Internet Site. Russian Federation. 10.04.2013

Source: http://georgians.ru/article.asp?idarticle=2360

On April 10th, the Georgians’ Union in Russia within the discussion club “Open-hearted Conversation” there was held a meeting with the legends of Georgian music art: an artistic director and the founder of the State Academic Ensemble “Rustavi” of Georgian Folk Song and Dance Anzor Erkomaishvili and the Chief Choreographer of the Ensemble Pridon Sulaberidze.

The Executive Director of the Georgians’ Union in Russia Zurab Kvariani delivered a greeting speech from the President of GUR (Georgians’ Union in Russia) Mikheil Khubutia. “We express our gratitude for careful maintenance and popularization of the best Georgian folk traditions of song and dance, also for strengthening of cultural ties between one-belief Georgians and Russians”, – was said in the message.    

With a greeting speech applied to the audience Anzor Erkomaishvili. “I’d like to tell you that for tomorrow’s concert our dance troupe under the guidance of Pridon Sulaberidze specially prepared several new dance items and our choir renewed its repertoire for the Moscow tour. In the concert program there are brought songs and dances from all the parts and regions of Georgia, among them there are folk songs and dances of the peoples of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, – so this way tomorrow we will present to the Russian audience – the united Georgia in art. I’m also very pleased by the fact that every participant of our Ensemble expresses their deep reverence to the Russian audience, and especially to that part, that is considered to be the Georgian diaspore in Russia”.

After this, Pridon Sulaberidze emphasized that it’s a great honor for the “Rustavi” to present centuries-old traditions of Georgian folk song and dance on one of the most prestigious stages in Moscow.

Deputy of the Executive Director of the GUR (Georgians’ Union in Russia) Nona Matua came out against the usage of modern tendencies by some Georgian national ensembles that ruin classical opinion about Georgian dance and singing. About this Pridon Sulaberidze gave an explanation that this is a matter of taste, though the raised problem is actually in front of any folklore ensemble. An activist of the youth movement of the GUR (Georgians’ Union in Russia) Khatia Chkhikvadze told us that her grandmother, nowadays deceased Tinatin Jincharadze was the very first woman performing song “Krimanchuli” (yodel) and song it with Anzor Erkomaishvili’s grandfather. In honor of this fond memory the “Rustavi” choir performed “Krimanchuli” amazing everyone by wonderful vocal variations: from singing in a low voice to sharp and high sonority.
Chorister of the Great Martyr and Victorious St. George’s Church of Georgians Nikoloz Tsikhelashvili expressed his respect to the head of the Ensemble “Rustavi” Anzor Erkomaishvili. “Your art helps to keep Georgian genetic code of our countrymen who live outside Georgia, – emphasized Nikoloz. – Through listening to the folk songs performed by the Ensemble “Rustavi” the whole generations of the Georgians keep their identity in Europe, America or Russia”.
Georgians.ru news portal journalist told us that in 1981 in the newspaper “Izvestia” there was an article telling about the inspiration of the French audience during the concert in “Olympia” of Paris. Anzor Erkomaishvili named the concert in “Olympia” a real victory after which the French were applauding standing to the Georgian ensemble from the Soviet Union.

Anzor Erkomaishvili told the guests of the evening that since the Soviet Period there have been kept Georgian church hymns and chorals in the repertoire of the “Rustavi”. “We did our utmost in order to include them in our concerts that often caused anger of the soviet and party elite, – took them into his confidence Erkomaishvili. – They even threatened to imprison me! I searched for the experts of the old church hymns all over Georgia and on several tape-recorders, at that time conditions recorded them on bobbins. Hereby, it’s noteworthy that we recorded the first part, the second part and the bass separately from one another. Then we switched on all the three tape-recorders simultaneously and restored the sonority in this way”.
At the end of the meeting the “Rustavi” choir performed the legendary polyphonic church hymn “Gaprindi Shavo Mertskhalo” (“Fly Away Black Swallow”) that took away all the attendants to the wonderful mountainous Georgia with clear sky and pure springs.