Georgian Chants at the Frankfurt Book Fair

The Georgian Folklore State Center, together with Tbilisi State Conservatoire and fund “Georgian Chant”, prepared two collections of Georgian traditional chants especially for the Frankfurt Book Fair: "Collection of Georgian Chants" and "You are the Vineyard."

The Collection of Georgian Chants includes samples and musical notation of chants from each regions of Georgia. You are the Vineyard offers 21 variants of musical notations of this hymn, 14 of which are recorded in the audio album featuring, amongst others, Rustavi and Basiani.

With these unique editions, Georgian professional music was appropriately presented at one of the most prestigious international events of the year, the Frankfurt Book Fair.

“Georgia's participation as Guest of Honor at the Frankfurter Buchmesse proved a great opportunity for our culture and literature,” said Giorgi Donadze, Director of the Georgian Folklore State Center. “Europe and the wider world discovered them and it was yet another opportunity for our country to present its cultural resources. It was a great honor that our books together with other important publications were printed by such a prestigious international publishing house that allows the books to be spread and available throughout the world. The Festival was opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. Georgia was presented with its national stand at the Festival, which was decorated with our publications too.”

The Collection of Georgian Chants contains samples of medieval professional music developed in the Georgian Christian culture - polyphonic chants, composed by professional melodist-hymnographers and written with the old musical script, using neumes, the unified Georgian system.

Georgian chants have for years captivated Georgian and foreign scientists due to their artistic value and polyphonic and harmonious thinking. They are performed not only during Liturgy, but on stage, in Georgia and abroad.

You are the Vineyard was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and written by King Demetrius I Bagrationi. This work, full of the spirit of the renaissance, introduces the most valuable pearls of Georgian music to the world.

The Frankfurt Book Fair (Frankfurter Buchmesse) has a 500-year history. It is celebrated in Frankfurt mid-October every year, hosts up to 300,000 visitors and exhibits up to 400,000 books.

By Ana Dumbadze