Goat bells are the symphony of the land in Greece. A Greek word symphōnos (σύμφωνος) meaning harmonious, it changes with the heat of the day.

The allegro movement at dawn is a dulcet-toned melody interspersed with baby bleats and the shrill shepherd’s whistle as they eagerly gambol into the day – nature’s wake-up call.

During the noon of the day the adagio movement is soporific and sporadic as the herds slowly head for shade to slumber amongst wild sage and oregano bushes.

And the final crescendo of the scherzo in the late afternoons as they are herded to their pens, heralds the softening of the day and a cooling of the earth.

So wherever you are in Greece, listen to the symphony of the Greek goat bells… it’s a haunting sound which will resonate for life.

FM