“Our Town” with Themis Rodamitis welcomes Nikos Dionysopoulos—music researcher and editor of the recent publication Pianola Songs by Crete University Press.
A pioneer of digital sound recording and audio processing in Greece, with particular expertise in the digitization and restoration of archival sound material and the de-noising of historic records and recordings, the guest talks about pianolas (mechanical pianos). These instruments became especially popular during the first three decades of the 20th century, as they could entertain gatherings by bringing a wide repertoire of much-loved songs into homes and social spaces.
Nikos Dionysopoulos has carried out systematic music research expeditions to regions with Greek or Greek-speaking communities, aiming at the documentation, electronic archiving, study, and publication of musical material. During the broadcast, he discusses a range of important topics that form an integral part of the country’s musical culture.
The program also features a selection of Pianola Songs, performed by Argyris Bakirtzis and Tota Evlavi.
Produced and presented by Themis Rodamitis