Music instruments and dances on Crete
The most important music instrument on Crete is the lyre. The three dimensional bow and string instrument with its pear shaped torso is held in front of the body, placed on the knee and it is played with bow. The torso of the lyre is built out of one piece of selected white or black cedar wood.
The second classical instrument in the Cretan folklore music is the lute with 8 strings. The smaller version is called the mandolin. Other instruments are the guitar and the flute. At traditional Cretan parties these instruments are used to support the ‘mandinades’. Mandinades are improvised poems with an often satirical, social or erotic content.
Five different Cretan dances
There are five different dances that are accompanied by the lute and the lyre. First there is the Pentozalis. This is a vibrant, lively dance with mostly forceful jumps. Men and women dance in a circle. The Siganos is the start of the Pentozalis. This is a slow dance accompanied by the sound of the lyre. The Haniotis is also a slower pace dance where posture and technique are revealed. The Kastrinos is a real manly dance, because of the forceful jumps. The Sousta, on the other hand, is a dance for couples and has an erotic touch that is clearly visible.
Sirtaki
Last but not least there is the well-known Sirtaki. Men and women are dancing together in a circle. You hold each other by the shoulder and kick the feet up in the air sideways.
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This topic is mentioned in….
Excerpt from Route 58 – ‘Spinalonga’ – Malia to Agios Nikolaos: A Scenic Drive Celebrating Historical Crete
“Continue driving.
The most significant musical instrument in Crete is the lyre, a three-dimensional bow and string instrument with its pear-shaped torso held in front of the body, placed on the knee, and played with a bow. The lyre’s torso is crafted from a single piece of carefully selected white or black cedar wood.
The second classical instrument in Cretan folklore music is the bouzouki, available in six or eight sides. The smaller version is called the baglamas. Other instruments commonly used include the lute and the mandolin.
What may also interest you:
City walk Heraklion – GPS audio tour.
You can experience this vibrant city with the interactive GPS app VoiceMap. Install the app for free and select ‘Heraklion’.
In the webshop on this site, you can purchase a code that provides access to all the information you need to enjoy a fantastic day in Iraklio.
Would you like to get an impression first? Then start by reading this page about Heraklion.
Available Routaki routes:
Visit the CretAquarium, at the ‘American base’ in Routaki route 53 – ‘Knossos’
Drive through the village of Asia Gonia, famous for its cheese production: Route 32 – ‘Myriokefala’
Visit the special tomb in the cave of Melidoni during Routaki tour 42 – ‘Margarites’