1. Odila, field song - 5:06
2. Haralo..., travel song - 1:21
3. Mravalzhamier, table song - 1:45
4. Kitskhi Mravaljamier, table song in urban style - 1:41
5. Nanina…, table song - 1:33
6. Oreri, oreri... - I am not a local man…, humorous song - 1:49
7. Hei, adila… , table song - 1:56
8. Hoy, adileo... , table song - 1:57
9. Lale..., humorous song - 3:27
10. Ori ovdelia… - My rose-bud…, table song - 1:04
11. Alilo, Christmas song - 2:14
12. Araloi... - You are little and lovely…, table song - 1:34
13. Raida Bosho… - I sit alone…, humorous song - 1:22
14. Maspindzelsa mkhiarulsa… - Merry host …, table song - 1:37
15. Tsmindao Ghmerto... - O holy God. . . chant in urban style - 1:49
16. Shromis simghera...., work song - 1:56
17. Shen rom mogkar tvalia... - When I caught sight of you, wedding song - 2:05
18. Varudila, vadila... momtsons sheni tvalebi... - I love your eyes, wedding song -1:32
19. Chona - Easter song - 4:33
20. Aprasions ukharia… - Aphrasion is glad…, humorous song - 2:02
21. Potpourri and dance song 2:23
22. Elene, love song in urban style - 1:16
23. Gazapkhulda... - Spring has come…, urban song - 2:23
24. Mravaljamier, Potpourri in urban style - 1:42
25. Gogos veparebodi... - I was sneaking up to a girl… , humorous ring dance song - 3:33

Traditional Georgian music is mostly presented as an anthology of the very different regional styles. The CD of the ensemble Odila is different: The 5 singers come from one single village, Kitskhi in the Imereti region in West Georgia. The recorded songs belong, without exception, to the local folklore; just a few can be found in the repertoire of other ensembles; slightly different versions of three songs (no. 4, 7 and 25) can be found in M. Chirinashvilis collection Kartuli khalkhuri simgherebis krebuli, Imereti (collection of Georgian folk songs, Imereti), Tbilissi, khalkhuri shemokmedis respublikuri sakhli (Folklore Centre of the Republic) 1971.
Odila performs in the traditional manner: The first and second voice (which often introduces the song) is executed by a soloist, the third voice (bani in Georgian) normally by the group of the other singers in unison, in some cases also by a soloist. One is tempted to associate the Georgian expression bani of this third voice with bass. Its relevance is not the deep pitches, but the harmonic progression. In Western Georgia this voice is nearly always moving, long persistence on one tone (bordun), characteristically for Eastern Georgia, occurs rarely; but as well as there one step dominates, as a repetition of tones caused by text recitation or as a harmonic axis always to be returned to. However, the dominant step almost never builds the finale tone.

In the oral singing tradition of Imereti there exist two lines. D. Araqishvili, one of the founders of the Georgian music ethnology, spoke of “music of the village and music of the city”. According to his opinion, the urban music, “mainly belonging to the upper class, which orientates towards music with European character,” refers to a partial “break in the creation of musical folklore by the Georgian people in Imereti. After the annexation of Georgia by Russia, with the change of the type of government, the introduction of some forms of the Western European life the psychology of the people could not remain the earlier one”. The change expressed itself in a new musical style, influenced by “the sentimental chants introduced by the Russian clergy in the churches and cathedrals”, by “gypsy songs (of restaurant-gypsies)”, Italian operas etc.” In the repertoire of Odila there are numerous examples of this urban style, even in samples of church music, what may surprise after seventy years of decreed atheism.

The village Kitskhi belongs to the region Kharagauli in the North East of Imereti. With it’s approximately 700 households and three schools it is a big village with, bigger than Vardzia and Khidari, the neighbours villages. In communist times there were produced 200 000-300 000 tons of grapes for the champagne. In the last years many vineyards have died because of the sharp decline in sales.
Main product is maize. Vegetable gardens supply the local needs. The big church at the graveyard was destroyed by the communists, now there is being built a new one, not at the old place, but as desired by the sponsor on the ground of the village club.

Once there were many families known for their musical skill and their repertoire, in the region of Kitskhi those were the Matchavariani, Chkheidze, Saqvarelidze, Antadze, Gamrekelashvili, in the neighbour village Khidari the Avalishwili, who handed down special versions of many songs. These families did not build an ensemble. They sung at home with friends at the table, on the field, at feasts or when going from house to house before Easter and Christmas.
Many ensembles were built during the sovietisation of the villages. They were subjected to cultural centres of the district and were led by famous singers paid for their work. Of great importance were the regular festivals (“Olympiads”) where the best local ensembles were awarded.

