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Lyrical Megrelian "Didou Nana," or the hearty and boisterous "Mgzavruli," the shepherd's melodies, or the virtuoso "krimanchuli" in the Gurian "Khasanbegura." These fine Georgian folk songs are all challenging works, and "Bichebi," with their high level of artistry, show that they are headed for further success in the future.
Kukuri Chokhonelidze
The director of the folk music program is Tamaz Andghuladze, both an authority on Georgian folk music and a strong organizational leader. It was under his guidance and initiative that the ensemble "Bichebi" was founded fifteen years ago. The choir soon caught the attention of musicians and folk music lovers throughout Georgia. Over the years, as the choir's young singers matured, so did the choir itself, always raising its performance standards. Recognition followed. To date, the choir has performed in concerts and festivals in Georgia, Germany, Italy, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Singapore. The activities of "Bichebi" help promote and popularize Georgian folk song, and their concert reviews are always shining. It's noteworthy that many of the choir's young pupils have gone on to further study and success as students at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire. Among these is Archil Ushveridze, now the choirmaster for "Bichebi," where he first sang years ago.
The merits of "Bichebi" can be heard on their first compact disc, which features 22 ancient Georgian church hymns. Precise intonation and performance manner are essential to perform these difficult works, and the young singers display their talents brilliantly. On this, their new compact disc, "Bichebi" performs folk songs from almost every region of Georgia. Listeners will notice region-specific features in each song, whether the warm-hearted character of the Kakhetian "Mravalzhamier," the stark, heavy sound of "Lazhghvash," the light and places where children learn traditions are from their family at home, while playing with their friends in the village, and during local rituals and feast day celebrations.
A scholastic program to teach young Georgians folk music in all voice parts was established by the Z. Anjaparidze Music School. From its inception, this program focused chiefly on family music traditions.
With its own musical language, unusual style, and highly developed polyphony, Georgian folk song has long fascinated musicians and scholars worldwide. Georgian folk song, its origins lost in antiquity, has long been studied and preserved by specialists in polyphonic music. Many of these specialists have said that Georgian folk polyphony is the most highly developed traditional polyphonic singing anywhere in the world.
It's important to note that Georgian children's folklore, like its more sophisticated parent, is chiefly multi-voiced choral music. Traditionally, one sign of a good performer of Georgian songs has always been his relation to children's art. According to "Matiane," a tenth-century church layman's chronicle of Georgian life, Giorgi Mtatsmindeli took a choir of 80 orphans to Byzantium where their hymn singing made an excellent impression on the king.
We know that in Georgia there were many hymn singing schools at churches and monasteries long ago, where young boys studied and often received awards for their achievements.
Bichebi CD program