Pleqërishte

Pleqërishte is a genre of Albanian folk iso-polyphony sung by men in Labëria and is principally identified with the city of Gjirokastër and its environs. The genre is characterized by a slow tempo, low pitch and small range.

Features

Pleqërishte means both "of old men" and "of the old time" in reference to the mode of singing and the lyrical themes of part of their songs respectively. In relation to these subjects pleqërishte songs are also called lashtërishte ("of the ancient time"), a term used exclusively in Gjirokastër.[1] These specific topics have largely fallen into public disuse over the years but remain thematically notable.

Songs of the genre adhere to a slow tempo and low pitch with little vocal variation as opposed to genres such as djemurishte ("of young men") in particular.[2] As all fourth-part genres they feature a third soloist (hedhës). While in other four-part genres the hedhës mainly assumes the role of secondary drone a minor third above the keynote, in pleqërishte the hedhës relieves the first soloist (marrës) and allows him to take a breathing break.[1] Each rendition begins with the singing of the first lines by the marrës and the introduction of the second soloist (kthyes) and finally the hedhës. After the hedhës, the marrës's lyrics are repeated by the drone group in various forms and manners.

Pleqërishte songs are exemplified in the repertory of the folk group Pleqtë e Gjirokastrës sometimes regarded as the "last representative" of the genre.[1][3] One of the best-known songs of the genre and most notable renditions of the group is Doli shkurti, hyri marsi, which details a battle between Çerçiz Topulli and Ottoman troops in 1908 in the village of Mashkullorë near Gjirokastër.

Sources

  1. 1 2 3 Ahmedaja, Ardian; Haid, Gerlinde (2008). European Voices: Multipart singing in the Balkans and the Mediterranean. Böhlau Verlag Wien. pp. 218–9. ISBN 9783205780908. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  2. ↑ Stockmann, Doris; Erich Stockmann (1963). "Die vokale Mehrstimmigkeit in Süd-Albanien". Les Colloques de Wegimont. Cercle Internationale d'Études Ethno-musicologiques. 171: 104.
  3. ↑ Tole, Vasil. "Inventory of performers on iso-polyphony" (PDF). UNESCO. p. 121. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
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