Odila was founded in 1988. Its founder and director Suliko (Silovan) Tsimakuridze (*1929), retired agronomist, sung in the ensemble of the house of culture at Kutaissi, the Imeretian capital, under the direction of Parmen Bukhaidze and Bidzina Ghoghoberidze, afterwards in the ensemble of the regional house of culture at Kharagauli under Ivane (Bichiko) Abashidze. In 1953, he attended a course of one month as choir director in Kutaissi. In the ensemble he sings the second, middle voice. As director he knows all three voices by heart. He does not use notes. He took part with many ensembles at “Olympiads”. Odila participated at festivals, symposia and concerts in Tbilissi, Kutaissi and Batumi, at radio and television transmissions. In 1993 it received the honorary title “folk ensemble”. Suliko himself got honoured with the title of a “deserved cultural worker” in 1989, in 1999 he got awarded with the „Order of dignity“. His most important request is that the oral tradition will continue.

The other members of Odila are:
- Yuza Beradze (*1939), educated at the departement for mechanisation at the Subtropical Institute in Sokhumi (Abkhasia), retired, soloist of the second voice, of the third in the trio.
- Omar Kvarakakhidze (*1945), worked after grammar school as a guard, plays the accordion and is often heard at weddings, soloist of the first voice.
- Dimitri Giorgadze (*1938), retired electrical engineer, 3. voice (bani), plays the tambour doli (double-headed cylindrical drum).
- Nodar Beradze (*1932), Yuza’s relative, educated as a metallurgist and teacher in the industrial town Rustavi, retired, 3. voice (bani).
- Yuri Chkhikvadze (*1941), educated at the garden and viniculture department of the Institute of Agriculture Tbilissi, chairman of the local council during 15 years, 3. voice (bani).

Songs

1. Odila antiphonic field song
Group I: damtsqebi (starting voice): Suliko, modzakhili (1. voice): Omar; group II: damtsqebi: Yuza, modzakhili: Nodar.

Almost all of the Georgian regions know songs which are sung before, after or during work. An especially elaborated form is the so-called naduri, which was sung while voluntarily helping the neighbours weeding their cornfields. According to Suliko Tsimakuridze, the word naduri is not known in Kitskhi, the song is called odila. The singers of Kitskhi choose the word for their ensemble. They sing the song in an adaptation by Suliko Tsimakuridze, with a third part after the spoken words.

2. Haralo... travel song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

Haralo, ovdila... / haralo, aba dela deliav nani nanina.
You – my killer, you – my burner, / you – my close neighbour, haralo…
The fire you’ve set, / tell me how to extinguish it, haralo…
Woman, your white dress, / the water of the river took it, haralo…
I wish I knew, / who kissed you sleeping, haralo…

This famous song is to be found in the repertoire of almost every ensemble. It has been recorded and published 1971 by M. Chirinashvili in the collection ”Imereti”, p. 147. Following Suliko Tsimakuridze it is sung when people betake themselves to a feast, for instance when the voluntary helpers head to the house of the proprietor of the weeded cornfield where they expect a rich table.

3. Mravalzhamier table song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

Mravaljamier!

Let God wish you Living!
Your Being for many years!

Mravalzhamier (Polychronion i. e. many years compare no. 4) is an orthodox chant to the bishop assisting the Mass. In numerous sometimes strongly deviating versions it has passed over in the profane repertoire. It has obtained an important place at weddings. The present version combines several local forms.

4. The Kitskhi Mravaljamier table song in urban style
II: Suliko, I: Omar

Mravaljamier!

This variant has its musical roots in the late 19th century, when the so-called urban style (kalakuri kilo, compare no. 15, 22, 23, the beginning of 24) developed in Georgia and particularly in Imereti.

5. Nanina... table song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

Nanina..., delivo delivo dela...
Nanina, your heart may be full of joy, / your sister-in-law allows to kiss, nanina, delia, nanina.
Nanina, guests who are not pleased, / shall not be pleased, nanina, delia, nanina.
Nanina, the host is generous, / if he has not changed his way, nanina, delia, nanina.

6. Oreri, oreri... I am not a local man… humorous song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

Oreri, oreri…
I am not a local here, / I am from the other side, from Sachine [village], orera…
Girls, be careful with me, / I am passionate about kissing, orera…
I am not a local here, / I am a Buadze [family name] from the other side, orera…
I’ve spent my father’s earnings, / up to the last crumb, orera….

