The present bilingual publication is devoted to Valerian Maghradze’s Meskhetian expedition material from the 1960–1980s, which to this day has not been studied or published. His contribution to the study of Meskhetian musical heritage is immeasurable – if not for Maghradze’s selfless labors, we would not have had the possibility of getting to know the audio examples represented here and preserved in the people’s cultural memory, with these audio examples possessing exemplary artistic and performance value.

Having the goal of bringing back this unique expedition material to the academic and performance realms, 340 audio examples surviving from the archive materials have been included in the publication.

The project was implemented by LEPL Tbilisi Vano Sarajishvili State Conservatoire, Caucasus University Ltd., Georgian National University Ltd. (SEU), and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University within the framework of a mutual collaboration memorandum signed in 2020 envisioning the publication of unique archival folklore recordings kept at the Conservatoire. This publication is financially supported by Caucasus University Ltd. and Georgian National University Ltd. (SEU).

Compiler: Victoria Samsonadze and Baia Zhuzhunadze

Editor: Rusudan Tsurtsumia

The publication was prepared by Nikoloz Zazashvili, Nino Razmadze, Ana Lolashvili

Translator: Eirik Halvorson

Designer: Sandro Chkhaidze

The audio recordings were prepared in the sound recording studio “Georgia Chanting” of the University of Chant

Sound Engineers: Giorgi Jolbordi, Natali Maisuradze

Project coordinators: Nino Razmadze, Nini Kutelia