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Abstract
The folk music of contemporary Greece derives from the musical traditions of Classical Greece and those of the Byzantine Church. Within genre, aspects of meter and dance are directly related to Classical models, while characteristics of mode, melody, and melodic ornamentation are largely derived from Byzantine ecclesiastical music. Due to Greece's geographic location, the influx of non-Greek ethnic groups, and natural geological barriers within the country, several stylistically distinct types and categories of Greek folk music have developed since the Classical period.
To explore adequately the diversity of the Greek folk music tradition, issues of modality as well as the highly developed art of vocal and instrumental melodic ornamentation must be considered in the context of the skeletal melodic structure of the folk song. As a genre, Greek folk music is inseparable from Greek folk dance. This symbiosis of use and purpose has sustained both as important social institutions.
An analysis of Greek folk music reveals little in terms of application and contribution to the Western musical tradition. The absence of Greek folk melodies in Western choral music is especially puzzling given the influence of congruent folk music from neighboring regions. More poignantly, with respect to my proposed research, Greek choral performance practice lacks any depth of serious study.
In the course of my research I have relied extensively on primary sources, including live and recorded performances of Greek folk music, interviews with folk musicians, and anecdotal writings. In part II of the dissertation, six traditional Greek folk songs have been transcribed and arranged for mixed chorus and women's chorus. Included are the original melody, the Greek text, the English translation, and the arrangement for chorus with the transliteration. This repertoire has been transcribed or arranged with the intention of maintaining the original melodic and rhythmic integrity of the piece. The ultimate objective is to introduce this genre into the Western tradition.
