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The traditional Cretan musical instruments
The traditional musical instruments hold a special place in the Cretan culture and the musical tradition of Crete. The roots of some of these musical instruments are lost in the depths of the centuries. In the archeological excavations of Knossos and Phaistos, in representations of sculptures, ceramics, seals and murals, musicians and dancers are depicted…
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Rizitika
The songs of the prefecture of Chania, with fifteen syllables of non-rhyming lyrics, are one of the most famous types of Cretan songs. To the locals they are also known as leukoritika (of the White Mountains) songs, since they come from the villages located at the foot of the White Mountains. There they were formed,…
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Mantinades
The Mantinades are the most common form of folk song and are a poetic genre widespread throughout Crete. The Cretan mantinada is a couplet with fifteen syllables and rhyming verses in the Cretan dialect. Each mantinada has an independent meaning despite its limited length. However, there are mantinades that are said in response to another…
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Traditional Cretan music
The Cretan music tradition is considered the most alive in Greece, because not only does it continue to evolve and incorporate creative contemporary musical elements, but at the same time it manages to express everyday life in a lively way.