Frixos Tziovas: The Klarino Beneath the Plane Tree; Zagori, Epirus; Greece; Dovra; Asprangeloi; Vitsa

Grigoris Kapsalis and Kostas Karapanos, Vitsa, Zagori

Grigoris sings a deep mirologi

Some beautiful and evocative writing in this book (see below) by Frixos Tziovas (Ioannina, 2006), eg on the sound of the klarino and the powerful effects it had and still has on the villagers listening under the old plane tree on a summer's night, lifting them up, curing them of bitterness and banishing their "kaimous" before they return to far-away work-places and xeniteia...The book is a 'chronicle' of the old plane tree in the village square of Asprangeloi (formerly Dovra). Frixos Tziovas (born 1920; some sources say 1919) also served as a teacher in Vitsa's school after the war.

I hope this wonderful book - a Zagori classic - is still in print.

From Jim, under the plane tree

Update, 2017:
A new selection from the stories and work of Frixos Tziovas