Farewell to Mikis Theodorakis
Posted by: Maria Atalanti
Published on: 03/09/2021
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Who was Mikis Theodorakis for me?
He was the one who filled my childhood with music. Songs like “Lay your mattress for two” and “Thank God” accompanied our student trips, although we did not really understand what they were talking about. But they had in their music the rhythm of the human heart, and as we sang them we unite with each other and with the heart of the world.
Who was Mikis Theodorakis for me?
It was he who, in 1975, in that wretched pain that the splitting our country in two brought, came with Manos Hatzidakis, and they did those concerts at the GSP to drop the medicine of music in our aching souls. Each in his own way. But as I have already said, Theodorakis’ way was straight to the heart. A rhythm, a pulse, a universality.
Who was Mikis Theodorakis for me?
He was the one who, when he visited Nicosia municipality in 2005, where I worked, I had the pleasure of attending the event that took place in his honour. His body was already overwhelmed, and he was barely moving. But that face, bordered by his white hair and that voice full of nobility and depth, stuck me in my chair looking at a figure on the verge of dematerialization and holiness.
And I do not mean holiness in the religious sense of the term. I mean holiness in the sense of absolute, in his human power, spiritual offering.
Yesterday, September 2, 2021, this man passed away, when his physical body was no longer able to carry his magnificent spirit. I do not think it is time for lamentation. It is time for joy and gratitude, because now this spirit will no longer be limited to a single body. It will diffuse in the place that gave birth to him and will infuse with the pulse and sounds of his music, every person who wants to follow his rhythm.
Spiritual people of his size are not often born. And when they are born, all we can feel is gratitude. I am sure that in the endless journey of his soul in the universe, he will be accompanied by music with the rhythm of the beat of the human heart.
Maria, Youhave captured Mikis very well. He was a man of letters who offered to the world a lot more than just his wonderful music. Above all, he was a fighter for social justice and freedom. A few facts:
-his music Mauthausen is considered the best piece of music ever written about the holocaust
-his music Antonis (from the film Z) was sang by the Afghan people in 2001 when they were liberated by the Americans
-his song Zorba has probably made more money for Greece than anything else
-he was recorded by The Beatles
-his music concerts around the world (but particularly in Latin America) attracted millions of people and a lot of that money went in support of the Cyprus Refugee Fund.
-in his youth he was considered to be a music prodigy and he was invited to become Director of Russia’s symphony orchestra but he refused by saying that ”he wanted to stay in Greece to write music for the Greek people”.
Αντρέα μου, σε ευχαριστώ για τα σχόλιά σου και τις πληροφορίες που μας έδωσες. Ήταν πραγματικά ένας σπάνιος άνθρωπος, πνευματικός και ιδεαλιστής που η γενιά μας ήταν τυχερή που τον είχε και που τον έζησε. Το 1974 η μουσική του ήταν η μόνη μας παρηγοριά στις θλιβερές στιγμές που ζούσαμε. Τέτοιοι άνθρωποι δε γεννιούνται πολλοί. Είναι σπάνιοι και πολύτιμοι. Μακάρι οι επόμενες γενιές να τον θυμούνται