PROGRAM
Kuchkhi bedineri
A wedding song from Samegrelo.
Turpani skhedan chardakhsa
(Pretty Women are Sitting in the Awning)
A banquet song from Kakheti.
Guruli maqruli
A wedding song from Guria, specifically for the groomsmen (maqari/maqruli). This song employs the krimanchuli technique (Georgian yodel).
Saidan mokhvel (Where Did You Come From, Pretty?)
A lyric-love song about a beautiful woman. With panduri accompaniment.
Namgluri
A work song from Kakheti, sung during the harvest of cornfields. Namgali/namgluri – sickle.
Supris khelkhvavi
A banquet song from Guria. No fixed text.
Tsanash dashdul
A circle dance song from Svaneti.
Shobaman shenman (Thy Nativity, O Christ our God)
Troparion to the Feast of Nativity, Shemokmedi school, western Georgia. Troparions are sung in church.
Saghmrtosa sakhmilavsa zeda (May Habakkuk, divinely speaking)
Paschal Irmos, Ode 4. Gelati school, western Georgia.
Tsmidao ghmerto (O, Holy God)
Liturgical hymn, in the east-Georgian tradition.
Odoia
A work song from Samegrelo, sung during the hoeing and weeding of cornfields. Odo/odoia – ancient god of labor
Kakhuri nana
A lullaby from Kakheti.
Khasanbegura
An epic, historical ballad from Guria. This song also employs the krimanchuli technique. One of the most remarkable achievements of Georgian polyphony.
Gandagana
A dance song from Achara, with chiboni and panduri accompaniment.
Chela
An ox-cartman’s song from Samegrelo, accompanied by the chonguri.
Chakrulo
The crowning achievement of Georgian traditional polyphony, “Chakrulo” belongs to the family of lengthy Kakhetian banquet songs. Considered part of world’s cultural patrimony, the song was included on the gold record attached to a Voyager space probe in 1977.
Naduri
Fieldwork songs (naduris) are the longest and most sophisticated antiphonal work songs, numbering in the dozens. Most antiphonal naduris are four-part, an unusual arrangement in Georgian folk music. This is a cornfield song
Kakheti, Samegrelo, Achara, Guria, Svaneti – regions in Georgia
chonguri, panduri – traditional string instruments
chiboni – bagpipe, traditional instrument
Texts and Translations
| Turpani skhedan chardakhsa Turpani skhedan chardakhsa, arigeb-charigebuli. Tsin lurji supra ushliat, zed ghvino morigebuli.Alalme shensa gamzrdelsa, sheni survili mometsa!Pursa schamen da ghvinos smen, simgheras ar itqviano!Ar vitsi—visa hglovoben, ar vitsi— ar itsiano. Shen ki genatsvale, shena, shen magre ram dagamshvena?! |
Pretty Women are Sitting in the Awning Pretty women are sitting in the awning, They have a blue table-cloth spread in front, with wine on it.God bless your parents; I am overtaken with love to you!They are eating food, and drinking wine, but are not singing!I do not know whether they are mourning over someone, or cannot sing. What has made you so beautiful?! |
| Guruli maqruli
Chven movdivart, maqrebi, rcheuli da kargebi! |
Here we are coming, the groomsmen, the good, selected ones! |
| Namgluri
Glesav da glesav namgalo, |
I’m sharpening you, my sickle My sickle, my iron I’ll sharpen and take you with me My sickle, my iron. |
| Shobaman shenman
Shobaman shenman, qriste ghmerto, aghmoubrtskinvasopelsa nateli metsnierebisa, rametu romelni varskvlavsa msakhureben, varskvlavisagan istsaves taqvanistsema sheni, mzeo simartlisao! Romeli aghmobrtskindi maghlit aghmosavaltad, upalo, dideba shenda! |
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath arisen upon the world as the light of wisdom. For at it, they who worshipped the stars were, by a Star, taught to adore thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know thee, the Orient from in light. O Lord, glory to theee! |
| Saghmrtosa Sakhmilavsa zeda
Saghmrtosa sakhmilavsa zeda, saghmrto metqveli Ambakom sdegin chventana da gvichvenen chven angelozi natlisa, brtsqinvaled metqveli esret, tskhovreba ars qovlisa soplisa, rametu aghsdga Kriste, vitartsa qovlisa shemdzlebeli! |
May Habakkuk, divinely speaking
The inspired prophet Habakkuk now stands with us in holy vigil. He is like a shining angel who cries with a piercing voice: Today salvation has come to the world, for Christ is risen as all-powerful. |
| Tsmidao gmerto
Tsmidao gmerto, tsmidao dzliero, tsmidao |
O, Holy God
O, Holy God, O, Holy Mighty, |
| Odoia
Aba, boshebi, skani goluapiro! |
Come on guys, blessed be your work! |
| Kakhuri nana
Nanas getqvi, daidzine! |
I will sing you a lullaby, sleep! How sweetly you are sleeping! |
| Chela
Asho, Chela, si cherchela! ava ava nana da. Asho – Chela, isho – Jaga; ava ava nana da. |
Here Chela [name of an ox], do not lag behind! You the oppressed, slow one! You’re lifeless, with a horned neck!Chela here, Jaga – there I have hoed this cornfield, poor me! I won’t be given my earnings. |
| Chakrulo
Khidistavs shevkrat piroba, chven gavckhdet gvidzli dzmania. |
We swore brotherhood at Khidistavi, To attack Mukhran batoni, break down the door. Due to the servitude to him I could not save any flour, could not breed a cow and could not thresh wheat with a bull-calf. The saber forged in Khevsureti, Tushetians ornamented you in Telavi, King Erekle blessed you for the war. Hey enemies you have defeated me, but I don’t weep, weeping is for the weak. I have many times been in this state, but never complained. I will sharpen my saber, get my fireshooting gun, And will make you pay for all the harm you have done to me. |