Trys Keturiose

Text: Press materials

Five women: Daina Norvaišytė, Eglė Sereičikienė, Rima Visackienė, Daiva Vyčinienė, the leader, and Audronė Žilinskienė specialize in the performance of original Lithuanian polyphonic songs Sutartines. These songs stand out from the rest of Lithuanian folklore due to their rich use of seconds, entwined voices, accentuated rhythmical patterns and the simultaneous sound of two different texts (main and refrain). All these qualities of polyphonic songs require an extraordinary concord of performers, a habit of singing together or “sutarimas” (the name Sutartines was derived from verb “sutarti” – to agree, to accord). Thus, it is not accidental that since the ancient times, Sutartines have been sung in small groups (2, 3 or 4 women).

 The leader Daiva Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė created the first group in Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ Art School in 1982. Later the group’s line-up changed. “Trys keturiose” (“three in four”) are words of one refrain, which playfully reflect at times varying, at times constant composition of this group (sometimes there are three, and sometimes there are four singers). The group has a long experience of singing traditional songs, and they do not copy sounds from archival records, but seek to retain the authentic colour of sutartinės. The singers try to understand this archaic tradition of the language, experience a deeply spiritual and aesthetic feeling and send these emotions to the modern listener. They also seek to approach contemporary arts and collaborate with composers and media artists.

Even though varied accompaniment is common in modern interpretations of sutartinės (folk-rock, folk-jazz, etc.), traditional singing without any accompanying instrument is the preferable form for contemplation. Only singing a cappella-creates the possibility to listen carefully to each other’s voices, rhythmic pulsations, syllable pronunciation, potential common “breathing”, the creation of exceptional harmony.’

Selected Concerts

2016

  • Theatralized musical performance Rasų Ratas [Circle of Rasas]: Brigita Bublytė (singer, dancer; the author of project), Dominykas Vyšniauskas (trumpet, flugelhorn etc.), Trys Keturiose (sutartinės’ singers), Anykšiai Arts Incubator, 24 September.

2015

  • Mugam and sutartinės: Dialogue, international project based on Lithuanian sutartinės and Azerbaijani Mugam fusion, Vilnius, 25 November.
  • Sutartinės’ concerts in EXPO 2015, Milan, 9-12 Spetember.
  • Ancestors, Part II: Abraham Brody & Trys Keturiose at Barbican Centre Art Gallery London, 24 July.
  • So klingt Europa [The Sound of Europe], part IV: Lithuania, Federal Ministry of Finance, Berlin, 11 March.

2014

  • Concerts in the international festival “Baltic festival 2014”: “Polyphony in St. Olav Breklum” (Olav), Hauptkonzert “Bernsteinstraße” (Flensburg), “Singing Revolution” (Schleswig), 8-11 May.

2013 

  • The project Free Culture Gdansk-Vilnius (cooperation Polish and Lithuanian musicians): Grażyna Auguścik, Weronika Grozdew–Kołacińską, Jarosław Bester, Olgierd Walicki, Michał Jelonek, Joszko Broda, Tomasz Ziętek, Jakub Staruszkiewicz, and the Trys Keturiose Choir from Lithuanian and the String Orchestra from Vilnius Kristoforo (Gdansk, Poland, 8 September)
  • Sutartinės concerts in the Festival dožínkových tradic (Kromeriz, Czech Republic, 22-23 August )
  • Sutartinės concerts in the archaic music festival REGIÖÖ XII (Tallinn, Estonian, 16-17 May)

2012

  • Sutartinės concert in the festival Free Culture Gdansk – Vilnius 2012 (Gdansk, Poland, 8 September)
  • International project in the festival Free culture Gdansk-Vilnius 2012, performers: „Trys keturiose“, Michał Jelonek, Olo Walicki, Tomasz Ziętek, Weronika Grozdew-Kołacińska, Rafał „Praczas“ Kołaciński (Gdansk, Poland, 9 September)
  • Japanes culture festival NowJapan, performers „Trys keturiose“ and Ainu singers (Vilnius, Lithuanian, 17 August)
  • Sutartinės concerts (14) in the International festival „Klangkosmos“ (Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, 11–24 May)

