Polyphonic groups perform in Bylis ancient city

TIRANA, July 8 – Polyphonic groups from Albania and the region participated in the sixth edition of Bylisfonia festival celebrating Albanian polyphony, recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage. Organized in the Bylis archeological park in the district of Mallakastra, southern Albania, the festival held on July 4 and 5 targeted the preservation and promotion of this tradition among younger generations.
Yzeir Llanaj, the festival’s director, said the festival’s two days brought together people who share love for polyphonic songs, folklore costumes, arts and culture. “This festival is an event of unity on behalf of values of nation’s history, joint work serving the community, arts and tourism,” Llanaj was quoted as saying by local media.
The festival is organized in Bylis archeological park, an ancient town which dates back to the 4th century B.C. Byllis used to be the largest city in Southern Illyria, but despite this fact, it was mentioned relatively late by historians and ancient geographers. Its walls have a length of 2250m and over an area of 30ha.
Originally proclaimed in 2005, folk iso-polyphony was inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage.
Derived from Byzantine church music, Albanian Iso-polyphony is a sophisticated form of group singing, performed mostly by men. The rise of cultural tourism and the growing interest of researchers are contributing to the revival of this unique folk tradition.
The term ‘iso’ is related to the ison of Byzantine church music and refers to the drone accompanying polyphonic singing. The drone is performed in two ways: among the Tosks, it is always continuous and sung on the syllable ‘e’, using staggered breathing, while among the Labs, the drone is sometimes sung as a rhythmic tone, performed to the text of the song. Rendered mainly by male singers, the music traditionally accompanies a wide range of social events, such as weddings, funerals, harvest feasts, religious celebrations and festivals such as the well-known Albanian folk festival in Gjirokastra.