The first recordings in the Georgian Republic
Choir of Makhvaneti, province of Guria, Gigo erkomaishvili, director. Naduri recorded 1907 (Gramophone C-14000, C2-14001 (2 sides), matrix #2407r and 2408r; 05:16
25. Naduri (Work Song)
Arguably the masterpiece in the archive, Naduri is a work song in four voice parts. The song is sung in several segments, each signifying a separate phase of the work. In its original context, such a work song could be sung for hours in the field, as a way of passing the time and easing the work. This shortened version was originally recorded on two gramophone discs, and has been edited together.
The Choirs and their Directors Choir of Upper Aketi, province of Guria
Choir of Makvaneti, province of Guria Gigo Erkomaishvili (1840-1907), director Tracks 19-25
Gigo Erkomaishvili was born in the village of Upper Aketi, province of Guria. He was the son of the famous singer Ivane Erkomaishvili, and grew up in a singing family, learning from his father. His parents died early, and young Gigo moved to the village of Makvaneti, where he married and raised his family. At this time, he befriended the two young singers with whom he would later form his trio, and so build the foundation for his future choir. Active during the 1870s, the trio of Giorgi Babilodze (1835-1931) singing second voice, Giorgi Iobishvili (1849-1933) singing the first tenor voice, and Gigo Erkomaishvili singing bass, was renowned throughout Guria. The full choir that formed later soon shared the recognition. Gigo's singers were not paid by anyone, but were peas- ants who farmed for a living, and were dedicated to their small corner of Georgia and its unique folklore. They took no stylistic influence from other choirs, and so their recordings are unique, differing greatly from the simpler, more common variants of the songs. The choir also sang liturgical chant well, and always sang in church for services on church holidays. Between 1902 and 1914, the choir of Makvaneti made 49 recordings-the greatest number of gramophone recordings of folk music made by anyone choir in Georgia. This was also the choir with the oldest members to record in Tbilisi.
Other choir members were:
Naniko Burdzgla (1855-1922), gamkivani (first voice)
Ermile Molarishvili (1860-1950), bass Ivlian, Kechakmadze (1845-1947), modzakhili (second voice)
Luka Toidze (1883-1961), bass and modzakhi/f
Arterri.Erkomaishvili (1887-1967), bass
My thanks to Ted Levin, who helped Anzor make digital tranfers of the gramophone discs in the London archives, and trustingly sent the masters to me; to Harold Hagopian, who in turn trusted me to finish the project, and whose enthusiasm for it has remained constant; to Will Prentice, whose knowledge of the Gramophone Company's history helped to make the notes more accurate; to Rich Woods for technical assistance and encouragement; to Eric Johnson and Maia Kachkachishvili for communication and logistics; to Lucy Duran and the British Library National Sound Archive, and to Ruth Edge and the EMI archive, for their invaluable assistance in research and transferring; and foremost to Anzor Erkomaishvili, my teacher, friend and inspiration, without whose work the recordings would still be sitting lonely in the vaults. - Carl Linich
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Anchiskhati Choir - Georgia - Naduri "Chochkhatura" (Guria region)by veshapo2,007 views
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