Thou Art a Vineyard ( ka, შენ ხარ ვენახი, tr) is a medieval

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

hymn. The text is attributed to King

Demetrius I of Georgia Demetrius I ( ka, დემეტრე) ( 1093 – 1156), from the Bagrationi dynasty, was King of Georgia from 1125 to 1156. He is also known as a poet. He was King of United Georgian kingdom two times, first in 1125 to 1154 and second in 1155 ...

(1093–1156). The composer of the music is unknown. Supposedly Demetrius I wrote it during his confinement as a monk in the

David Gareja Monastery David Gareja ( ka, დავითგარეჯის სამონასტრო კომპლექსი) is a rock-hewn Georgian Orthodox monastery complex located in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia, on the half-desert slopes o ...

. The hymn is dedicated to Georgia and the patronage of the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

; it is also a prayer of praise to Mary in the

Georgian Orthodox Church The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...

. As the lyrics did not mention any saints or gods, this was the only church-song that was permitted to be performed in the anti-religious Soviet Union. There are East Georgian (Kartli-Kakhetian) and West Georgian (Gurian) versions of this chant with very different musical compositions. ''Thou Art a Vineyard'' is usually sung by a

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

without instrumental accompaniment and is a classic example of Georgian choral music. The hymn is representative of the late Medieval traditions of the Georgian Renaissance.

Text

Popular culture

It was performed in a Georgian 1969 film,

Don't Grieve ''Don't Grieve'' (russian: Не горюй!; ka, არ იდარდო!) is a 1969 Soviet comedy film directed by Georgiy Daneliya. Film is loosely based on the novel "My uncle Benjamen" by French writer Claude Tillier. Plot In the end of ...

. Its rendition can be heard in 'The Poet in the Prince's Court' segment of the Soviet Armenian film

The Color of Pomegranates ''The Color of Pomegranates'' is a 1969 Soviet Armenian art film written and directed by Sergei Parajanov. The film is a poetic treatment of the life of 18th-century Armenian poet and troubadour Sayat-Nova. It has appeared in many polls as one of ...

. This hymn is used as one of Georgia's musical themes in the video-game expansion, '' Civilization VI: Rise and Fall''.{{cbignore A rendition is used as the main theme for the YouTube Web Series, Journey in Classic Era.

References

External links

The Recovering Choir Director"You Are the Vineyard, Newly Blossomed: Contemporary Performance Aesthetics in Georgian Orthodox Chant"
Middle Georgian literature Eastern Christian hymns Christian chants Georgian words and phrases Songs of Georgia (country)