Georgians have sung in several independent voices for centuries, and the tradition is still alive: at family feasts, in church, and in village and city choirs. UNESCO proclaimed Georgian polyphonic singing a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001, and it has been on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2008 [1].
How it works
Most Georgian songs are in three parts. Two upper voices carry and decorate the melody over a bass part, which is often sung by the whole group. The harmonies use close, sharp intervals that can sound unusual to Western ears, and the songs are passed on by ear rather than from written music. Men's ensembles are the best known, but there are many women's and mixed groups.
Three regional styles
UNESCO describes three main types [1]:
- Complex polyphony, common in Svaneti in the high Caucasus, with dense chords and slow, ritual songs.
- Polyphonic dialogue over a bass drone, typical of Kakheti in eastern Georgia: two soloists weave long melodies over a held bass.
- Contrasting polyphony with three partly improvised parts, characteristic of western Georgia, with the yodelling top voice called krimanchuli, best known from Guria.
Songs to know
- Chakrulo, a Kakhetian song sung at feasts, was chosen for the Voyager Golden Record launched into space in 1977 [2].
- Mravalzhamieri ("many years"), a toast to long life.
- Alilo, the Christmas carols sung in processions on 7 January.
- Naduri, work songs once sung while working the fields together.
Where to hear it
- At a supra. Table songs are part of many Georgian feasts, especially in the villages, sung between the toasts. Nobody can promise that the hosts at a given dinner will sing, which is why evenings built around singing book the singers in advance.
- In church. Georgian Orthodox services are sung, much of it in traditional three-part chant. A Sunday morning service in one of Tbilisi's old churches, such as Anchiskhati or Sioni, is the easiest way to hear it, and it is free. Dress as for any Georgian church and stand quietly at the back.
- In concert. Professional and amateur ensembles perform in Tbilisi through the year; check the programmes of the city's concert halls. Folk groups also play at festivals such as Art-Gene in July.
- At folk-show restaurants. Several Tbilisi restaurants put on dinners with song and dance. They are staged, but the singing is often good.
Listening etiquette
- If people at your table start to sing, stop talking and listen. A song can be a toast in itself.
- Ask before filming, and don't film or photograph during church services.
Hear it with us
Our Georgian supra and polyphonic singing evening is a private 4-hour dinner at a family house or wine cellar near Tbilisi or Mtskheta, with a tamada leading the toasts and a group of three or four local singers between them. The 3-day Kakheti wine tour ends with a supra with local hosts, where table songs are common but not guaranteed. On the private Tbilisi city tour, your guide can point you to a service or a concert that week. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, "Georgian polyphonic singing": ich.unesco.org
- Wikipedia, "Contents of the Voyager Golden Record" (track list: "Tchakrulo", Georgian chorus): en.wikipedia.org
