Georgian Folk Song: Gaprindi Shavo Mertskhalo

There are just a few countries in the entire world with such a developed choral culture as in Georgia. The national originality of Georgian people fully is fully reflected in harmonious singing. The roots of polyphonic church chanting go back to the 5 th century AD. Originally it existed only on folk level, but with the coming of Christianity it got the status of church chanting. For Georgian harmonies are characteristic special three-voice vocal techniques. Traditionally men do the dinging I Georgia. Like in Russian folklore all Georgian songs can be categorized as labor, ceremonial, around-the-table and dance. There are a lot of disputes related to origination of Georgian folklore. Some people believe that Georgian folk music is more than 1,500 years old. The most courageous assert that the first mentioning of Georgian dancing and singing folklore is dated back as far as B.C. For example, according to Greek historian Xenophon (the 3th century BC), among the Georgian tribes used secular music, military and dancing melodies. Georgians even went to war singing and dancing. Georgian folklore has preserved ritual songs and dances of both pagan and Christian epochs. In 2001 the UNESCO recognized Georgian songs as a masterpiece of oral immaterial heritage.