The other day there was a guy on Egnatia Street here in Thessaloniki
(aka Salonika, Thessalonica, or The Hottest Spot in Eurasia) Greece.
He was playing a big old mechanical piano and soliciting small arts
grants to be placed in a tambourine.

They're known here as "laternas."  Our Greek-American friend told us
that her grandfather used to be in the laterna-playing business.

For a couple of euros the gentleman let me take some pictures,
including of the insides of the instrument.  Had a big, well-greased
steel cylinder run by a worm gear.  There was a ratchet to keep anyone
from cranking the cylinder the wrong way.  The notes ran a few octaves
at most, and the sound was, well, lousy.

The tune was, predictably, the music that was used as the theme for the
movie "Never On Sunday."  It's the only time I've heard that tune since
I've been here; the rest is either American rock or bazouki/guitar duets
in the various restaurants.  There was, however, a guy selling Greek
violins on which he, at least, could play the wailing Arab-sounding
music we usually associate with the Middle East.  I wanted one.

If the pictures come out and I can figure out how to do it, I'll post
one or two in the picture section of the MMD.

Mark Kinsler
Lancaster, Ohio USA
http://www.mkinsler.com/