Version of the neighbour village Vardzia; handed dawn orally by the Sakvarelidze, Chkheidze and Antadze families.

7. Hei, adila… table song
II: Suliko, I: Omar, III (in trio): Yuza

Hey adila …
The host enjoys, / his wine-cellar door creaks, ovdila dela aralo ivri aralo.
He will serve us red wine, / and sweeten our throats, ovdila dela aralo ivri aralo.
Adila adila...
The host knows well hospitality, / with joyful heart, ovdila dela aralo ivri aralo.
He wears out his new shoes, / walking to the wine-cellar, / ovdila dela aralo ivri aralo.
Adila adila...

This table song contains remarkable modulations. It begins with a unison of the third voice (bani), which is rarely to come across. Odila sings a version of the brothers Avalishvili from the neighbour village Khidari. A slightly different version has been recorded and published by M. Chirinashvili, “Imereti” p. 137.

8. Hoy, adileo... table song
II: Suliko, I: Omar. In the trio part Yuza sings bass.

Hoy adileo...
First, let’s wish, my friends, / prosperity to our host, dela abadela nanina.
And let’s empty the goblets, / the wine then will do us good, dela abadela nanina.

Hoy adileo...
Our host will prosper, / guests as well will florish, dela abadela nanina.
Let’s drink wine moderately, / the feast then will do us good, dela abadela nanina.

According to Suliko this table song is very old. It is sung in the middle of the feast, to toast the host. It uses the same harmonic scheme as hey adila... (no. 8).

9. Lale... humorous song
II: Yuza, I: Omar

Lale, my brother insisted: / “Youth, look for a wife”, lale.
Lale, I went and married / a stout woman, lale.
Lale, I took her to Sachkhere [village in the north of Imereti], / all and sundry stopped me on the way, lale.
Lale, I took her to Abastumani [in the south of Imereti], / all and sundry gave me one tumani [ten roubles], lale.
Lale, I led her into the yard, / a dog bit her thigh, lale.
Lale, I led her into the room, / she put her leg into the pot, lale.
Lale, she didn’t know to make mchadi [traditional maize bread], / put it straight into hot coal, lale.
Lale, she ate cheese from nine times milking, / without blinking, lale.
Lale, she got rid of her mother-in-law, / and then turned to her father-in-law, lale.
Lale, it’s all my brother’s fault; / I wish I didn’t meet the woman, lale.

10. Ori ovdelia… My rose-bud… table song.
II: Suliko, I: Omar

Ori ovdelia…Ovdelia o aralo tari aralo da.
From here up to you, I’m covered with roses up to the neck, // If they let me, I would fly to you.
Ovdelia o aralo tari aralo da.
Ori ovdelia…Ovdelia o aralo tari aralo da.

The first stanza is sung exclusively on meaningless words. Odila accidentally sung just one stanza with a comprehensible text for the record; the quoted words from the heading appear in the strophes which were left out. Sulikos adaptation.

Cemo vardis kukuro / sanam unda giyuro. // Wanamyvebi gexvewebi

11. Alilo, Christmas song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

On December 25th, Christ was born, alilo! // Christmas and New Year dawned white, alilo!
Alatassa, balatassa, God will give you plenty, alilo!
Arieli, Marieli, let Christmas be plenteous! alilo! // On 25th December Christ was born, alilo!

The songs called alilo, such as chona at Easter, are performed as announcement and congratulation in the night before the holiday by singers going from yard to yard.
Remarkable and rather unusual for Georgian songs is the solo introduction: An analogous melodical formula I could find only in a alilo from Matani in Kakheti region, a location quite far away from Kitskhi (cf. O. Chijavadze: Kartuli (kakhuri) simgherebi II Tbilissi 1969, p. 86).

12. Araloi... You are little and lovely… table song
I: Omar, II: Suliko, (solo) :Yuza.

Araloi taralali, / araloi You are little and lovely,
Araloi taralali, / araloi like a may nightingale.
Araloi taralali, / araloi You are little and lovely, like a may nightingale.
Dilai abadelo abadela / voi da You are little and lovely.
Araloi taralali, / araloi I gave you sugar,
Araloi taralali, / araloi as well as cheese and bread.
Araloi taralali, / araloi I gave you sugar, as well as cheese and bread.
Dilai abadelo abadela / voi da You are little and lovely.

