Nart Musical Extravaganza

Anthems and Songs of the Circassian Nart Epos

АДЫГЭ НАРТ ПШЫНАЛЪЭХЭР 

 

In addition to the songs presented here, there are (recorded) anthems on Ashemez (two songs are forthcoming), Baterez, Lady Satanay, Toteresh, etc. These shall be uploaded as they become available to me. I would appreciate any files sent to me (to jaimoukha@gmail.com), especially from the Western Circassian (Adigean) repertoire. If any one has the seminal album «АДЫГЭ НАРТ ПШЫНАЛЪЭХЭР» (‘Adige Nart Pshinalhexer’) [‘Circassian Nart Melodies’], Melodiya, 1987, it would be worth considering digitizing it and making it available online.

 

 

1.  Song of the Ancient Narts

(Нартыжь уэрэд; Nartizch Wered)

 

[Kabardian]

 

Ziramikw Qardenghwsch' (КъардэнгъущI Зырамыку)

 

Words of the song are found in Z. Qardenghwsch’, 1979, p25. For the words and sheet music, see Z. Qardenghwsch’, 1969, pp 9-10. 

This anthem conveys the Circassian conception of the creation of their universe.

         Си джатэжьурэ, уой дуней, хьэщхьэрыIуэдзэ,

И дзэпкъитIымкIэ, уой, лъыр йожэхри.

 

My great sabre is as fearsome as a crazed hound,

Streaming crimson blood down its twosome fangs.

 

Chant of the Ancient Narts.wma Chant of the Ancient Narts.wma
Size : 8059 Kb
Type : wma

 

2.  Bedinoqwe’s Melody

(Бэдынокъуэ и пшыналъэ; Bedinoqwe yi Pshinalhe)

[Kabardian]

Vladimir Bereghwn (Бэрэгъун Владимир)

 

This song is from the epic album «АДЫГЭ НАРТ ПШЫНАЛЪЭХЭР» (‘Adige Nart Pshinalhexer’) [‘Circassian Nart Melodies’], Melodiya, 1987.

 

This is part of one of the epic songs on Bedinoqwe’s heroism and exploits. It describes the appearance of the intrepid horseman.

 

When the exotic warrior set on his campaigns on his steed, his two hounds played by his two sides and his two eagles perched on his shoulders. The sun shone on his right shoulder and snow fell on his left. He was preceded sometimes by a great conflagration and by thick mist at others, and a multitude of rooks swarmed, or wild birds soared, in his wake. His steed sprang and spun. The coals issuing from Bedinoqwe’s mouth set the sides of his path on fire…

 

Bedinoqwe was the son of Bedin and a Nart female warrior who fought the Chint (generic term for the enemies of the Narts) incognita in men’s war costume. Bedin and his wife lived on the bank of the Don River. Whilst a Nart was being hosted by Bedin, the sound of Bedinoqwe crying was heard from his mother’s womb as she brought in the food table. The Nart was freaked out, and he hurried to the Narts and relayed what had transpired in Bedin’s guest-house. The  Narts fell into great consternation and they resolved to murder the child the moment it would be born a male. When Bedinoqwe came to the world, the Narts kidnapped him from his parents house, but they did not have the heart to kill him, seeing how extraordinarily handsome he was, so they placed him in a hole in a tree and left him to his fate. He was found by the Nart gooseherd, who brought him up with his wife in the cellar so that no one amongst the Narts would know about this. When Bedinoqwe came of age, the gooseherd went to Bedinoqwe’s parents and told them that their son was still alive. Bedinoqwe became a man in full measure. He came out of the cellar and fought the Chint, as his mother did in earlier years, and he inflicted woe unto them, and then went back to the cellar. This is but one of many tales that relate the heroism and fierceness of Nart Bedinoqwe, the inimical foe of the Chint. Bedinoqwe did not wreak his vengeance on the Narts, his people, but he pursued a somewhat aloof existence. When the exotic warrior set on his campaigns on his steed, his two hounds played by his two sides and his two eagles perched on his shoulders. The sun shone on his right shoulder and snow fell on his left. He was preceded sometimes by a great conflagration and by thick mist at others, and a multitude of rooks swarmed, or wild birds soared, in his wake. His steed sprang and spun. The coals issuing from Bedinoqwe’s mouth set the sides of his path on fire… When he first joined the Narts in their white wine festival (санэхуафэ; sanexwafe) at the great palace of the Alij clan (cf. the Circassians’ reference to the Greeks as ‘Alijxer’), he was received very warmly and he partook in the dancing and merry-making. It was the Nart matron Satanay, in her infinite wisdom, who made the arrangements for the awe-inspiring hero to join Nart society so smoothly.

