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Illyrian "Albania" Ancient Music
Illyrian "Albania" Ancient Music
associated with the country of Albania and Albanian communities. Music has a long tradition in the country and is known for its regional diversity, from the Ghegs in the North to the Tosks in the South. It is an integral part of the national identity, strongly influenced by the country's long and turbulent history, which forced Albanians to protect their culture from their overlords by living in rural and remote mountains.
Diverse Albanian folk music includes monophonic and polyphonic styles, responses, choral, instrumental and vocal music. Each region has a unique musical tradition that reflects its history, language and culture.[1] Polyphonic singing and song forms are primarily found in South Albania, while in the North they are predominantly monophonic. Albanian iso-polyphony has been declared an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Gjirokastër National Folklore Festival, held every five years in Gjirokastër, is an important venue exhibiting traditional Albanian music.
Albanian music extends to ancient Illyria and Greece, with influences from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire. It is evident in archeological findings such as arenas, odeons, theatre buildings and amphitheatres, all over Albania. The remains of temples, libraries, sculptures and paintings of ancient dancers, singers and musical instruments, have been found in territories inhabited by the ancient Illyrians and ancient Greeks.
Church singing was performed throughout early Middle Ages in Albania by choirs or soloists in ecclesiastical centers such as Berat, Durrës and Shkodër.[ The Middle Ages in Albania included choral music and traditional music. Shën Jan Kukuzeli, a singer, composer and musical innovator of Albanian origin, is one of the earliest known musicians.
Internationally renowned contemporary musicians of Albanian origin from Albania and Albanian diaspora include Action Bronson, Arilena Ara, Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa, Era Istrefi, Dafina Zeqiri, Eleni Foureira, G4SHI, Ermal Meta, Enca, Elhaida Dani, Noizy and Rita Ora. In the field of classical music, several Albanian sopranos and tenors have gained international recognition including Inva Mula, Marie Kraja, Saimir Pirgu and Ermonela Jaho.
Albania is a regular contestant on the Eurovision Song Contest. The country's most successful result was in 2012 with Rona Nishliu, finishing 5th place. Its first entry in 2004 by Anjeza Shahini remains its second most successful result, finishing in 7th place.
Folk music
Albanian folk music has a deep history and can be separated into three major stylistic groups such as the northern Ghegs, southern Labs and Tosks and with other important urban music areas around Shkodër and Tirana. It reflect the cultural and political history of the Albanian people and geographic position in Southern Europe and Mediterranean Sea.
The northern and southern traditions are contrasted by the rugged and heroic tone of the north and the relaxed, gentle and exceptionally beautiful form of the south. These disparate styles are unified by the intensity that both performers and listeners give to their music as a medium for patriotic expression and as a vehicle carrying the narrative of oral history, as well as certain characteristics like the use of rhythms such as 3/8, 5/8 and 10/8.
Albanian folk songs can be divided into major groups, the heroic epics of the north and the sweetly melodic lullabies, love songs, wedding music, work songs and other kinds of song. The music of various festivals and holidays is also an important part of Albanian folk song, especially those that celebrate Lazarus Day, which inaugurates the springtime. Lullabies and laments are very important kinds of Albanian folk song, and are generally performed by solo women.
Northern Albania
The Ghegs from North of the Shkumbini River are known for a distinctive variety of sung epic poetry. The music of the north is particularly monophonic. Many of these are about the struggles of the Albanian people and history, the constant Albanian themes of honour, hospitality, treachery and revenge but also Skanderbeg, a legendary 15th century warrior who led the struggle against the Ottomans. These traditions are a form of oral history for the Ghegs and also preserve and inculcate moral codes and social values, necessary in a society that, until the early 20th century, relied on blood feuds as its primary means of law enforcement.
The most traditional variety of epic poetry is the Albanian Songs of the Frontier Warriors. These epic poems are sung, accompanied by a lahuta. It is rarely performed in modern Albania, but is found in the northern highlands within the Dukagjin highlands and Malësia. Other styles of epics also include the Këngë trimash or kreshnikësh (English: Songs of brave men or frontier warriors), ballads and maje krahis (cries). Major epics include Mujo and Halil and Halil and Hajrije.
