Contrafactum from Komotini based on the song "Ririka" from the operetta Ririka (1930) with texts by Yannis Prineas (1882-1963) and music by Stathis Mastoras (1893-1943). New text in Hebrew-Spanish: Unknown

This song was found in the Maale Adumim Institute database under the title "La Kantiga Renombrada" and is part of the audio archive of the Turkish-Israeli researcher and journalist Moshe Shaul (1929-2023). According to this database, the song is recorded as coming from the Komotini tradition, which may mean either that it was written and sung there, or that Mari Abrevaya, who preserved it, was originally from that Thracian city.

This particular contrafactum seems to have been created after 1930, the year in which the operetta Our Ririka premiered. Most likely, the melody of the original came to Komotini through a travelling troupe before World War II. Until the 1950s, theatrical troupes toured all over Greece, helping to spread new musical sounds.

However, it is not possible to determine with certainty whether this contrafactum was actually written in Komotini or whether it was also sung in other regions. The only fact is that the arrangement took place in Greece and that it is a 20th century song, as is clear from the clear dating of the operetta. These elements are particularly important, as we are rarely able to determine precisely both the place and the time of creation of a traditional song.

The Hebrew-Spanish text is a paraphrase of the original Greek text.

Source: Maale Adumim Institute database. Catalogue number: 293 Read more Sung by Mari Abrevaya