BELLOWS FALLS — In the mountains and along the coasts of Georgia, the ancient country that straddles the Caucasus Mountains, songs have echoed for centuries. Villages and regions developed their own distinctive approaches to melody and harmony, to style and timbre.
Iberi, a men's choir from Georgia in Eurasia, will share their distinctive choral traditions at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 6, at Immanuel Episcopal Church, 20 Church St.
The six-person vocal and instrumental ensemble channels Georgia's multitude of sounds, exploring the emotional potential of age-old polyphony and traditional instruments. These are songs so beautiful, they were launched into space on Voyager 2's golden record and declared an intangible cultural treasure by UNESCO.
These songs reflect Georgian life, even as many Georgians move in cosmopolitan urban worlds, far from the farms, orchards, and rural celebrations that birthed the music.
Iberi embrace every aspect of these traditions, including the toasts and feast songs that are intimately entwined with Georgia's notoriously abundant hospitality, but also the urban folk songs, lullabies, liturgical chants, and historical ballads that still play important roles in everyday moments and grand occasions.
The mood varies from dignified and somber to playful and fun, from earthy to otherworldly.
Taking their name from an ancient region of Georgia, Iberia, Iberi started singing together in 2012, at a rehearsal convened by Bidzina Murgulia, a former rugby player and lifelong singer.
Like the majority of Georgian young people, Murgulia said he had grown up surrounded by singing - “Music is everywhere here” - and got hooked. He was inspired to put his own, respectful stamp on centuries-old songs.
“I longed for years to start my own choir, to bring my musical vision to life,” he said.
He finally decided to set his sports career aside and dedicate himself to a love of music. His collaborators and fellow singers soon became his fast friends, and warmth radiates from the group.
Much like skilled jazz players, Iberi are passionate about an often forgotten traditional approach to improvisation as a way to uncover new aspects and colors in well-loved pieces.
“In Georgian traditional singing, there is a lot of space and possibility to improvise,” Murgulia said. “In Iberi, we often do our own interpretation of songs by mixing diverse versions of one song and adding our own touch.”