The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ... The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

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370 Nino Razmadze was always performed by glossolalias, a trio – by the text, b portion – sometimes by the text, sometimes – by glossolalias). ong>Theong> 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. ong>Theong> 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. ong>Theong> 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. ong>Theong> 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. ong>Theong> 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. ong>Theong> 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! ong>Theong>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

ong>Theong> Dynamics of the Evolution of One Song (on the example of patara Saqvarelo – My Little Love) 371 of the traditional thinking that has been taking shape for centuries? Is this a logical result of its evolution? How is it influenced by the evolution of traditional music? 3) Can we notice in the structure of the songs performed by the trio the passages, which afterwards will sound in the same manner as it occurs in the song Patara Saqvarelo? It is no mere chance that the tendency to the homophonic parts transforming into multipart is much greater in the Gurian variants than in the Imeretian specimens. As we see the singers performing the trio part reveal a sort of impatience and even during the homophonic part make polyphonic music. ong>Theong> stimulus to changing into polyphony is prompted by the aesthetic principles. As it is usually known the complex character of Gurian polyphony was conditioned by the musical mentality of homo-polyphonicuses of this province, the specific features characteristic only of their perception of sounds, their sense of the so-called “folklore style”, characterized by a high quality of the independence of the parts, an eternal aspiration to freedom and creating a complex, mobile structure, which indicated a high degree of each participant’s self-expression in the process of ensemble singing. ong>Theong> musical analysis clearly showed that some specimens were quite close to one another, but in some cases we deal with radically different variants. ong>Theong>ir evolution took different directions in the creative work of different singers and in different provinces. All the variants I have discussed have a common basic tune and structure, which proves that they are of the same provenance. First of all, I have determined the common archetypical musical texture of the specimens under consideration and analyzed the normative parameters of the song, their dynamics and the reasons of their changeability as best as I could. Besides, in the process of research interesting questions arose as to the levelling of the border between the gadadzakhili and trio parts, which opened further perspectives for future studies. ong>Theong> refrain mostly expressed as unison bass between song phrases Notes 1 ong>Theong> refrain mostly expressed as unison bass between song phrases Notated Collections Erkomaishvili, Anzor (compiler). (1972). Gruzinskie narodnie pesni (Georgian Folk Songs). Moscow: Musika (in Russian) Shughliashvili, Davit, Erkvanidze, Malkhaz (editors). (2004). Let Us Study Georgian Folk Song. Gurian Songs. ong>Internationalong> Centre of Georgian Folk Song. Tbilisi Translated by Liana Gabechava

<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Dynamics of the Evoluti<strong>on</strong> of One S<strong>on</strong>g (<strong>on</strong> the example of patara Saqvarelo – My Little Love)<br />

371<br />

of the traditi<strong>on</strong>al thinking that has been taking shape for centuries? Is this a logical result of its evoluti<strong>on</strong>?<br />

How is it influenced by the evoluti<strong>on</strong> of traditi<strong>on</strong>al music? 3) Can we notice in the structure of the s<strong>on</strong>gs<br />

performed by the trio the passages, which afterwards will sound in the same manner as it occurs in the s<strong>on</strong>g<br />

Patara Saqvarelo?<br />

It is no mere chance that the tendency to the homoph<strong>on</strong>ic parts transforming into multipart is much<br />

greater in the Gurian variants than in the Imeretian specimens. As we see the singers performing the trio part<br />

reveal a sort of impatience and even during the homoph<strong>on</strong>ic part make polyph<strong>on</strong>ic music. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> stimulus to<br />

changing into polyph<strong>on</strong>y is prompted by the aesthetic principles. As it is usually known the complex character<br />

of Gurian polyph<strong>on</strong>y was c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>ed by the musical mentality of homo-polyph<strong>on</strong>icuses of this province,<br />

the specific features characteristic <strong>on</strong>ly of their percepti<strong>on</strong> of sounds, their sense of the so-called “folklore<br />

style”, characterized by a high quality of the independence of the parts, an eternal aspirati<strong>on</strong> to freedom and<br />

creating a complex, mobile structure, which indicated a high degree of each participant’s self-expressi<strong>on</strong> in<br />

the process of ensemble singing.<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> musical analysis clearly showed that some specimens were quite close to <strong>on</strong>e another, but in some<br />

cases we deal with radically different variants. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir evoluti<strong>on</strong> took different directi<strong>on</strong>s in the creative work of<br />

different singers and in different provinces.<br />

All the variants I have discussed have a comm<strong>on</strong> basic tune and structure, which proves that they are<br />

of the same provenance.<br />

First of all, I have determined the comm<strong>on</strong> archetypical musical texture of the specimens under<br />

c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> and analyzed the normative parameters of the s<strong>on</strong>g, their dynamics and the reas<strong>on</strong>s of their<br />

changeability as best as I could.<br />

Besides, in the process of research interesting questi<strong>on</strong>s arose as to the levelling of the border between the<br />

gadadzakhili and trio parts, which opened further perspectives for future studies. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> refrain mostly expressed<br />

as unis<strong>on</strong> bass between s<strong>on</strong>g phrases<br />

Notes<br />

1 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> refrain mostly expressed as unis<strong>on</strong> bass between s<strong>on</strong>g phrases<br />

Notated Collecti<strong>on</strong>s<br />

Erkomaishvili, Anzor (compiler). (1972). Gruzinskie narodnie pesni (Georgian Folk S<strong>on</strong>gs). Moscow: Musika (in Russian)<br />

Shughliashvili, Davit, Erkvanidze, Malkhaz (editors). (2004). Let Us Study Georgian Folk S<strong>on</strong>g. Gurian S<strong>on</strong>gs. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Internati<strong>on</strong>al</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Centre of Georgian Folk S<strong>on</strong>g. Tbilisi<br />

Translated by Liana Gabechava

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