 

2011

  • Sutartinės concert in the XIIth International Festival “The Oldest Songs of Europe. Tradition and Avant-garde” (Lublin, Poland, 6 October 2011)
  • JODEL, JUZ & SUTARTINES: Trys Keturiose & Die Finks. Glatt&Verkehrt music festival in Krems, Austria
  • Išnykusi gentis ‘Genus. Disappeared Tribe’ (composition by Remigijus Merkelis, dedicated to Trys keturiose and the instrumental ensemble Gaida, was written for the Glatt&Verkehrt music festival in Krems, Austria)
  • Varom, sutartines, varom! ‘Go, sutartines, go!’ (composition by Mindaugas Urbaitis dedicated to Trys keturiose and the instrumental ensemble Gaida, was written for the 21st Gaida music festival, Vilnius)

 

2010

  • Sutartinės concert “Voices from Song Country Lithuania”. “Takanawa Kumin Plaza” in Tokyo (Japan)
  • Sutartinės concerts at the 5th International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony. Tbilisi State Conservatoire (Georgia)
  • WAFT, the performance based on polyphonic Lithuanian song – Sutartinės (Lithuanian band FUSEDMARC and TRYS KETURIOSE in an audiovisual dialogue). HELLERAU, Europäisches Zentrum der Künste Dresden (Germany)
  • From Polyphony to laptop Quartet (Sutartinės: polyphonic songs from Lithuania, “Trys keturiose“).The BALTIC festival, Concertgebouw Brugge (Belgium)

2008

  • Sutartinės – Vokalmusik aus Litauen (“Trys keturiose“). LENTOS Kunstmuseum Linz, Festival 4020 [mehr als musik] minimal::maximal (Austria)
  • ETNO KONCERT Etnomuzikologija i izvođaštvo: Sloveni, Baltik, Balkan (Moba / Srbija; Drevo / Ukrajina; Ruska muzika / Rusija; Trys keturiose / Litvanija). Jugokoncert, 2008. Belgrade (Serbia)
  • It chould sound like bells (Bulgaria: Bistritsa grannies und Mitevi Brothers; Lithuania: Trys keturiose). Universität für darstellende Kunst Wien, Haydn-Saal. (Austria)

2003

  • MaerzMusik-2003, Festival für aktuelle Musik: authentic sutartinės; compositions by Algirdas Martinaitis (Bienenmensch); Antanas Jasenka (“Electronic sutartinės”); Linas Rimša, Linas Paulauskis project (“E-Sutartinės Party”)

1999

  • Najstarsze pieśni Europy, International Festival (Lublin, Poland)

1998

  • Smithsonian Folklore Festival (Washington, JAV)

 

CD and DVD

2017

Bitela. Bee CD. Chants about bees. Recorded in the Historical Beekeeping Museum in Stripeikiai, Ignalina District, Lithuania. 2015.06.28. Sutartinės performed by Trys Keturiose, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader. Dangus, 2017.

2015

Lingo Rito Tatato. Introduction to Sutartinės Lithuanian Polyphonic Songs. [performed by] Sutartinės chanting group “Trys keturiose“, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader. Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader of the project, author of the book Vilnius, Lithuanian Academy of music and theatre, 2015. 1 CD + book (176 p.: illustr.)

2012

Kas tar taka ‘What‘s that a flowing’. Sutartinės performed by Trys Keturiose, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader. Vilnius: Dangus, 2012.

2010

Išjoj brolis karelin ‘My Brodher Riding to War’. Karinės-istorinės dainos ir sutartinės ‘Military-historical songs.’ / [performed by] “Visi“, Evaldas Vyčinas, Leader, and “Trys keturiose“, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader. Vilnius: Šilalės kraštiečių draugija, 2010. “Trys keturiose“: 2–11.