Somewhat further south, around Dibër and Kërçovë in Macedonia, the lahuta is not used, replaced by the çifteli, a two-stringed instrument in which one string is used for the drone and one for the melody. Though men are the traditional performers (exception made for the sworn virgins), women have increasingly been taking part in epic balladry.
Along with the def, çifteli and sharki are used in a style of dance and pastoral songs. Homemade wind instruments are traditionally used by shepherds in northern Albania; these include the zumarë, an unusual kind of clarinet. This shepherds' music is "melancholic and contemplative" in tone. The songs called maje-krahi are another important part of North Albanian folk song; these were originally used by mountaineers to communicate over wide distances, but are now seen as songs. Maje-krahi songs require the full range of the voice and are full of "melismatic nuances and falsetto cries".
Southern Albania
Southern Albanian music is soft and gentle, and polyphonic in nature with similarities with Greek music on polyphonic song of Epirus. Vlorë in the southwest has perhaps the most unusual vocal traditions in the area, with four distinct parts (taker, thrower, turner and drone) that combine to create a complex and emotionally cathartic melody. Author Kim Burton has described the melodies as "decorated with falsetto and vibrato, sometimes interrupted by wild and mournful cries". This polyphonic vocal music is full of power that "stems from the tension between the immense emotional weight it carries, rooted in centuries of pride, poverty and oppression, and the strictly formal, almost ritualistic nature of its structure".
South Albania is also known for funeral laments with a chorus and one to two soloists with overlapping, mournful voices. There is a prominent folk love song tradition in the south, in which performers use free rhythm and consonant harmonies, elaborated with ornamentation and melisma.
The Tosk people are known for ensembles consisting of violins, clarinets, lahutë (a kind of lute) and def. Eli Fara, a popular émigré performer, is from Korçë, but the city of Përmet is the center for southern musical innovation, producing artists like Remzi Lela and Laver Bariu. Lela is of special note, having founded a musical dynasty that continues with his descendants playing a part in most of the major music institutions in Tirana.
Southern instrumental music includes the sedate kaba, an ensemble-driven by a clarinet or violin alongside accordions and llautës. The kaba is an improvised and melancholic style with melodies that Kim Burton describes as "both fresh and ancient", "ornamented with swoops, glides and growls of an almost vocal quality", exemplifying the "combination of passion with restraint that is the hallmark of Albanian culture."
Illyrian "Albanians" emperors formalized Christianity - "Constantine I and Justinian I "
Constantine was very generous toward the Church, although his gifts, in general, derived from looting pagan temples
Aurelio Constantini (Constantine I)
Known as Constantine the Great, was born on February 27, 274 and died on May 22, 337. Constantine was one of the most important figures of the Roman empire that reshaped it, and created the formalization of Christianity. It is considered sacred, like the Apostles of Orthodox Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church.
Constantine (Flavius Valerius Constantinus) was one of many Illyrians who managed to be emperors of Rome. He ruled 31 years (306- 337). His birth name was Flavius Valerius Constantinus. Was the boy was Constantinus Chlorus, Illyrian commander. In 305 his father was co emperor.
Constantine was the first Roman emperor who supported and tolerated Christianity in his empire. Many legends were created around his name. He systematically eliminated other Caesars and destroyed Diocletian tetrarch. Voltaire has defined his character in one sentence: "The main objective of Constantine was to be a God".
Undoubtedly, he deserves the title Constantine "the Great" for the reforms made in army, in the monetary system, as well as in the integrity of his administration. This was also an expression of his boundless ambition. It is an undeniable fact that he has left lasting traces in history. The transfer of the imperial capital from Rome to Constantinople and the adoption of the Christian religion, he radically changed the face of the empire.
(Constantine I)
Constantine was proclaimed August of West, in York, in the year 306, after the death of his father, one of four tetrarch. Constantine was held captive by Gallery, Western Empire Caesar in order to prevent him to inherit his father's function. But the young man managed to escape and foiled all attempts of the prosecution, killing all horses of imperial troops following him on the way. Constantine exercised power in Britain and Gaul, but to govern the whole empire, he had to defeat two powerful rivals. In 312, Constantine marched on Rome to overthrow the tyran Maksenc. In the Milvian Bridge, he defeated a much larger army in numbers, sent to defend the city. The swollen river tore down the bridge, killing thousands of people, among whom the Maksenc himself.