Bedinoqwe’s Melody.mp3 Bedinoqwe’s Melody.mp3
Size : 1106 Kb
Type : mp3

 

3.  Bedinoqwe’s Melody

(Бэдынокъуэ и пшыналъэ; Bedinoqwe yi Pshinalhe

 

[Kabardian]

 

Zawir Tut (Тут Заур; Tutov).

 

Words of the song are found in Z. Qardenghwsch’, 1979, pp 16-19. Two versions of the song are presented, one by Zawir Tut and the other by Ziramikw Qardenghwsch’. Tut’s version is shorter.

 

This is Bedinoqwe’s anthem performed by the famous baritone. Bedinoqwe was the son of Bedin and a Nart female warrior who fought the Chint (generic term for the enemies of the Narts) incognita in men’s war costume. Bedin and his wife lived on the bank of the Don River. Whilst a Nart was being hosted by Bedin, the sound of Bedinoqwe crying was heard from his mother’s womb as she brought in the food table. The Nart was freaked out, and he hurried to the Narts and relayed what had transpired in Bedin’s guest-house. The  Narts fell into great consternation and they resolved to murder the child the moment it would be born a male. When Bedinoqwe came to the world, the Narts kidnapped him from his parents house, but they did not have the heart to kill him, seeing how extraordinarily handsome he was, so they placed him in a hole in a tree and left him to his fate. He was found by the Nart gooseherd, who brought him up with his wife in the cellar so that no one amongst the Narts would know about this. When Bedinoqwe came of age, the gooseherd went to Bedinoqwe’s parents and told them that their son was still alive. Bedinoqwe became a man in full measure. He came out of the cellar and fought the Chint, as his mother did in earlier years, and he inflicted woe unto them, and then went back to the cellar. This is but one of many tales that relate the heroism and fierceness of Nart Bedinoqwe, the inimical foe of the Chint. Bedinoqwe did not wreak his vengeance on the Narts, his people, but he pursued a somewhat aloof existence. When the exotic warrior set on his campaigns on his steed, his two hounds played by his two sides and his two eagles perched on his shoulders. The sun shone on his right shoulder and snow fell on his left. He was preceded sometimes by a great conflagration and by thick mist at others, and a multitude of rooks swarmed, or wild birds soared, in his wake. His steed sprang and spun. The coals issuing from Bedinoqwe’s mouth set the sides of his path on fire… When he first joined the Narts in their white wine festival (sanexwafe) at the great palace of the Alij clan (cf. the Circassians’ reference to the Greeks as ‘Alijxer’), he was received very warmly and he partook in the dancing and merry-making. It was the Nart matron Satanay, in her infinite wisdom, who made the arrangements for the awe-inspiring hero to join Nart society so smoothly.

Bedinoqwe’s Melody, Tut.mp3 Bedinoqwe’s Melody, Tut.mp3
Size : 2140 Kb
Type : mp3

 

4.  Bedinoqwe’s Melody

(Бэдынокъуэ и пшыналъэ; Bedinoqwe yi Pshinalhe)

[Kabardian]

Ziramikw Qardenghwsch' (КъардэнгъущI Зырамыку)

 

This is a complete version of the anthem. See preceding entry for information.

