Gori Ensemble - Mravalzhamieri (მრავალჟამიერი) | Recording Earth

Want to see more? Subscribe: http://bit.do/earthsubs Here we are in Georgia's (Sakartvelo) central valley from Imereti to Kartli, stopping in the regional capital of Gori. Olly arranged a session with the century-old Gori Ensemble in Uplistsikhe, an ancient rock-hewn town dating back to the early Iron Age. Against the backdrop of the cave complex the group perform ‘Mravalzhamieri’ (May You Live a Long Life), a popular and widespread toasting song with numerous variations across Georgia. They sing polyphony of Kartli, distinguished by embellished melodic lines on a background of pedalled drones. The group’s performance is masterful with intense swells of vibrant high-reaching harmonies bathing in sustained pedals, broken only by the sudden arrival of a pause; space granted exclusively to the wind to channel through the rocky passages, before being silenced anew by the hammering chorus.