark a few weeks ago [July, 1976] by Josef Strunz - has been been related to the maqams of Near-Eastern music, and certainly sounds more Asian than European. However, where he accompanies other musicians, his role is much more comparable with that of, say, the Ukrainian cimbaly players.
[2004: Dimitiris Kofterós identifies the solo-melodic style with the Aegean islands, the accompanying style with the mainland: he also refers to influence from Romania; more here.]
Note that Danielou's statement, that "he plays the Persian santur" is misleading: the 'Persianness' here links with the name and the musical style, while the physical structure of the Greek instruments is different from the Persian style (58).
According to Anoyakis, the name tsímbalo is used in Greece for 'a sandouri of large dimensions armed with a pedal', although no examples of such instruments were discovered in this study.
Dr. John Teall has a number of recordings of santouri players, and a santouri, from his visits there, and David Lochner understood there to be about 20 players in Athens in 1975.
[2001: Nick Foggo, Greece-connoisseur and dulcimer-player, writes: "There really aren't many old santouri players around now, and very few younger ones."]
Hubert Boone made me aware in the most practical way possible that there was a santouri hanging of the wall of the Brussels restaurant which bears its name.
Karakasi (1970) has a short section on santouri, although apparently in Greek; also illustration in Grove 6, 'Greece'.
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