Iso-polyphony and Albanian folk culture: the back story

About Iso-polyphony and Albanian folk culture: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Tirana Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Albania’s culture is rooted in its villages: songs sung by groups of men or women over a held drone, the lahuta and the çifteli, embroidered costumes and the epic songs of the north.

Iso-polyphony

In the south of Albania, groups sing in several parts over the iso, a sustained drone. UNESCO proclaimed Albanian folk iso-polyphony a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.

Epics of the north

In the northern mountains, rhapsodes sang long epic songs to the one-stringed lahuta, and the two-stringed çifteli still accompanies folk songs and dances.

The “iso” is the drone that holds the song together.

Costume and craft

Each region had its own costume, from the white felt caps of the north to the pleated fustanella skirts of the south. Embroidery, filigree and woodwork survive in the bazaars of Krujë and Gjirokastër.

Where to hear it

The National Folklore Festival is held at Gjirokastër castle, and folk ensembles perform in Tirana and at festivals around the country. The National Theatre of Opera and Ballet stages opera and ballet in the Palace of Culture.

Our advice: listen to some iso-polyphony before you travel south, look for folk performances in the summer, and see the costumes at the Ethnographic Museums of Berat, Gjirokastër and Krujë. In Tirana, check the Opera and Ballet programme.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Iso-polyphony and Albanian folk culture: the back story before you go.