The Fifth International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony ...

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Franz Föedermayr
Phonogram 2767 (fig. 4)
According to Lach (1931), the phonogram contains a two-part Megrelian dance song consisting of
meaningless syllables. <strong>The</strong> most striking elements are four refrain-like phrases prominently emerging by
their strong performance (fig. 5). <strong>The</strong>y have a double-fourth structure Eflat 3 — Aflat 3 — Dflat 4 , in the shape
of a mirror image of two bow-shaped melodies first running off stepwise and then, again stepwise, running
together. <strong>The</strong> lower voice draws its bow from Aflat 3 step by step downwards to Eflat 3 and again step by step
back to Aflat 3. <strong>The</strong> upper voice draws its bow, again stepwise, from Aflat 3 upward to Dflat 4 and returns, again
step by step, back to Aflat 3 . This structure is common to all four phrases, their performance, however, is done
with much variation:
(1) <strong>The</strong> convergence of the two melodic bows at Aflat 3 in phrases R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is delegated, as it were, by
the lower voice to the upper voice, because instead of going from Gflat 3 to Aflat 3 , the lower voice makes a jump
downwards to Dflat 3, thus introducing the transition figure Dflat 3 —Eflat 3 —F 3 to the next subsection; In R 1 the
convergence is delayed by the upper voice. (2) It is only in the lower voice that the upbeat to the double bow
is done in the same manner in all four cases, namely from Eflat 3 via F 3 to Aflat 3 . <strong>The</strong> upper voice varies more.
In R 1 and R 4 it forms parallel thirds with the lower voice, reaching in this way the starting tone of the double
bow by anticipation, but with quarter notes instead of eight notes. <strong>The</strong> upbeat figure in R 2 is built by two fifths
so that – because of the anticipation in the upper voice – the main part begins with a third chord, and Dflat 4 is
reached via a changing note. In R 3 the upbeat is formed by a changing note-figure in such a manner that the
parallel thirds are shifted in time by a eight-note and reaching Aflat 3 by anticipation. In a similar manner also
the upper melodic bow in the core of the double bow is performed with more variation than the one in the lower
voice, namely by passing tones, changing and passing note-figures (especially in R 1 , R 3 and R 4 ), whereas the
structure is more clearer expressed in R 2 .
<strong>The</strong> results of the analysis can be summed up as follows: all three songs are well structured and compact
entities, each with an individuality of its own. Trying to find something that they have in common, we would
surely detect one or the other musical element characteristic of a Megrelian multi-part style, but apart from
that, the most important common feature is an aesthetic principle which I would like to name “variety in
compactness”. Whether the different designs of a melodic third (as in phonogram 2762/2), the refinement of
shifting the metrical beat in two widely identical melodies in phonogram 2762/1, or the subtleties of varying
the four refrain-like phrases in phonogram 2767 – in all cases the tendency is clearly recognizable: each song
has only one or two structural elements or patterns, but they are varied in a masterly way within the limits
of a style (possibly by improvisation). But despite the scarceness of the elements no stereography arises.
Instinctively recognizing the structure of the songs, the listener is captivated and charmed by the subtleties
of the performance.
References
Födermayr, Franz, Deutsch, Werner A. (2010). “Transcribing historical sound recordings: Multipart songs from Guria recorded
by Robert Lach in 1916”. In: Proceedings of the IV <strong>International</strong> <strong>Symposium</strong> on Traditional Polyphony. P. 376-394. Editors:
Tsurtsumia, Rusudan and Jordania, Joseph. Tbilisi: <strong>International</strong> Research Center for Traditional Polyphony of Tbilisi State
Conservatoire
Lach, Robert. (1931). Gesänge russischer Kriegsgefangener. Bd. 3, Abt. 2. Mingrelische, abchasische, svanische und ossetische
Gesänge (Songs of Prisoners of War: Megrelian, Abkhasian, Svanetian and Ossetian Songs). Wien, Leipzig: Hölder-Pichler-
Tempsky