In the version handed down by the Avalishvili from Khidari the third voice (bani) begins each line of the text bipartito and three partie repetitions of single lines. In a manner reminding of the entangled interface ornaments of mediaeval Georgian churches.

13. Raida bosho…I sit alone… humorous song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

I sit alone, bored, raida bosho, / Someone comes and asks for a story, bosho, bosho.
Go ahead, for God’s sake, raida bosho. / Lots of people brother, bosho, bosho,
the whole world shakes, raida bosho. / I have one beloved, bosho, bosho.
The wife took away her bed, raida bosho, / didn’t want to lie with me, bosho, bosho,
she puts on airs, raida bosho. / When I ask her for a kiss, she twists away, bosho, bosho.
She’s casted doubt on me, raida bosho, / she might fall in love with someone else, bosho, bosho.
If it’s true, I’ll wed another, raida bosho. / One can find a bunch of women, bosho, bosho.
Then she’ll witness the amusement, raida bosho, / if she has to cope without me, bosho, bosho.
I sit alone, bored, raida bosho.

Example for one of the basic forms of polyphony in Georgia: The three voices move in parallel triads. Every double line is begun by a solo of the 2. voice, subsequently taken over by the group in three parts. Odila sings a version handed-down by Suliko’s uncle Sacha Matchavariani. In the neighbour region Guria the same text (up to the end of line 3) is used for a song accompanied by the four-string lute chonguri.

14. Maspindzelsa mkhiarulsa… Merry host … table song
II: Suliko, I: Omar

- The merry host, dila vadil abadela, has guests, he likes, haralo daraloi, dila vadila.
- These guests he prefers dila vadil abadel, to one or two of his other guests, haralo daraloi, dila vadila.
- Men must enjoy, dila vadil abadela, red wine, good wine, haralo daraloi, dila vadila.

The text belongs to the standard repertoire of table songs in Guria aswell as in Imereti. In this version, handed down by the Avalishvili brothers in Khidari, the song is subdivided in three stanzas, each opened by a solo of the 2nd voice. The two lines of a stanza end in special refrains.
The music achieves its melodical enrichment, where the text consists of non intelligible syllables.

15. Tsmindao Ghmerto... O holy God. . . song in urban style
II: Suliko, I: Omar

O holy God, / o holy Mighty, / o Lord, have mercy upon us, / now and forever, to all eternity. Amen.

At the Georgian table songs of the orthodox liturgy are sung also, Tsmindao Ghmerto follows the toast to the deceased, which does not lack at a serious table. Odila presents a version handed-down by the family of the singer Yuza Beradze.

16. Shromis simghera. Work song
I: Omar, II: Suliko, (in trio): Yuza

Oho ohoho, ohohoho ohoho.
Let’s start to hoe the maize, / not damaging its roots.
Harvest will be copious, / as it seems, oho ohoho, ohohoho ohoho.
Let’s clean the granary / and repair tiles.
Flour will be good, / when maize is dry, oho ohoho, ohohoho ohoho.
In the cellar we have a press, / let’s fill it with grapes up to the edge.
Grape will be that much, / we won’t finish till the morning, oho ohoho, ohohoho ohoho.
Let’s regale the guests, / when wealth is plenty.
Let’s hold by the hands one another, / the enemy shall not enjoy himself. oho ohoho, ohohoho ohoho.
Let’s meet enemies as enemies, lads, / let’s be frank with friends.
Let’s always be together, / let’s encourage one another, oho ohoho, ohohoho ohoho.

In this adaptation Suliko combines elements of traditional work songs (e.g. the refrain) with the transfiguration of work characteristics for the Soviet ideology.

17. Shen rom mogkar tvalia... When I Caught Sight of You … wedding song
II: Suliko, I: Omari, bani (III) in the trio parts: Yuza

Orir orir ovorera ...
Refrain: Div div dilavo dilav da / rero rero nanina / nani naninavo da.

When I caught sight of you, / going your way. Arouse in my heart / a flame of love. Refrain
I’m weakened, / I’ve lost my path. I’m tortured, melted, / I walk like a drunk. Refrain
Your charm ruined / my heart and droved me out of my senses.I’m tortured, melted, / I walk like a drunk. Refrain

Introduction and refrain, both on non intelligible syllables, are sung by the whole group. In the stanzas with intelligible text, the third voice performed by a soloist. Odila knows this wedding song from Suliko’s teacher Bitchiko (Ivane) Abashidze, choir’s director at the house of culture at Kharagauli.

