Chven Mshvidoba: 26 Georgian Folk Songs (Guria)
The International Centre for Georgian Folk Song

Tbilisi, Georgia 2003

An album of Gurian songs, as performed by musicians whose native knowledge and love of the singing traditions of their native region illuminate each track.
The songs presented on this CD stand out for their originality (both in the unique Gurian singing style and the brilliant improvisation or the particular performances of the performers). A connoisseur of songs will identify the intonations of rare versions sung by representatives of the older generation.
Includes performances by Guri and Tristan Sikharulidze, Vakhtang, Ermaloz and Barnab Sikharulidze, and Anzor Erkomaishvili.

Track List & Sample Mp3s
1. Chven mshvidoba ('peace to us') (table song)
2. Madlobeli ('thankful') (table song)
3. Maspindzelsa mkhiarulsa ('the cheerful host') (table song)
4. Mokle mravalzhamieri ('brief mravalzhamier') (table song)
5. Mravalzhamieri ('long life') (table song)
6. Qarana (humorous song)
7. Kalos khelkhvavi ('bounty of the threshing-floor') (work song)
8. Vis ra hkondes khelovneba ('whoever has a trade') (table song)
9. Supris khelkhvavi ('bounty of the table') (table song)
10. Nanina (table song)
11. Didi khnidan gagitsani ('I have long since known you') (love song)
12. Mival guriashi, mara ('I am going to Guria, but…') (lyrical song)
13. Mokle kalos khelkhvavi ('short kalos khelkhvavi') (work song)
14. Patara saqvarelo (little beloved') (love song)
15. Ai odelia (lyrical song)
16. Latariis simghera (table song)
17. Tsamokruli (table song)
18. Perad shindi ('cherry-colored') (love song
19. Alaverdi (table song)
20. Saqvarlis javri ('pining for the beloved') (love song)
21. Chemo natlidedao ('my godmother') (humorous song)
22. Piruzi (love song)
23. Mtsvanesa da ukudosa ('the green and hatless') (table song)
24. Me, Rustveli ('I, from Rustavi') (table song)
25. Brevalo ('long life') (table song)
26. Adila (table song)

About Gurian singing: (from the CD liner notes)
Gurian (west Georgian) songs are mostly 3-part songs, but four-part songs, a rare phenomenon per se, occur in Gurian labour songs—naduri. There are 2-person or 2-choir songs, in which the same musical part is successively performed by two trios or two groups. Occasionally, together with a trio, the song is sung by a group of singers, called gadadzakhili ('echoing'). It performs a musical piece absolutely differing from that of the trio, repeating like a refrain throughout the song, after the trio. There occur one-part, two-part and three-part gadadzakhili. The present CD features a trio. The gadadzakhili of only one song ('Chemo Natlidedao') is performed by several members of the Rustavi company.
These songs were recorded from reliable singers who are to the present day considered excellent performers of Gurian songs, having inherited knowledge and love of the singing traditions of their native region. Guri and Tristan Sikharulidze were reared in a fmily of traditional singers. The family name of the Sikharulidzes became renowned as far back as the beginning of the 20th century. Vakhtang, Ermaloz and Barnab Sikharulidze were brilliant performers of Gurian songs. The brothers Ipolite and Ilarion Sikharulidze received schooling with the well-known teaching master Variam Simonishvili, developing into briliiant singers. Guri and Tristan are their sons. Thus, both rest on a solid musical foundation and are rightfully considered excellent singers. Anzor Erkomaishvili too hails from a traditional musical family. The family name of the Erkomaishvilis boast a 300-year old singing history.
The songs presented on this CD stand out for their originality, own style of singing, and improvisation. A connoisseur of songs will identify the intonations of rare versions sung by representatives of the older generation. The damtsqebi ('beginning') and the modzakhili ('refrain') are sung alternately by Guri and Tristan Sikharulidze, and the bani ('bass') by Anzor Erkomaishvili.

Quelle: Chven Mshvidoba in www.villageharmony.org