According to legend, Constantine turned to Christianity, because saw a vision in the sky, and commissioned him entrusting the fate of his army to Christian god. He pointed as the emblem on the shields of his soldiers the cross that he say in the sky, with the motto: "With this sign you will win." But, however, he celebrated the victory by traditional Roman way, with a triumphal arch. Once Constantine felt (after a 9-year waiting) that he had the necessary forces to move to the attack, he broke his alliance with Licinius, who ruled the other half of the empire. He once defeated Licinius at Adrianople, then eventually drove him from Byzantine at the Battle of Krizopolisi.
Two spectacular changes undertaken by Constantine was the construction of the "New Rome", Constantinople, and his embrace of Christianity. Shifting the center of gravity of the empire in the East, begun by Diocletian, but the city of Byzantium, chosen by Constantine, was much more strategic than the Nikomedisa, Diocletian capital. It is thought that the transfer of the capital of the empire in Byzantium was motivated by a sense of guilt, as well as strategic reasons. In fact, Rome was the city where Constantine (according widespread noise) had killed his wife, Fausta, and his son, Chrisp. Whatever the reason for the choice of Constantinople, the city was built quickly and was inaugurated with great pomposity in 330.
Justinian I
The acts of this empire are great and immortal. The largest work is the codification of Roman Prerogative. A job that was supported by a committee composed by 17 jurists, headed by Triboniani. They reviewed 2000 books and over 3 million written texts and were compiled "Corpus Juris", that is the foundation of modern jurisprudence.
In this gigantic work, Justinian, under the influence of Christianity changed and softened many old points, as the father power, and improved the situation of women and proclaimed the equality of all citizens before the law.
Justinian gave incentives on trade, art and literature. He built the famous Agia Sofia, for which was worked six years in a row.
The great Russian historian Vasiliev, in his monumental work, "The History of Byzantium" says the first and second Justinian who reigned in 518-568, were Illyrians and Albanians.
Justinian was born in Sabbatius Petrus Tauresium in the province of Dardania, in 483 AD.
During the reign of Justin (518-527), Justinian was a close friend of the emperor. Justinian showed ambition and initially worked as an officer and was a friend of the emperor. Thanks to this friendship and his skills he became emperor on April 1, 527, although there is no conclusive evidence of this.
During the reign of Justinian, Byzantine empire reaches its highpoint in all spheres of life. Thanks to him the Byzantine empire stretched from Armenia at the banks of Danube in Spain and Africa.
Arilena Ara "Albania singer "
Arilena Ara
| Arilena Ara | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Arilena |
| Born | 17 July 1998 Shkodër, Albania |
| Genres | Pop, R&B, dance |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Labels | Elite Productions |
| Associated acts | Tuna, Darko Dimitrov |
Arilena Ara (born 17 July 1998) known by her artistic name Arilena is an Albanian singer. She is the winner of season 2of the Albanian X Factor.
Career
Arilena Ara was born in Shkodër. She first participated in Gjeniu i Vogël ("Little Genius"), a talent-singing contest for children and placed third in the competition.
After her father's death, she took part in season 2 of Albanian X Factor broadcast from 28 October 2012 to 31 March 2013 on TV Klan. She auditioned in Tiranaperforming an acoustic version of Ana Johnsson's "We Are". She was mentored by judge Altuna Sejdiu in the "Girls" category. In the final, she sang Mary J Blige's "No More Drama" and Rihanna's "Man Down" and "S&M" as a duet with her coach Tuna winning the season. Recently she participated in a TV Show called "Dance With Me" 2. Her partner was Labi (an Albanian journalist from Kosovo best known for "Një kafe me Labin" or "A cup of coffee with Labi"). On 26 February 2014 she released her first video single
"Aeroplan", becoming a chart topping hit in Albania. After her success with "Aeroplan" which had 2 million views within 12 hours, her new hit "Business Class" had 1 million views in its first 9 hours. She later released her third song titled "Vegim" dedicated to the passing of her father. In 2016 she released another song, Nëntori, which gained some popularity outside Albania as well (e.g. being included on radio rotation in Romania, Russia). It topped the Romanian Airplay 100 in August 2017.
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