RISTO PEKKA PENNANEN (University of Tampere, Finland)

Dromos houzam and Change in Greek Popular Music

The derivatives of Ottoman makam segâh – usually called dromos houzam by modern bouzouki musicians – in Greek urban rebetika music underwent interesting changes during the period from the 1930s to the 1950s. I have chosen the history of dromos houzam as a case study for throwing light on the alleged rapid Westernisation of Greek popular music after WW II. Because of its close relationship with makam rast and the Western major, the rebetika form of makam segâh serves as an excellent indicator of change.

It has often been claimed that after the war, musicians largely abandoned previously used compositional systems and started to compose increasingly in Western major and minor. In my opinion, this view is exaggerated and simplified. The process of adapting Western musical influences in Greece was much more complicated and diversified. There are many processes that belong more to the class of modernisation than Westernisation.

The change in Greek popular music is analysed through musical examples.