2009

Šokamosios  ir žaidžiamosios sutartinės ‘Danced ir played Sutartinės.’ / [performed by] ‘Dijūta’, ‘Kūlgrinda’, ‘Lauksna’, ‘Radasta’, ‘Sadauja’, ‘Trys keturiose’; Dalia Urbonavičienė, Author of the book, Compiler of DVD. Vilnius: Kronta, 2009. A book (312 p.: iliustr.) + 1 DVD. ‘Trys keturiose’: 1, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17.

Dūno upe lylio. Sutartinės / [performed by] ‘Gadula’, Andrius Morkūnas, Leader; ‘Trys keturiose’, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader, and others. Rec. and comp. by Andrius Morkūnas. Kaunas, 2009. 2 CD. ‘Trys keturiose’: 31–39.

2008

Lino laikas ‘Linen Times.‘/ [performed by] Sutartinės chanting group ‘Trys keturiose’, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader. Daiva Vyčinienė, Head of project; Jurgita Treinytė-Jorė, Author of photographics, videofilms. Vilnius: Kronta. – 1 DVD + book (49 p.)

Sutartinių pynė. Sutartinės nuo archyvinių (1935–1937 m.) įrašų iki šiuolaikinių interpretacijų ‘The String of Sutartinės. Sutartinės from Archive Records (1935–1937) to Modern Interpretations‘ / [performed by] Sutartinės chanting group “Trys keturiose“, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader, Folklore ensemble “Sedula“, Daiva Steponavičienė, Leader; tautiška kapelija „Sutaras“, Antanas Fokas, Leader; Mokslų akademijos folkloro ansamblis “Dijuta“, Rūta Žarskienė, Leader; Folkrock group “Atalija“; Rytis Ambrazevičius; Modernized folklore group “Pievos“. Vilnius: KUKŪ. 2008. – 1 CD + booklet.

2007

Note Lithuania. Folk CD and DVD. Living tradition (by Daiva Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė). Vilnius, Music Export Lithuania.

2004

Kokių giedosim, kokių sutarysim? Sutartinių pradžiamokslis ‘Primer of the sutartinės.‘/ [performed by] Sutartinės chanting group “Trys keturiose“, Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader. Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader of the project, author of the book. Vilnius: Lietuvos muzikos akademija. – 1 CD + book (120 p.)

Sutartinės (2) / Daiva Vyčinienė, Arvydas Kirda, Compilers, authors of the text; [performed by] “Dijūta“; “Griežikai“; “Jievaras“; “Trys keturiose“; “Visi“. Vilnius: Juosta Records, 2004. – 1 CD + booklet [in Lithuan. and Engl.; 28 p.]

2003

Sutartinės (1) / Daiva Vyčinienė, Compiler, author of the text; [performed by] Arvydas Kirda; “Griežikai“; “Jievaras“; “Trys keturiose“. Recorded 2002–2003 in recording studio “Tembras“. Vilnius: Juosta Records, 2003. – 1 CD + booklet [in Lithuan. and Engl.] (24 p.)

1998

Sutartinės: polifoninės dainos. Lietuvių tradicinė muzika ‘Sutartinės: Polyphonic Songs. Lithuanian Traditional music.‘ / Tautos namų santara; Daiva Vyčinienė, Compiler; [performed by] Sutartinės chanting group “Trys keturiose”; Daiva Vyčinienė, Leader; Evaldas Vyčinas (instrumental sutartinės). – Vilnius, 1998. – 1 CD + booklet (36 p.; illustr).

 

http://www.mic.lt/en/database/folk/composers-artists/trysketuriose/

http://www.dangus.net/releases/albumai/039_TrysKeturiose.htm

http://www.so-klingt-europa.de/en/countries/lithuania/artists/trys-keturiose/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSpsotYZ8Ts

http://www.etno.lt/vilniaus-folkloro-ansambliai/255-trys-keturiose

http://www.terminal.menufabrikas.lt/en/mugam-ir-sutartin%C4%97s-dialogai

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqc4IloUxNc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJmjnYWY_W8

https://www.facebook.com/TrysKeturiose/?fref=ts