Bedinoqwe’s Melody, Qardenghwsch'.wma Bedinoqwe’s Melody, Qardenghwsch'.wma
Size : 6295 Kb
Type : wma

 

5.  Bedinoqwe’s Lullaby

(Бэдынокъуэ и пшыналъэм щыщ пычыгъуэ)

[Kabardian]

Valantina Sosmaq (Сосмакъ Валантинэ; Sosmakova)

This song is from the monumental album «АДЫГЭ НАРТ ПШЫНАЛЪЭХЭР» (‘Adige Nart Pshinalhexer’) [‘Circassian Nart Melodies’], Melodiya, 1987.

Bedinoqwe's Lullaby.mp3 Bedinoqwe's Lullaby.mp3
Size : 8296 Kb
Type : mp3

 

6.  Nart Sosriqwe’s Melody

(Нарт Сосрыкъуэ и пшыналъэ; Nart Sosriqwe yi Pshinalhe)

[Kabardian]

Vladimir Bereghwn (Бэрэгъун Владимир)

 

The words of the tale are available in A. I. Alieva and A. M. Gutova, 1979, pp 71-5 (see 'Circassian Bibliography' section of this website). The first stanza of this song is perhaps the most recognizable in the whole of the Nart repertoire.

  

 

 

Сосрыкъуэу ди къан,

Сосрыкъуэу ди нэху,

Зи мэIухур дыщафэ,

Афэр зи джанэ куэщI!

 

Sosriqwe is our beloved one,

Sosriqwe is the light of our lives,

Whose shield is silverine, [and]

Whose shirt-hem is a coat of mail!

 

 

This is the story of the epic duels between Sosriqwe and Toteresh on Mount Hereme. In the first meet, the invincible Toteresh son of Albech easily prevails over Sosriqwe, but gives him a leave of execution until the next morning. ‘He who forfeits a date was not born a man by his mother,’ he said as he let Sosriqwe go. Terrified, Sosriqwe goes back to his over-protective mother Satanay, who counsels him to use ruse to overcome his adversary (‘the terror of whole armies’), and she invokes black magic in aid of her pet son. In fact, the brash Nart was many a time saved from certain death by the intervention of the mighty sorceress. On the set date, Sosriqwe casts a dark mist over the sacred Mount, causing Toteresh to nod off. Sosriqwe makes his appearance with loud clamour issuing from the bells attached to the mane and tail of his steed Tx’wezchey. Toteresh’s steed takes fright and casts the rider off. As Sosriqwe stands over Toteresh with sword in hand, the supine Nart pleads for a third encounter. However, wily Sosriqwe refuses, cuts off Toteresh’s head and returns triumphant to his doting mother.

Nart Sosriqwe’s Melody.mp3 Nart Sosriqwe’s Melody.mp3
Size : 12016 Kb
Type : mp3

 

7.  Lashin Addresses the Great Narts

(Лашын нартыжьхэм яхуоусэ; Lashin Nartizchxem Yaxwowise)

 

[Kabardian]

 

Valantina Sosmaq (Сосмакъ Валантинэ)?

 

This song is from the monumental album «АДЫГЭ НАРТ ПШЫНАЛЪЭХЭР» (‘Adige Nart Pshinalhexer’) [‘Circassian Nart Melodies’], Melodiya, 1987.

 

For the words and sheet music of the song, see Z. Qardenghwsch’, 1969, pp 11-14. Words of the song (under the title ‘Lashin yi Pshinalhe’ [‘Lashin’s Melody’]) are also found in Z. Qardenghwsch’, 1979, pp 22-4. An English translation – ‘Lashyn’s Satirical Couplets about the Nart Men’ – is available in J. Colarusso, 2002, pp 175-6. The music file itself contains the words of the anthem.

 

Lashin in turn addresses the Narts in derision. She refuses Amisch, Lhepsch, Schebetiniqwe, Sosriqwe, Ariqschawe, Lhebitsezchey, Yex’wtenijizch, Schawey son of Qanzh, as suitors, but avows to accept Ashemez son of Ashe as a husband if he offers his solicitations. When Ashemez refuses her suit, she adds him to her list of non-suitors.

 

Mount Lashinqey, located near the western edge of Lashinqey, a settlement on the left bank of the River Chegem in Kabarda, also known as Tox’wtemischey, is thought to be the burial mound of the Nart heroine.

