The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

Caucasian Peoples’ Polyphony and Its Relation with Georgian Polyphony (According to the Audio Album –
<strong>The</strong> Music of the Caucasian Peoples – from the Phonogram Archives of Tbilisi State Conservatoire)
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graze better). the leading melody on its part, also includes two-part fragments. Nasal crooning accompanying
Georgian wind instrument larchemi has also been documented; such example was recorded in the village of
Muzhava, Samegrelo, in 1959 (Chijavadze, 1974: 14).
<strong>The</strong> greatest number of parallels between the North Caucasian and Georgian cultures, discussed above,
were attested in comparatively simple specimens, which may refer to the common Caucasian roots of these
cultures. Proceeding from this significant fact we consider it possible to create an approximate idea about some
examples of ancient musical thinking, scattered throughout Georgian musical dialects.
<strong>The</strong> paper we have presented is our first attempt in studying non-Georgian cultures and their inter–
connection with Georgian culture. <strong>The</strong>refore we will be very grateful for comments and recommendations.
Further conclusions can be founded only on a larger research area and a greater amount of musical material.
Notes
1 <strong>The</strong> material collected in the audio album is preserved in the archives of the Laboratory of the Georgian People’s Musical Art
2 Touching upon Georgian-Abkhazian parallels Vladimer Akhobadze points out common features of these two cultures (solo
performance of top voices and group performance of bass in two- and three-part songs, basic modes, and simple cadences),
similarity of musical instruments (between Abkhazian acherpan and Tushetian and Pshavian tongueless salamuri; apkhertsa and
Svan chuniri), also the influence of Georgian (Megrelian and Svan) songs on Abkhazian songs: inclusion of Svan and Megrelian
songs into Abkhazian repertoire on the one side and enrichment of Abkhazian songs with Georgian elements on the other side
(making them three-part, parallel vocal movements, use of Georgian Cadences and dissemination of Georgian chonguri). <strong>The</strong> result
of this is the performance of Svan three-part round-dance songs by two voices in Abkhazian style with apkhertsa accompaniment,
adding second part (Svan variant) to Abkhazian songs, simultaneous use of Georgian and Abkhazian cadences. Akhobadze also
points out one interesting similarity: Abkhazian Azar (the name derived from Georgian Zari) is performed during the ritual similar
to the one encountered in Tusheti (Dalaoba. authors). <strong>The</strong> scholar also points out the influence of Georgian culture (Akhobadze,
1956; Akhobadze, Kortua, 1957);
According to Shalva Aslanishvili’s observations three-part singing and the elements characteristic to Georgian drone-based
polyphony are encountered in Ossetian settlements of Shida Kartli (Aslanishvili, 1954: 24). In the study of folk songs of Georgian
and other North Caucasian (Chachan, Lezg, Qumukh) peoples the scholar marks out the following similarities: descending melody,
glossolalias, sequential development in single-part couplet songs, solo performance of top voices and group performance of bass
in two-part songs, drone bass; basic melody in middle voice surrounded by fifths in three-part songs, some chords and cadences.
After the survey the author puts a question on the relation between Georgian and Caucasian musical cultures. Aslanishvili considers
important to prove this by purely musical factors, as he also bases on linguistic, historical and other data (Aslanishvili, 1957);
In her survey of the results of field expedition in Adyghe (1957) Tamar Mamaladze mentions the existence of salamuri – like
instrument- k(?)ovil, similar to which was also known as k(?)avil in Georgia in 17 th -18 th centuries (Chitaia, 1960: 193);
Vazha Gvakharia mentions many common features (polyphonic structure, harmonic thinking, the structure of modes and meters,
forms of performance and traditions, principle of tune construction, parallel themes) between the music of Georgian and North
Caucasian (Kabardynian, Chachan, Ingush, Qumukh, Lezg, Avarian, Abkhazian and Ossetian) peoples, this totality cannot be
explained only by cultural interrelation between these peoples or mutual influence; it goes far beyond this towards their relations.
<strong>The</strong> author presumes the similarity and antiquity of the musical thinking of the Georgians and North Caucasians (Gvakharia, 1963);
Otar Chijavadze attributes the existence of the melodies of broad breathing in Abkhazian songs to the influence of Georgian
song; he also points out the use of intonational phrases and parallel fifths in Abkhazian. <strong>The</strong> scholar also mentions the similarity
of joining the song with nasal crooning when playing the melody on various instruments (Abkhazian acherpan and Megrelian
larchemi) (Chijavadze, 1988);
Nino Maisuradze speaks about early intonational links between Adyghean and Georgian songs, the relation between Abkhazo-
Adyghean, Ossetian and East Georgian melody and bass, he also mentions that the mobile bass of Abkhazian songs is the result
of the influence of West Georgian complex polyphony; he speaks of the intermediary role of Abkhazian between Georgian and