The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

<strong>The</strong> Meanings and Codes of the Amoebean Form of Singing in the Adyghe Traditional Culture
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sense alternate singing was a game, organizing the activities of the members of the Adyghe male community
both in Khacheshch and outside. At the same time alternate singing was the essence of activities at leisure –
dyagoga, which, according to Aristotle, was linked with upbringing and education. It is exactly in this way
that I. Huizinga explains the attitude of Hellenes to music”… when spending free time one should somehow
educate oneself, learn something, namely the things which people usually learn and which are nurtured within
oneself not only because it is indispensable for work, but for one’s own self” (Kheizinga, 1997: 155-156).
In the Adyghe culture there are several notions indicating a soloist: the literary word kikhezydzerer – its
exact translation being one, who begins singing, i.e. the leader, directing singer, and oredyu , widespread
among the Adyghes – a singer, coupled with zhyukio – accompanying the song. Usually the soloist is
a man, who sings tenor, or high-pitched baritone (Ashkhotov, 2002: 111). In the western Adyghe dialect
there is a special term denoting a method of Amoebean singing – zepedzyzh – passing (throwing) on from
one to another 9 . As R. Unarokova notes that the tem zepedzyzh is used only in the connotation of musical
performance, but never in connection with sports competitions or a working process.
<strong>The</strong>refore a keen observation of the performing practice of the past and the analysis of the available
notated and audio materials not only provide grounds to infer that the skil of two (or more) soloists has been
mastered by the Adyghes but, more than that, in the Adyghe culture of the past the tradition of alternate singing
was the most essential feature of traditional singing and one of the most characteristics elements of the Adyghe
etiquette. This phenomenon is reflected in popular terminology and is included in the etiquette principles of
male communication (normative knowledge of the song by every visitor of Khacheshch, manifestation of
attention, the skill to catch up the song at the needed moment and perform the stanza that has been passed
on, never violating the artistic process, to duly maintain the emotional charge of the song). <strong>The</strong> experience
of Amoebean singing that has come down to this day from remote past revealed itself both in the double,
group, and solo-group singing. Alternate singing was a form of playing a game, keeping the participants in
suspense, maintaining the vigour felt both by the singers and listeners (those who have sung their stanzas and
were waiting for their turn). Comparing it with a game (to be more exact visualizing the Amoebean singing
as a game) is also emphasized by the fact that it has winners – those, who as a prize, win recognition, fame,
success, respect and an excellent reputation.
<strong>The</strong> typical trait of the traditional song is its “opening” by one soloist. <strong>The</strong> second soloist either catches up
the first one in continuing the first phase, or joins in in the second one. In the Abadzekhian Song, which is based
on the assonant vocabulary, the soloist performs the first cue-exclamation, which is twist VII - VIh 10 - VII or
its variants (VII - VIh – I; VII -VII), immediately caught up by the choir. <strong>The</strong> solo part proper is minimized
in its length and sound content, though its emotional mood, high tessitura, the use of unstable degrees of the
sequence of sounds single out the solo not only and not so much as an immanent-musical text. Solo singing
gives an impulse to the whole movement, aiming at the lower steady tone h. <strong>The</strong> beginning of the second
phrase, also caught up by the choir, is already sung by two soloists in unison. During the whole song the first
phrase is sung by the first soloist, the second phrase is begun either by both soloists or only by the second one
(ex. 1, 2; audio ex. 1, 2).
In Kiorer the alternate and joint performance of the song by two soloists forms a two-member composition
repeated many times, which, on the whole, creates “the pattern” reminiscent of traditional Adyghe ornament.
<strong>The</strong> Amoebean form does not only mean the repetition of the same musical or poetical text by other
soloists, it also allows some variants within the song as well: 1) of the number of the participants in the “relayrace”
(from two to eleven in the versions to my knowledge; 2) combination of the participants (two soloists,