ENDECHAR

Function|New Exhibition Expansion at the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki Location|Thessaloniki, Greece Type|Commission - Cultural Client|Israelite Community of Thessaloniki & Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki Size|Build Area: 100.00 sqm Stage|Completed Architect|Alexandros Kitriniaris Team|Valassia Barboutis, Tonia Constantinou Museological Design & Digital Archives Production Directorate|Popi Georgopoulou Scientific Curation|Chrisi Scarlatou & Mariantzela Hatzistamatiou Scenario|Konstantinos Georgopoulos Photographer|Alexis Hatzikamaris

Exhibitions

EIA Award 2022|Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece, December 2022

Description

The central idea of the architectural composition originates from creating an acoustic thread through the design of "acoustic bells" that accompany the narrative of the museum's historical route through 6 stations. The narrative is complemented by three thematic sections that include the "timeline," "social circumstances” and “musical instruments." The connection is achieved through the reflection of the mirror, linking history with the present, "obstacles and difficulties" through carefully crafted texts, images, and sounds, and finally, the "anthology of songs" through the representation of the interior of a living room in a Greek (Hebrew) middle-class home from the interwar period. Music and song, timeless and universal means of expression, embrace the anxieties, joys, sorrows, dreams, and stories of humanity. Traditional and folk music have their resources open and harmoniously incorporate many elements into their flow.

My alt text

The Greek Jewish musical tradition was shaped by influences from the Roman and Sephardic traditions and was expressed in Greek and Spanish-Hebrew languages, respectively. Whether religious or secular, Jewish music in Greece is monophonic and heavily influenced by Byzantine tradition and the traditions of the eastern Mediterranean. The term "Romaniote" refers to the Greek-speaking Jewish population residing in the Greek territory since the 3rd century BCE and onward, distinct from the Spanish-speaking Jewish refugees from the Iberian Peninsula. They were populations integrated into Greek culture, writing in Greek but using the Hebrew alphabet, which was connected to their religion.

My alt text

Although Sephardic religious music is mainly chanted in Hebrew, there are hymns in the Sephardic language as well. Elements of Turkish and Byzantine musical traditions are also present, as close relations with Muslim and Greek communities resulted in such musical interactions. The title of the work comes from the verb "endechar," meaning to lament or sing - these are the lamentations. Some "romansas" were also sung as laments.

My alt text