GEORGIAN POLYPHONY: Pearls of Georgian Chant / Artem Erkomaishvili

In 1966, Georgian folklorists, Prof. Grigol Chkhikvadze and Kakhi Rosebashvili invited the accomplished chanter Artem Erkomaishvili to Tbilisi State Conservatoire for the recording session of old Georgian sacred hymns.

The recording was performed with two tape-recorders in the so-called 'combined' manner. The first-voice part was recorded on tape-recorder and Artem tuned the second and bass parts to the top voice which was recorded with the second tape-recorder.

This way the unique recordings of all three parts of about 107 chants performed by the 79-year-old Artem survived; the recordings were cleaned, processed and the voice-parts were mixed as part of the joint project of Georgian Chanting Foundation and Tbilisi State Conservatoire.

The CD includes 37 selected chants.

℗ Tbilisi State Conservatoire, 1966
© Georgian Chanting Foundation, 2016
© Ilia Jgharkava, 2013-2016




My Grandfather, Artem Erkomaishvili (DVD and CD Included)

Authors: Anzor Erkomaishvili (Art Director of Rustavi, State Academic Ensemble of Georgian Folk Song and Dance, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia)

Book Description:
In the book My Grandfather, Artem Erkomaishvili, the musical biography of the great Georgian singer-chanter Artem Erkomaishvili is described.

He was born to a traditional family of singers in 1887. He finished school for chanters and became a professional chanter thereafter (he knew more than 2,000 hymns). After the October Revolution, chanting was forbidden in Georgia. Artem formed a choir in Batumi that won in the first Olympiad of the Republic. Since that time, Artem Erkomaishvili’s choirs have always deserved the highest appraisals.

Though Artem experienced a difficult life that was quite painful and tragic, he channeled his talent in order to persevere. The book also comprises quite a few references about old singers-chanters.

This book informs readers about old traditions and customs like the Georgian New Year, Christmas, and Easter holidays. It also contains information on the rules for performing the traditional songs “Batonebo” (a healing song), “Alilo” (a Christmas song), “Elesa” (a work song), etc.

The book is also interesting in terms of its ethnographic point of view. Cultural activities such as tree cutting, wine-making, the distillation of spirits like Russian vodka, Japanese sake, and Georgian araki, the raising of the silkworms, or the carving of the chonguri (traditional Georgian musical instrument) are described and detailed within this monograph.

The musical epoch of Artem Erkomaishvili’s period, which was full of severe repressions under the Communist regime echoes throughout the pages. Church hymns, traditional songs, and anything connected to this question was strictly banned. Artem Erkomaishvili and his followers saved Georgian songs chants at their own risk. It is Artem’s outstanding contribution to the recognition of the Georgian polyphony as a masterpiece by UNESCO. The book will act as a detailed reference for folklorists, and lovers of Georgian folk music will enjoy it very much. (Nova)

Table of Contents:
Preface
Chapter 1. At Grandfather Artem’s Grave
Chapter 2. How I Remember Batumi
Chapter 3. The History of the Erkomaishvilis
Chapter 4. First Gramophone Records
Chapter 5. Artem Erkomaishvili at the Chant School
Chapter 6. Philimon Qoridze
Chapter 7. Artem Erkomaishvili’s Biography (His Own Handwriting)
Chapter 8. The First Group Festival in Kutaisi
Chapter 9. Artem Erkomaishvili’s Group in Leningrad
Chapter 10. Tbilisi Festival (1937)
Chapter 11. Artem Erkomaishvili’s Group on Festivals (1934-1941)
Chapter 12. How I Remember Gigo Erkomaishvili
Chapter 13. Recording of Chants in Ozurgeti (1949)
Chapter 14. How I Was Baptized
Chapter 15. VI Republican Festival
Chapter 16. Artem, the Head of Ozurgeti Choir
Chapter 17. Brothers Artem, Ladiko, and Anania Erkomaishvili
Chapter 18. Gigo Erkomaishvili’s Family
Chapter 19. Grigol Berdzenishvili
Chapter 20. Chanters Artem Erkomaishvili, Varlam Simonishvili and Dimitri Patarava
Chapter 21. Artem Erkomaishvili’s Family Tragedy
Chapter 22. Anzor Erkomaishvili in Tbilisi
Chapter 23. Giorgi Nakashidze
Chapter 24. Artem Erkomaishvili in Makvaneti
Chapter 25. Table Rules in Guria
Chapter 26. Ceremonial and Ritual Songs in Guria
Chapter 27. Nadi and Naduri (Work) Songs
Chapter 28. Artem Agriculturist
Chapter 29. Artem Erkomaishvili a Virtuosic Performer on the Chonguri
Chapter 30. Artem’s Relatives
Chapter 31. The Last Period of my Grandfather’s Life
Chapter 32. Artem Erkomaishvili’s Decease
Chapter 33. The Main Moments from Artem Erkomaishvili's Creative Life
Chapter 34. At the Tomb of Artem Erkomaishvili
Index

Series: Fine Arts, Music and Literature
Binding: ebook
Pub. Date: 2018 - 1st Quarter
ISBN: 978-1-53612-638-9
Status: AV

Further links:
GEORGIAN FOLK Artem Erkomaishvili [alazani.ge]
Analysis of the Tbilisi State Conservatory Recordings of Artem Erkomaishvili in 1966 [researchgate.net]