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The Sack of Adrianoúpolis
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Lyrics
The swallows of Vlachiá and the birds of the West
weeping late and weeping early, weeping at noon,
weeping for ravaged Adrianoúpolis
sacked on all the year’s great feasts
at Christmas for candles, on Palm Sunday for laurel
and on Easter Day for the ‘Christ is risen’.
Translated by Michael Eleftheriou
Photo: Mural (1573) from Moldovitsa Monastery depicting the Fall of Constantinople. © The PANORAMA Cultural Association collection.
Original Lyrics
Τα χελιδόνια τση Βλαχιάς
Το κούρσος της Αδριανούπολης
Τα χελιδόνια τση Βλαχιάς και τα πουλιά τση Δύσης
κλαίσιν αργά, και κλαίσιν ταχιά, κλαίσιν το μεσημέρι,
κλαίσιν την Αντριανούπολη τη βαροκουρσεμένη,
οπού την εκουρσεύανε τσι τρεις γιορτές του χρόνου·
τω Χριστουγέννω για κερί, και τω Βαγιώ για βάγια
και την ημέρα τση Λαμπρής για το Χριστός Ανέστη.
Φωτ. Η Άλωσης της Πόλης, τοιχογραφία απο την Μονή Μολντοβίτσα (1573). Παραχωρήθηκε απο το Α.ΠΑΝ., Αρχείο της Πολιτιστικής Εταιρείας © The PANORAMA.
Information
- Region: Crete
- Area: Chania, Kambanos
- Type: Cretan Rizitiko
- Categories: Historical Song, National Legends and Laments
- Rhythm: Free rythm
- Duration: 07:10
Collaborators
- Singer: Antonis Martsakis
- Lute: Socrates Sinopoulos
Albums
Notes
One of many laments/legends about important Christian cities falling to the Turks. This song relates the tragic fate of Adrianoúpolis, the Byzantine mpire’s second city after Constantinople, which was sacked repeatedly (by Franks, Bulgars and others) until the Turks captured it once and for all in 1361. Miranda Terzopoulou (2007)
Recording information
Studio recording, 2004.
Domna Samiou taped the song in Kabanós, Chania, sung by a group of men, in 1976.
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