Yesterday afternoon in Rollins Chapel, the Rustavi Choir, an 11-member all-male ensemble, performed a delightful and accessible musical collection of authentic Georgian folk songs and hymns.
The a cappella choir, clad in colorful Georgian costume, cleanly jumped from solemn and harmonic hymns commemorating rituals and special events to playful and melodic folk tunes, altering their voices and manner to perfectly render the demands of each song.
"For Georgians, singing is as natural as breathing" claims Erkomaishvili, the choir's founder and artistic director. The selected songs, which were originally designed to accompany "Tamanda," or table rituals, indicate a strong connection of the Georgians with folk music and harmonic ensemble.
The performance clearly represented the distinctive almost archaic musical and historical background of the Georgians. Shepherd melodies and fables decorated with yodeling and authentic Georgian instrumentation magically transported the listener to the Georgian hillside and hearth.
With only a continual nod of Erkomaishvili's head to keep the beat and a practically inaudible humming before each song to establish harmonies, the Rustavi Choir tackles complex rhythms, harmonies and vocal ranges in synthesizing the rough-hewn traditional songs with a more aesthetic style for contemporary audiences.
The Rustavi Choir has performed for almost 25 years and has recorded "Georgian Voices," which has met resounding critical acclaim. With power and presence, the Rustavi Choir provided a beautiful and distinctive performance and gave the audience a taste of distinguished Georgian folk culture.
