Private Recordings

Mikis Theodorakis – Private Recordings (2CD)

Intimate Sound Documents of a Musical Genius of the Century

To mark the 100th anniversary of Mikis Theodorakis’ birth and the official "Year of Commemoration 2025" proclaimed by the Greek Ministry of Culture, a remarkable collection of previously unreleased recordings by the legendary composer is being released under the title Private Recordings.The label Intuition presents a double CD featuring songs that Theodorakis recorded himself in his Greek home during the 1970s and early 1980s – singing and accompanying himself on the piano.

Private Recordings comprises 43 audio tracks by Mikis Theodorakis, most of which were captured on July 24, 1979 and December 27, 1983 at his home in the seaside town of Vrachati. Recorded on tape or cassette, these sessions also capture the surrounding sounds: waves crashing, cicadas chirping, telephones ringing, wind blowing, voices near and far, and dogs barking. Originally, these recordings were intended as drafts for concert premieres and LP/CD productions. In these raw versions – where Theodorakis both sings and plays the piano – he aimed to convey the musical shape and emotional tone of his songs to his singers and musicians. The only exception is the track “Vardia” ("Night Shift"), where George Dalaras takes over the vocals during a rehearsal, adding a unique colour to the piece. Six of the recordings feature Lakis Karnezis, one of Theodorakis’ most important soloists and one of Greece’s greatest bouzouki players, who also contributed to the original 1964 recording of the iconic Zorba the Greek soundtrack. It is deeply moving to witness the musical dialogue between Theodorakis and Karnezis.

In 1985, I came across these recordings by chance during my early research for the Theodorakis catalogue. Although never meant for release, their authenticity and emotional depth struck me so profoundly that I shared them with theatre director Alexander Stillmark. With Theodorakis’ explicit approval, Stillmark used the material in 1987 as the score for his stage adaptation of Georg Büchner’s “Woyzeck”.

Part of the Private Recordings was released in 2010 as a CD supplement to the photo-biography “Mikis Theodorakis – A Life in Pictures”. Now, on the occasion of the composer’s centenary, the full set is being made available to the public – including 19 previously unreleased recordings, as well as two *world premiere songs by Theodorakis: “The House” and “Bare Feet”. The original analogue tapes were carefully restored and digitally remastered by Intuition. Private Recordings is a unique historical document that captures the unmistakable artistic voice of Mikis Theodorakis in its purest form – a tribute to one of the most important composers of the 20th century, whose life and work, as Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni emphasizes, “represent an inalienable cultural heritage for Greece and the Greek people.”  (Asteris Kutulas, June 1, 2025)

All titles composed, played and sung by Mikis Theodorakis

"Vardia", sung by George Dalaras

Bouzouki played by Lakis Karnezis

Produced by Asteris Kutulas