VIDEO: Georgian Folk Song "Orovela" by Leila Legashvili - from the film "Table Songs of Kakheti"

An excerpt of the documentary "Table Songs of Kakheti".

der.org/films/table songs of kakheti

by Hugo Zemp and Nona Lomidze
color, 80 min with 4 min of extras, 2016
in Georgian
with English subtitles

"Orovela" is a famous Georgian work song, traditionally sung by a peasant during ploughing. Nowadays it is also performed with a drone, a sustained tone in the bass, as are table songs. The filmmakers like especially Leila Legashvili’s version, sung while she picked grapes with her family and friends. As told by her father when she was "caressing the grapevine, and picking grapes": “Sing to the grapes. They are alive, they listen to you and obey you, because you are singing to them. When wine is brewing, it looks alive. See how it trembles, how it yawns in the jar, how it ferments. Then it enters a human body, and transforms it, makes it talk, sing, recite poetry. That’s why during a banquet, after a few glasses, everyone starts to sing, or recites a poem, because wine is alive, and it caresses everyone.”

FILMPRÄSENTATION: Cinematographia musicae popularis: Table Songs of Kakheti. Ein Film von Hugo Zemp und Nona Lomidze

Dienstag, 20. Juni, 18:30 Uhr

Ort: Diplomatische Akademie, Favoritenstraße 15a, 1040 Wien

Anmeldung erforderlich unter krammer@mdw.ac.at

Eine gemeinsame Veranstaltung der Botschaft von Georgien anlässlich des 25-jährigen Jubiläums der diplomatischen Beziehungen zwischen Georgien und Österreich, des Instituts für Volksmusikforschung und Ethnomusikologie der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien und der Österreichischen Orient-Gesellschaft Hammer-Purgstall.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Mag.ª Regina Kamauf Leiterin des Informationszentrums für Zentralasien und Südkaukasien

Österreichische Orient-Gesellschaft Hammer-Purgstall
Orient-Akademie
A-1010 Wien
Dominikanerbastei 6/6
http://www.orient-gesellschaft.at/



der.org/table songs of kakheti


Table Songs of Kakheti - PREVIEW
by Hugo Zemp and Nona Lomidze
color, 80 min with 4 min of extras, 2016
in Georgian
with English subtitles

At the foot of the Caucasus, the Kakheti province of eastern Georgia is famous for its wine and its polyphonic songs. Banquets with their alternation of ritualized toasts and collective singing are considered by Georgians as a major component of national identity. Verbal art and musical art are bound together in a unique way.

Georgian banquets conventionally are the prerogative of men. Master folk singer Andro Simashvili, known as Andro Papa, leads his friends at a classical men’s banquet. On the other hand, renowned female singer Leila Legashvili is the toastmaster at a women’s banquet, where Andro Simashvili is an honored guest. Long songs and elaborate toasts are shown in their integrality, revealing important insights into Georgian cultural values.

“This is a very interesting and pleasant film packed with highly elaborate examples of traditional/folk creativity. It features Andro Simashvili - the expert and performer of ancient folk songs. The film is full of humor, Kakhetian life situations and relationships, and shows many Georgian table songs. It preserves many interesting material which makes it very important for the next generations. Thanks to everyone who helped to make this film, Andro Papa and his singing became eternal.” — Anzor Erkomaishvili, President of the International Centre of Georgian Folk Song, Tbilisi, Georgia

“This documentary is delightful, possibly the best film about Georgian village singers that I have seen. Not only the music, but the very feel of Kakhetian village, with its live humor, even the smell of traditional food, is all there in the film!” — Joseph Jordania, University of Melbourne, Australia

“Table Songs of Kakheti is Zemp's fourth Georgian-music documentary that I have seen. It is as instructive, and entertaining, as his earlier work. As a teacher, I have shown the earlier films to undergraduate anthropology students who's reactions have been very positive. An obvious choice for anthropologists teaching about folk music or concepts of traditional culture, gender, social change, and doubtless many other topics. I highly recommend it.” — Kevin Tuite, Université de Montréal, Canada

  
Related Resources
Read the article "A Man Can Sing and Play Better than a Woman" by Nino Tsitsisvili, originally published in the journal Ethnomusicology, 50(3), 2006
Related FilmsMusic of Georgia (Caucasus) Series
Polyphony of Ceriana: The Compagnia Sacco


Further Links:
http://www.naturjuuz.ch/hugo-zemp
https://www.accademia-belcanto.com/deutsch/referenten-2016/nona-lomidze/