Georgian Polyphonic and Music Culture
Georgia has rich and still vibrant traditional music, which is primarily known as arguably the earliest polyphonic tradition of the Christian world. Situated on the border of Europe and Asia, Georgia is also the home of a variety of urban singing styles with a mixture of native polyphony, Middle Eastern monophony and late European harmonic languages. Georgian performers are well represented in the world's leading opera troupes and concert stages.
The folk music of Georgia consists of at least fifteen regional styles, known in Georgian musicology and ethnomusicology as "musical dialects". According to Edisher Garaqanidze, there are sixteen regional styles in Georgia. These sixteen regions are traditionally grouped into two, eastern and western Georgian groups.
"Chakrulo" In Space
Chakrulo (Georgian: ჩაკრულო, transliterated: chak'rulo) is a Georgian polyphonic choral folk song. It is a three-part song from the region of Kakheti, dramatising preparations for a battle. It is characterised by two highly ornamented individual vocal parts over a choral foundation.
When Georgian vocal polyphony was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Heritage masterpiece in 2001, Chakrulo was cited as a prime example. Chakrulo was one of 29 musical compositions included on the Voyager Golden Records that were sent into space on Voyager 2 on 20 August 1977 and Voyager 1 on 5 September 1977.
Modern Composers
Fanduri / ფანდური
Fanduri is a Georgian folk string instrument. It is widespread in the mountain and bar of eastern Georgia .
The panduri arrangement is a minor third between strings I and II and a major second between strings II and III. On the panduri, a key of a very peculiar order is obtained (tertia and sexta are neutral). They are mainly used to accompany a solo or polyphonic song. However, you can perform an independent piece (mainly dance tunes) on it.
Doli / დოლი
Doli is a Georgian percussion instrument . The drum is widespread in the corners of Georgian bars. A drum is a small cylindrical wooden body with leather on both sides. The leather is fastened with straps, and iron rings are thrown into it, with which the leather is stretched. The height of the drum is proportional to the diameter of the sounding surface as 3:1. Drums are (mostly) played with hands or sticks. Sometimes the stick has a widened end. The drum is held under the left armpit or hung. They play in a sitting position.