The Princes of Lazica - Epic Byzantine Music

Laz music of Anatolia and Pontic Greek music overlap significantly, being essentially the same broad musical tradition and using the same fundamental features. The Black Sea fiddle is a primary instrument of the region, as is the tulum bagpipe, with the primary drum being the davul, all of them used here. I also employed a Georgian pandouri, an instrument commonly featured nowadays in Laz music, even of Anatolia, as a nod to their common kinship with Georgians.

Much of the music in this region is primarily dance music, and often structured in asymmetrical rythmic structures, such as a 5 based beat in this song. I really wanted to feature the Laz language in this composition, so I simply featured a Laz love song called Furt'unaşen Gebulur that me and my mom sang in the Laz language, and my colleague Dimitrios Dallas played expertly using the Black Sea kementze and the bagpipe, adding to it his own improvisations in the style of Pontic Greek music. A form of drone harmony is also found in Laz music, something shared with their Georgian neighbours, switching from tonic to subtonic. All in all, this composition shows an example of Pontic Greek and Laz music with Georgian elements added in, showing the fascinating musical landscape of Lazica at the junction of the Greek, Anatolian, and Kartvelian worlds.

Lyrics in Greek and Laz:
Έλα! Γιε της Ρώμης,
Η Ρωμανία ζει,

Ζει στα μαύρα κύματα,
Στα τραγούδια των Λαζών.

Furtunaşen gevulur
Nena momçi mevulur

E bozo skani şeni
P'anda çveri govulur

Rak'anis mot geladgir
Limçişi xvala xvala

Moxti mendegiyona
Mulurna çkimi k'ala

Var megocan e biç'i
Var malen skani k'ala

Ubas mu mologidzin
Muç'o mzuğaş kvanç'ala

Mtel dadepe hak renan
Çkva heşo var barbala

Ma şkurina va miğun
Met'k'oçi bincubala

English translation:
Come! Son of Rome,
Rhomania lives,

She lives in the black waves,
In the songs of the Lazes.

I'm coming down from the storm stream.
Give me a sound, I'm coming.

Girl for you,
I'm always walking around with burns.

Why are you standing on the hill?
In the evening, all alone.

Come let me take you,
If you come with me.

I don't trust you, young man.
I can't come with you.

What are you hiding in your bosom?
It looks like a stone from the sea.

All my sisters are here,
Don't be so stupid.

I have no fear,
Let me shut you up.

[faryafaraji]

Laz music of Anatolia and Pontic Greek music overlap significantly, being essentially the same broad musical tradition and using the same fundamental features. The Black Sea fiddle is a primary instrument of the region, as is the tulum bagpipe, with the primary drum being the davul, all of them used here. I also employed a Georgian pandouri, an instrument commonly featured nowadays in Laz music, even of Anatolia, as a nod to their common kinship with Georgians.

Much of the music in this region is primarily dance music, and often structured in asymmetrical rythmic structures, such as a 5 based beat in this song. I really wanted to feature the Laz language in this composition, so I simply featured a Laz love song called Furt'unaşen Gebulur that me and my mom sang in the Laz language, and my colleague Dimitrios Dallas played expertly using the Black Sea kementze and the bagpipe, adding to it his own improvisations in the style of Pontic Greek music. A form of drone harmony is also found in Laz music, something shared with their Georgian neighbours, switching from tonic to subtonic. All in all, this composition shows an example of Pontic Greek and Laz music with Georgian elements added in, showing the fascinating musical landscape of Lazica at the junction of the Greek, Anatolian, and Kartvelian worlds.

Lyrics in Greek and Laz:
Έλα! Γιε της Ρώμης,
Η Ρωμανία ζει,

Ζει στα μαύρα κύματα,
Στα τραγούδια των Λαζών.

