Sutartinės

Sutartinės (from the word sutarti—to be in concordance, in agreement) are highly unique examples of folk music. They are an ancient form of two and three voiced polyphony, based on the oldest principles of multivoiced vocal music: heterophony, parallelism, canon and free imitation. Most of the sutartinė repertoire was recorded in the 19th and 20th centuries, but sources from the 16th century and later show that this style of singing was important along with monophonic songs for a considerable period of time.

The topics and functions of sutartinės encompass almost all known Lithuanian folk song genres - work, calendar cycle ritual, wedding, family, wartime, historic, and other songs. The melodies of sutartinės are not complex., containing two to five pitches. The melodies are symmetrical, consisting of two equal-length parts. Rhythms are typically syncopated, and the distinctly articulated refrains give them a driving quality.

Folk singers categorize sutartinės into three main groups according to performance practices and function. Dvejinės (“twosomes” are sung by two singers or two groups of singers. While the first singer (or group) performs the first phrase of the melody, the second member (or group) sings the second part. This results in an unusual harmony of parallel seconds.

Mano vainikas,
Judabra,
Sunkiai pelnytas,
Judabra,
Šilaly rinktas,
Judabra,
Trakely pintas,
Judabra.
Šalau kojalas,
Judabra.
Pučiau runkelas,
Judabra.
Judabrėla,
Judabra,
Judabrėla,
Judabra,

Papilys

[Mano vainikas sunkiai pelnytas,
Rygelėj pirktas, kalnely rinktas.
Aš savo vainikėlio neparduočiu,
Aš savo vainikėlį išvaduočiu.]