The Issue of Folklore in Contemporary Author’s Songs in Georgian Folk Music

Abstract

In today’s Georgia most of the songs by contemporary authors referred to as ‘folk’ have little to do with traditional musical regularities; the examples, disseminated as specific, established variants, are also called ’folk’. Modernized instruments created in the 20th century are also regarded as folk. It is strange that their consideration as folk examples is often acceptable to their authors. The article aims to study contemporary author’s songs and to reveal their connection with the regularities of folk musical language.In the modern era author’s songs on folk motives have not yet been given scientific name. Georgian researchers refer to such examples as ‘para-folklore’, ‘modernized folklore’ and ‘pop-folk’. In all three definitions they are called folklore. The difference between them is shown only by the prefix. This article poses specific problems and shows possible solutions to them, for example: what brings the contemporary author’s songs closer to folk tradition? Why are they considered folk? What are their characteristic musical features? What factor contributes to the popularity of these examples? Also, based on the musical analysis and personal interviews, the folk character of the repertoire of contemporary author’s song performers (trio Mandili, Gogochuri sisters, group Bani, Davit Kenchiashvili) is discussed.