Gjirokastër, Albania / Vlorë, Albania

Albanian Folk Iso-polyphony

Also known as Albanian Folk Iso-polyphony, Albanian polyphonic singing, Albanian folk polyphony, Iso-polyphony

Southern Albania's extraordinary polyphonic tradition layers solo voices and countermelodies over a communal drone known as the iso.

Origins and context

Iso-polyphony developed within the communal oral traditions of Albanian-speaking communities and historically accompanied both ritual and everyday social events. Its antiquity is clear, but a precise place or date of invention cannot be documented.

Gjirokastër, AlbaniaVlorë, Albania

The sound

Characteristics

Unaccompanied voices
Iso drone
Lead melodic voice
Countermelody
Two-part polyphony
Three-part polyphony
Four-part Lab polyphony
Staggered breathing

History

Albanian iso-polyphony is an orally transmitted singing tradition with deep roots in Albanian community life, although its precise age cannot be established securely. UNESCO distinguishes several regional practices, especially those associated with Tosk and Lab communities in southern Albania. The term iso refers to the sustained drone beneath the leading melodic parts and is related linguistically and conceptually to the ison found in Byzantine church singing. Traditionally performed especially by men, iso-polyphonic songs have accompanied weddings, funerals, harvest celebrations, religious observances and other social occasions. Tosk practice commonly uses a continuously sustained drone, while Lab singing can employ a more rhythmically articulated drone and particularly complex multipart structures. Professional ensembles and cultural festivals have become increasingly important for transmission as rural social life has changed. UNESCO originally proclaimed Albanian folk iso-polyphony in 2005 and inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.