TIRANA, Feb. 19 – The National History Museum hosted a unique polyphonic concert this week with Southern Albania groups from the Pilur village, located in the Himara district.
In cooperation with the Municipality of Himara and the White Sheep assemble, the concert gathered some of the most prominent names in polyphonic singing to perform in what was titled “White Sheep” and “Waves’ Girl” .
Famous polyphonic singers Ermioni MÑ‘rkuri, of the Pilur group, and Katina Beleri, of the Himara group, performed under the supervision of poet Kristo à‡ipa to celebrate the 90-year-anniversary of Himara’s polyphonous singing record registration in Paris, as well as the 45-year-anniversary of one of the most famous polyphonic songs from Albania’s south.
Head of the National History Museum Dr. Dorian Koà§i inaugurated the activity, noting the relevance of these polyphonic groups throughout history, as testified by Faik Konica’s rendition of Lord Byron’s 1809 visit to Albania in his newspaper, Albania.
“In one of his many visits to Albania, Lord Byron collected some Albanian songs. Not only he collected them, but he also knew how to sing them. We’ve learned, from his life, that he once sang to his friends while on a boat ride along Germany’s Rhine River an Albanian polyphonic song,” Koà§i said.
According to Koà§i, this might have been the first contact of a southern Albanian song with the Western world, and added that stories from Lord Byron’s traveling testify to an earlier representation of Albanian culture worldwide, before the first song was recorded by Neà§o Muko in Paris.
South Albania’s polyphonic songs are even protected as UNESCO’s cultural heritage, serving as cultural and national elements of Albanian identity.
Himara’s Mayor Jorgo Goro, who was also present at the concert, thanked the National History Museum for making it possible.
In a Facebook statement, Goro wrote the reason “Himara’s polyphonic singing is protected by UNESCO is its cultural value, passed down generation after generation in beautiful and unique Himara” , one of the country’s most visited and acclaimed districts.