Furtunaşen gevulur
Nena momçi mevulur

E bozo skani şeni
P'anda çveri govulur

Rak'anis mot geladgir
Limçişi xvala xvala

Moxti mendegiyona
Mulurna çkimi k'ala

Var megocan e biç'i
Var malen skani k'ala

Ubas mu mologidzin
Muç'o mzuğaş kvanç'ala

Mtel dadepe hak renan
Çkva heşo var barbala

Ma şkurina va miğun
Met'k'oçi bincubala

English translation:
Come! Son of Rome,
Rhomania lives,

She lives in the black waves,
In the songs of the Lazes.

I'm coming down from the storm stream.
Give me a sound, I'm coming.

Girl for you,
I'm always walking around with burns.

Why are you standing on the hill?
In the evening, all alone.

Come let me take you,
If you come with me.

I don't trust you, young man.
I can't come with you.

What are you hiding in your bosom?
It looks like a stone from the sea.

All my sisters are here,
Don't be so stupid.

I have no fear,
Let me shut you up.

[Dimitrios_Dallas]

Once again thank you for the great honor of playing on your beautiful track!

[May-papa-Nurgle-bless-you]

Im a simple man...I see epic byzantine music, I

[kvancatalan]

As a Laz from Turkey, I'm so glad to hear Laz in your song. Lazs took important role in that area.

[SirBolsón]

Just came back from visiting my grandfather's grave after he had passed away a few months back. Things are going better than before but the melancholy is still there, so this Lazic song DEFINITELY helps!

[yeetusdeletus]

How does bro pump out bangers every 2-3 days, bros channel is blessed

[glthemusicenjoyer]

This song is more fire than the ships caught in the Greek fire

[SirBolsón]

Crusaders: *sack Constantinople & leaves Rome in ruins
Venice: "It’s free real estate!"
Trebizond: "I didn't hear no bell!"

[Lone_Wolf]

Long live the Pontic Music ! I Appreciate the effort you put in this music! Salute From 🇬🇷

[Matt-dr]

I am a Kartvelian and as you know we are very related and close to Laz people and even though the words in this song is ancient and we don't talk in that language, I feel like I understand it in my heart. You awaken something really old and forgotten in me. Thank you very much

[nodaridolidze]

I am Georgian and I recognized this Lazuri song "furtunashen gevulu". Georgian ensemble of Laz song Atdzali sang this on Georgian talent show. love and respect to our Kartvelian lazuri speaking brothers and sisters, we are family and one blood, I am megruli speaking from Chkhorotsku, I understand lazuri. 🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪

[EnlighthenedOne]

As a Türk and Pontian Greek from Trapezunta, İ ABSOLUTELY appreciate the usage of the burgundy red/blue colours that you used in the background, which correspond to the colours of our Lord and Saviour, Trabzonspor F. C. 😁

Thank you Farya. You are a gem among rock and stone. =)

[sezamious]

I never thought us Laz would make an appearance here, thank you Farya

[versoeN]

As a Lazi from Vitze thank you guys for introducing my nananena Lazuri. Dido kai didi kai cumalepe.

[lucisangelum]

Your music gives me chills, but this track just moved me almost to tears. Incredible work. Your mother has an absolutely beautiful singing voice too, she was lovely to hear! Peace and love from 🇬🇪 to you and our Laz kin ❤️

[MrsRoxelanne]

Amazing work as usual, Farya!..It is extraordinary to hear the language of my people together with Greek..Such a beautiful harmony of the music and the words..One can truly feel the history through your songs..
Greetings from a Laz from Anatolia..

[johnmanole]

Your music always lifts me up from my sadness and dark thoughts

[clarithbezarius]

Only one minute in and it's already so beautiful. I am filled with a sense of longing.

[zoroaster]

Dimitrios blasting greek fire as always 🔥

[Pontic_warrior]

ⲀⲨⲦⲞⲔⲢⲀⲦⲞⲢⲒⲀ ⲦⲢⲀⲠⲈⲌⲞⲨⲚⲦⲀⲤ 🦅 Η Ρωμανία κι αν πέρασεν ανθεί και φέρει κι άλλο! Well done, very beautiful music that unites Pontic Greeks with Laz people🇬🇷🇬🇪