THANASSIS SKORDALOS

The last interview of a Great Master

In April 1998 Crete bidded farewell to Thanasis Skordalos. Only to his body though, because his soul, this so authentic soul will always stand by our side, when referring to Cretan music. Born in 1920 in Spilj (Rethimnon), a lyre player only nine years later, Skordalos has dedicated the next 65 years of his life to his favourite instrument. And the lyre wasn’t ungrateful to him. 

The instrument and the artist wrote together a great part of contemporary Cretan musical history. I had the honour to speak with Thanassis Skordalos for his last interview in 1997. We met at the cafe "Balkans", a place he loved to go in the last years of his life. There I met the Master and the person Skordalos, coming to know all his visions and passions.

I remember him smoking one cigarette after the other, aware of the end coming:  “I will go soon, but young Cretans should never stop to serve and protect our island’s tradition” he told me. Skordalos wasn’t only one of the most important  performers and composers in Cretan music, he was also a great man. And really great men don’t show up in offices and benches they live on our side, between us…