Sutartinės (also known as: Sutartines) are a highly unique form of polyphonic folk music originating from a small area of Northeastern Lithuania. Sutartinės are either instrumental - performed on a set of woodwinds such as skudučiai, or on five-stringed kanklės; and vocal - performed by 2 to 4 female vocalists. Each song consists of a short pattern in which independent voices are intertwining using principles of canon, heterophony, antiphonal counterpoint, etc.
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Sutartinės (also known as: Sutartines) are a highly unique form of polyphonic folk music originating from a small area of Northeastern Lithuania. Sutartinės are either instrumental - performed on a set of woodwinds such as skudučiai, or on five-stringed kanklės; and vocal - performed by 2 to 4 female vocalists. Each song consists of a short pattern in which independent voices are intertwining using principles of canon, heterophony, antiphonal counterpoint, etc. This pattern can be then repeated ad infinitum, without any progression. Sutartinės are thematically varied: they were sung as working and wedding songs, and during various religious feasts.
Today, sutartinės are not a living folklore tradition, however, they are kept alive by many dedicated folklore ensembles. Sutartinės have also had great influence on Lithuanian Classical music in 20th century and have been one of impulses for Lithuanian academics for development of Lithuanian's own branch of Minimalism, independent from American endeavors.
