Traditional Lithuanian polyphonic songs.

Saturday, 19th May 2012, 20:00, Muziekpublique (Molière), Galerie de la Porte de Namur, Square du Bastion 3, 1050 Brussels.

Since 1981 the group Trys keturiose specialises in the performance of traditional Lithuanian polyphonic songs sutartinės. These songs stand out from the rest of Lithuanian folklore due to their numerous use of seconds, entwined voices, accentuated rhythmic patterns and the simultaneous sound of two different texts (main and refrain). All these qualities of the polyphonic songs require an extraordinary concord of performers, a habit of singing together (the name sutartinės was derived from verb “sutarti”- to agree, to accord). Thus, it is not by accident that since the old times sutartinės have been sung in small groups of three or four women. Nowadays the tradition of singing sutartinės in Lithuanian rural regions is dead. Various city folklore groups keep up this tradition.

Trys keturiose (lit. - “three in four”) are words of one refrain, which playfully reflect at times changing, at times constant composition of this group (sometimes there are three and sometimes there are four singers, or three singers permanent and the fourth changes). As the group Trys keturiose has long experience of singing traditional songs, it does not copy the sound of the 1935/37-archive records. The group pursues to develop its own sound as well as aspires to give modern meaning to the old songs.

The leader of Trys keturiose is Mrs Daiva Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė, Ethnomusicologist, Doctor of humanities, Associate Professor, Department of Ethnic Music, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.