Rebetiko is a musical and cultural expression that has been in existence in one form or another since the turn of the century. During the 1920s and 1930s, Greece was faced with the resettlement of about 1.5 million refugees from Asia Minor. As a result of this, shanty towns began to develop around Athens, Piraeus, and other major cities. These refugees brought their music with them.
This had a profound effect on the urban music of Greece. Since the emergence of the modern Greek state, the upper and middle classes have leaned towards European classical style, while on the other end of the social spectrum, Greek and Byzantine traditions have prevailed. The poor workers have been constantly in contact with refugees from these two cultures, and these musicians are constantly exchanging musical ideas.
Rebetiko has always been the music of the poor and the dispossessed, combined with traditional styles of the region. Rebetiko's lyrics also describe the joy, sorrow, and difficulties of everyday life. Eventually, Rebetiko became more accepted as the rough edges of its overt subcultural character were softened and polished. In the 1960s, young people began to pay more attention to this type of music again.
Rebetiko songs are now a standardized repertoire for most social events when music and dance are involved, including festivals, weddings, and other performances. This element is performed in public, and participants encourage audience participation. The practice is open to everyone, and bearers can include anyone who likes this form of music and dance, whether they are Greek or Greek-speaking.
The original form of Rebetiko is from oral tradition, where improvisation played a significant part in both the music and lyrics. Each song was preceded by an instrumental prelude, known as the taximi. The taximi set the mood for the songs to come, which could last up to twenty minutes. Following this, the actual song would begin. Often this is the singer improvising lyrics to a familiar tune, referring to people in the audience, or bringing up current events of local interest.
The Rebetiko songs provide invaluable references to the customs, practices, and traditions of a particular community. Above all, these songs form a living musical tradition with a strong symbolic, ideological, and artistic component. Initially, transmission occurred exclusively through oral transmission, involving live performances by older musicians and singers and the instruction of younger performers by them.
The non-formal method of Rebetiko learning is still relevant, but the recent dissemination of sound recordings, the mass media, and cinema have reinforced other means of transmission. In the past decade, Rebetiko has increasingly been taught in music schools, conservatories, and universities, increasing its spread and allowing musicians and people who enjoy the practice to keep it alive.