18. Varudila, vadila... momtsons sheni tvalebi... I love your eyes… wedding song with drum (doli)
II: Suliko, I: Omar, III (bass in the trio sections): Yuza.

- 1. Varudila, vadila…, abadelo ranina he...
- 2. I love your eyes, / my darling woman. From where the wind blows, / I’ll sneak up on you, abadelo ranina he…
- 3. If you hate me, I’ll go far away, / I’ll leave, depart, but for this love, / I’ll melt and fade, abadelo ranina he…
- 4. I’ll die and take with me / my sincere love.
I’ll shout out from the grave: / My heart belongs to you, abadelo ranina he…

Each stanza is initially performed by the trio, afterwards by the whole group.

19. Chona, Easter song
II: Yuza, I: Omar

Chona, ohoho, ha, o…
We congratulate to on holiday, / on Easter and Quasimodogeniti!
I cut out a cart in the mountains, / it came down vaulting,
Your family should fill with / children and wealth!
Alatasa, Balatasa, / put the hand in the basket take two eggs. / God will give you plenty!
Arieli, Marieli, / Don’t let us leave empty-handed!
Ay, let be alilo here, ari, let be peace here!

Chona is sung at Easter to felicitate each other. In his youth Suliko participated himself in the wandering from yard to yard at Easter and Christmas. After the performance of the song the singers were presented with coloured eggs. The song is rather rare, there are versions only in central Georgia (Kartli) and the westerly adjoining districts of Imereti. Odila is the only ensemble of Imereti which still knows the song.
It has archaic features: The text contains elements opaque and unintelligible even to the singers. Suliko explains the second stanza with the importance of the oxcart being in the past the only means of transport. The tuning (its thirds lying somewhere between minor and major) increases gradually during the song by almost a quart.

20. Aprasions ukharia… Aphrasion is glad… humorous song
II: Suliko, I: Omar.

Aphrasion is glad, / he’s built an tavern, / he’s married a big woman, / fat and clumsy, va hevo ranina da.
Odelia, the sea has dried, / the parakhod (Russian: steamboat) is no more moving. / I will see you often now, / as I am closer to you, va hevo ranina da.
Cornfields are on both sides, / dried earth is in between. / The girls of the other side / if only they were brought here, va hevo ranina da.
Vodelia, Raninao, / Galina’s got married, we couldn’t give her a dowry, / the father-in-law cursed us, va hevo, ranina da.
Last year, in the month of St. Mary’s feast (August), / I lost a woman in the wood. Who will help us finding her, / can keep her three weeks a month, va hevo ranina da.
Aphrasion is glad, / because he’s got a fat woman, / and so, he’s built. A tavern and a fireplace, va hevo ranina da.

The genre of humorous songs is very popular in Imereti. This sample has been adapted by Suliko.

21. Potpourri and dance song (with drum - doli)
II: Suliko, I: Omar

- 1. Rero, I won’t come to this village at all, rero, if you weren’t there, rero aba rero raninao da…
Rero, up and down there is Kitskhi, rero we are not to be blamed, rero aba rero raninao da…
Rero, on both sides there is Khreiti (other village in the region), rero now begins a keiphi (feast), rero aba rero raninao da…

- 2. Ey mey, deliav ranunei, / who will call me to dine, / will be dear to me.
Ey mey, deliav ranunei, / I will come to you this night, / to you – my dear.

- 3. I am walking here and there, / in Irine’s garden. Lady, let me kiss you once / on your sparkling eye. I’ll buy slippers for you, / I will kiss your lips.I’ll buy shoes for you, / let your father mourn you. [Threat as caresse]

- 4. Ramtala…

- 5. Hey, alalo…

The five parts of this song are musically quite heterogeneous: parts 1 – 4 remind of the urban style; part 5, using a mixolydic scale, could be part of the archaic group of the mainly textless round dance songs.

22. Elene love song in urban style
I: Omari, II: Suliko

Elene, Elene, / I’m playing the chonguri [four-stringed lute].
Let this damned love / first kill you, then me.
Your charm made me drunk, / I’m burning with love.
Don’t sacrifice me, let me live, / I adore your soul.
Now, my dream, / my pretty Elene.
Don’t run away from love, / freshen my heart.
Elene, Elene, / I’m playing the chonguri.
Let this damned love / first kill you, then me.

This song is exceptionally not begun by a soloist. It’s humorous character is accentuated by the rhyme elene/ mere me (Elene/ then me).

