Argokhi
Pirtskhelani Family Ensemble
The Pirtskhelanis are from Latali, Svaneti.¹ About fifteen years before the time of recording, the family moved to the village of Argokhi in Kakheti. Argokhi sits beneath the snow-capped peaks of Tusheti, nested between rolling, pastoral hills. Romeo and Darejan Pirtskhelani raised their eight children in song.
Each track on their page is performed by different members of the family: Beso plays the chunir; Girshel sings ballads on the panduri²; Darejan, Teah, Betkil and Beso perform several traditional Svan songs together.
To hear other songs in the Svan language, visit Dato Naveriani & Mate Pitskhelava and Kasletila Ensemble's profiles.
¹Svaneti is a region in northwestern Georgia, perched high in the Caucasus Mountains. The local language is Svan, one of four Kartvelian languages spoken in Georgia. Due to its isolation, Svaneti more than other regions has retained many of its ancient customs, including its unique choral singing tradition. Most Svan songs are antiphonal, alternating between two choirs of similar size, and are performed with a round dance. The chunir, a 3-stringed bowed lute, and the changi, a harp mostly played by women, are frequently used to accompany singing.
²A three-stringed, fretted lute common in all regions of northeastern Georgia. The instrument is most frequently used to accompany ballad singing. Read more about the panduri here.
Pirtskhelani Family Ensemble