Who Asked the First Question?

Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University Institute of Classical, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies International Research Centre of Traditional Polyphony

Joseph Jordania

WHO ASKED THE FIRST QUESTION?
The Origins of Human Choral Singing, Intelligence, Language and Speech

Logos 2006

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To the memory of Valeri Pavlovich Alexeev and Malkhaz Abdushelishvili

© Programm “Logos”, 2006 © Joseph Jordania, 2006

ISSBN 99940-31-81-3 Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University 13 Chavchavadze ave. 0179 Tbilisi, Geogria

Tel.: [phone] 58 Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

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Contents
Foreword and acknowledgements 8 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = PART I World Styles of Traditional Polyphony 22 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Foreword 22 Question of terminology and classification 23 Vocal Polyphony in Africa 30 Sub-Saharan Africa (Rhythm; Unity of singing and dancing; Tone languages and polyphony; Characteristics of sub-Saharan polyphony 31 East Africa 36 Central Africa 37 South Africa 39 West Africa 41 Madagascar 43 North Africa 44 Sahara 45 Conclusions 46 Vocal Polyphony in Europe 47 Vocal Polyphony in Eastern Europe 49 Russia 49 Polyphonic traditions of minorities of Russian Federation 54 North Caucasian minorities (Abkhazians; Adighis, Balkarians and Karachaevis; Ossetians; Chechens and Ingushes, Dagestan) 55 The Volga-Ural region minorities of Russian Federation (Mordva; Komi; Mari; Udmurtia; Tatarstan; Bashkiria; Chuvashia) 62 North European minorities of Russian Federation 67 Jews and Rom 67 Ukraine 68 Belarus 72 Georgia (vocal polyphony in Georgia; General and regional characteristics; East Georgia; West Georgia; Improvisation in western Georgian polyphonic songs; Traditional polyphony in Svaneti; Religious music; Urban music; Scale system; Melody in polyphony; Singing men and singing women; Conclusions) 74 Balkans 105