23. Gazapkhulda... Spring Has Come… urban song
II: Yuza, I: Omar

Spring has come, beneath the shrub / tender violet shows off it’s beauty, / to gladden us the rosebud / opened with charm its heart.
On branches birds / flap their wings, rustle, build nests high up, / enjoy themselves and sing.
A breeze is gently waving / the velvety green grass, as if to cover / the flowers with cloth.
Spring has come, beneath the shrub, / tender violet shows off it’s beauty, / to gladden us the rosebud / opened with charm it’s heart.

The author of the text is the poet Akaki Tsereteli (1840 – 1915). Many of his poems became folk songs just after their creation. The music shows how stylistic peculiarities of the old Georgian singing tradition integrated into the new urban style.

Each stanza is introduced by a solo of the second voice. The third voice persists as a bordun on the fifth step of the scale, and only for the last chord falls down on the first one.

24. Mravaljamier and Potpourri in urban style
II: Suliko, I: Omar

- 1. Mravaljamier!

- 2. What a joy to be with you, / what a merry life.
Who does not work, is an enemy; / we will not sing for him.
What a good time, / nothing but carousal, cheerful pastime.
To this pretty Mariama / I will sing Chari-rama [refrain of a popular song]. / This Georgian lanky lad, / what the hell is he as lank as that.
He might have fallen in love with Nutsa [woman’s name] / and have dug his head in hot ghomi [traditional maize gruel].

- 3. My hand is creeping to her, / creeping, creeping.
[The following text is added by Suliko.]
My heart is creeping to her, / creeping, creeping.
My mind is creeping to her, / creeping, creeping.

This folk song, originally on Russian words (“Gymnazisti, Gymnazistkas…”), became famous by the film Ar daidardo (“Do not be grieve”) by Giorgi Danelia with music by Gia Qancheli.

25. Gogos veparebodi... humorous round dance song
II: Yuza, I: Omar

Haral varali varalo / harali da haralo he.
I was sneaking up on a girl, he e hero, / a cradle hit me, he e hero.
Women started whispering, he e hero, / and disappeared on tiptoe he e hero.

Haral varali varalo / harali da haralo he.
I like to eat chqinti qveli [fresh cheese], he e hero, / and gnash my teeth, he e hero.
I like to kiss lovely girls, he e hero, / to hug them to my heart, he e hero.

Haral varali varalo / harali da haralo he.
A girl took me to the forest, he e hero, / she said, I know a bird’s nest, he e hero.
I kissed her once or twice, he e hero, / to win her heart, he e hero.

Haral varali varalo / harali da haralo he.
[Fast, accompanied by a doli, a drum] Haral varali varalo / harali da haralo he.
[Tempo I] I took her grain to a mill, he e hero, / she came trusting, he e hero.
You will go and we will stay, he e hero. / Farewell, he e hero.

Haral varali varalo / harali da haralo he.

Like many Georgian round dance songs built on a syncopated 3-stroke bar, this song, begins immediately with three voices, without solo. Later on the singer of the second voice enters as a soloist in a dialogue with the group. He sings the lines with comprehensible text; the group replies the lines and the stanzas with unintelligible refrains (he e hero respectively haral varali varalo). According to Suliko this song is performed when leaving from a feast; the last words allude to it as well. A variant can be found in M. Chirinashvili’s collection “Imereti” p. 30, titled “humorous round dance”.

Instruments

- Tschonguri / Chonguri
Heisst die Laute der westgeorgischen Talregionen Samegrelo, Imereti, Guria, Atch'ara. Ihr Klangkörper ist aus mehreren Spänen zusammengesetzt. Bünde gibt es auf ihrem langen Griffbrett nicht. Sie besitzt vier Saiten, von denen die am höchsten gestimmte, an dritter Stelle verlaufende ("zily" genannt) kürzer ist. [the higest and unfingered half-length drone string]. Ihr Wirbel befindet sich in der Mitte des Halses, so dass ihre Tonhöhe nicht verändert werden kann. Beim Spiel auf der Tschonguri werden seltener alle 4 Saiten angeschlagen, ihr Klang ist weniger geräuschhaft und trägt länger als der der Panduri. So kommt die hohe Bordunsaite nicht immer zum Einsatz. Es gibt verschiedene Stimmungen; häufig ist der Dur-dreiklang mit oktavverdoppeltem Grundton.

- Doli (percussion instrument) Double-headed cylindrical drum. .

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