The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

370
Nino Razmadze
was always performed by glossolalias, a trio – by the text, b portion – sometimes by the text, sometimes – by
glossolalias).
<strong>The</strong> text per se has an improvised character, in which a fragment from Akaki Dsereteli’s poem Imeretian
Song and an improvised folklore text are used. <strong>The</strong> lines of the verbal text are also used in different manners
within the limits of the couplet. This depends on two factors, (1) if several parts of the trio are used within
the couplets and the a part, finishing the couplet, repeats the verbal text of the b part, if it is given on the
new verbal text.
<strong>The</strong> above is another argument in favour of the factor of the verbal text being less significant in the
unsuitable, improvised type of the song.
6. <strong>The</strong> Number of the Parts:
I am specially interested in the homophonic passages of the leader and gadadzakhili parts present within
the three-part musical dealects, the Imeretian and Gurian specimens. In the process of analysis, even at a glance
the tendency of the above parts towards becoming multipart is clear.
In some Imeretian variants the part of the leading singer is homophonic entirely, which, in my opinion,
must be the earliest stage of the evolution of this song. In one of the variants it is two-part to the end. In all
other cases, the second and third parts join in alternately. Some of the specimens are three-part to the very
end. Here I must add that in all the cases the song is always begun by the first, directing singer, which usually
provides the tone.
<strong>The</strong> number of voices is very interesting in the gadadzakhili part. As we know, the gadadzakhili part is
homophonic and, as a rule, is performed by a unison choir (I have dwelt upon various interpretations above).
I think that it is this generally accepted truth that the remark to one of the specimens of “Patara Saqvarelo”
must be explained by, “a homophonic gadadzakhili participates in the song […]” (Erkomaishvili, 2006: 479),
in spite of the fact that the second half of the gadadzakhili part is completely three-part, sometimes even fourpart.
In the comparatively advanced specimens the part of the a and b trios join in before the gadadzakhili part
ends, subsequently in the vertical the result is three and four part consonances. Since we deal with different,
functionally independent parts, it will be more logical to view this passage as a polyharmonic phenomenon,
where the gadadzakhili part never becomes polyphonic. On the other hand, in such a case, when the bass
part of the trio also performs the gadadzakhili part, the singers of the same trio perform the now polyphonic
gadadzakhili part. <strong>The</strong> line of distinction between the gadadzakhili and trio parts is concealed so much that
even the performers perceive these functionally different parts as a single whole!
It is in this case that in the gadadzakhili part the tendency towards becoming polyphonic can be observed
not only from the second half but from the very beginning! <strong>The</strong>refore the song constructed on the alternation
of the gadadzakhili and trio before our eyes, turns into a trio-song (audio ex. 1). It is noteworthy that this
transformation occurs not during the secondary but the primary performance. It is interesting that such
changes are unacceptable for most of the practical singers or ethnomusicologists, as whatever they forgive
the folk singers is never forgivable for the so-called “secondary” ensemble. For instance, I think that when
performing the song Patara Saqvarelo, the Gurian trio of the Sikharulidzes will cause less annoyance when
the gadadzakhili part is performed by the bass part of the trio, but it will not be acceptable in the case of
some city ensemble.
When analyzing the gadadzakhili part of this, at first glance quite a usual song, a few interesting questions
arise: 1) Can precursors of the responsive performance be noted in the songs with the gadadzakhili part? 2)
How successfully can the transformation of the trio-song be placed within the boundaries of the regularities