 

 

Лашын нартыжьхэм хуаусэ

  

1.

И бжьамиижьыр жьыуэ къегъаджэ,

И мэл гуартэшхуэр джабэм кlэрехуэ.

Нартхэ Амыщыжьри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

 

2.

Дагъэр и нэкlум къыревыкlыри,

И пщэм мэл хьэпlатlэри кlэрымыкlи.

Нартхэ Амыщыжьри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

 

3.

Мафlэр и lэгум къолыдыкlыри,

Зэпэлыдыкlыри и lэщlагъэщ.

Нартхэ Лъэпщ къанри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

 

4.

Пщэдджыжьым си къалэнщи узогъэпскlри,

Пщыхьэщхьэ къэскlэ хэт усхуигъэпскlын?

Нартхэ Лъэпщ къанри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

 

5.

Курпыщхьэ бжьэпэ укъыщоуэри,

Джылызэ нэсыжари еблыгъуэхщ жи.

Нарт Щэбэтыныкъуэри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ укъыслъыхъуми, сыпхуэмейкъэ!

 

6.

Гъуэгыгъуащэри бадзэуэгъуэ щакlуэри зэдохьри,

Губгъуэм уит зэпытщи, сыпхуэмейкъэ.

Нарт Щэбэтыныкъуэри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ укъыслъыхъуми, сыпхуэмейкъэ!

 

7.

Цей lэфракlэ щэщlыр лъэпэд пхуримыкъу,

Уэ цей пхурикъуни сэ хэт езгъэджын?

Нартхэ Арыкъщауэри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ укъыслыхъуми, сыпхуэмейкъэ!

 

8.

Лъэбыцэжьейри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ укъыслъыхъу щхьэкlэ, сыпхуэмейкъэ!

Шэпсыранэ жэпкъым ухэкlуадэм,

Пхъэ вакъэ шууэ дэнэ укъисхыжын?

 

9.

Афэ гъуэншэджиблыр къегъэлажьэ,

И къаугъэ лажьэми дэ димыкlи.

Нарт Ехъутэныджыжьри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

 

10.

Шы джэмыдэжьыр хым нытырехуэ

Кхъуэ къуэлэн щийри и зэ къэхугъуэщ.

Къанж и къуэ Щауей си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

И анэр нэрыбгейщи, сезэгъынукъым!

 

11.

И Тхъуэжьей цlыкlур лъэбышэ мащlэщ,

Езы цlыкlур жырщи, lэщэхуэфlкъэ.

Нартхэ Сосрыкъуэри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами сыхуэмейкъэ!

Лъэпэкlэрыхъщ, жэмыхъуэрылъхущ,

Фыз псэжьым къилъхуащи сыхуэмейкъэ.

Нартхэ Сосрыкъуэри си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ къыслъыхъуами, сыхуэмейкъэ!

 

12.

И шы пэхушхуэр насэ-пасэщ,

Езы цlыкlур есщи, lэщэхуэфlкъэ.

Ашэм и къуэ Ашэмэзыр си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Зы шу къыслъигъэхъуми, сыдэкlуэнут!

 

13. (Ashemez's response)

Емыщlэхэ гуащэм уэ урипхъу кlасэт,

Удиблым я кум ущагъэсат.

Нарт щауэфlу исхэми уахуоусэ,

Бэрэ усхуэусэми, сыпхуэмейкъэ.

Уи lуданэ-мастэр зэкlэлъымакlуэщ,

Уи жьэ къемыкlуэ къэнэжакъым)!

 

14.

Тэджэлей цlыкlур, дыщэ мэlури,

Лlыгъэкlэ зыбгъэlу щхьэкlэ, улlымыхъукъэ!

Ашэм и къуэ Ашэмэзыр си псэлъыхъукъэ,

Бэрэ укъыслъыхъуми, сыпхуэмейкъэ!

 

Lashin Addresses the Great Narts.mp3 Lashin Addresses the Great Narts.mp3
Size : 4194 Kb
Type : mp3
 
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