Izvikuvačka [Извикувачка]

singer of the upper melodic voice

The term is related to the verb vika (izvikuva), which means ‘to call out / to cry out’ and is indicative of one of the functions of the melodic voice – to sound freely, with a sensible penetrating force and to be heard from a long distance (see karačka, okačka)

“Izvikuvačkata has to create her voice in a different way. She izgovara the words. She creates both – she izgovara the words and she leads the melody with her voice. Simultaneously. Izvikuvačkata izgovara the song, slagačkite slagat.” (Y.T., Kadrovitsa village)

“In order to izvikuva, the singer has to speak. The one who izvikuva, she manages it. She leads the songs as she wishes. She should take care not to make a mistake. When she izvikuva, she has to izriča; the singer in the middle. The other two vlečat after her. It is easier for them. For izvikuvačkata, who leads them, it is much harder. She has to take care of the voice.” (N.H., Stradalovo village)

“Izvikuvačkata izgovara. She kara first, she kara the song in advance and the others go after her, slagačkite shoždat. Izvikuvačkata kara in a thinner voice, slagačkata kara in a thicker voice and vleče after izvikuvačkata – so she can see and make sure that the singing sodi. Izvikuvačkata izvikne, and they vlačat after her. Izvikuvačkata izgovara the words. She izvikuva.” (L.D., Stradalovo village)

“Izvikuvačkata initiates the singing. She vika first, and the others slagat. She izriča and the others vikat ‘E-E-E’. They sing the same thing. Otherwise the song is not good.” (E.B.K, Lelintsi village)

“They call her izvikuvačka, and somewhere else they call her nadizačka. You will slagate, I will nadizam. The other two sing the same way, the one in the middle sings in a different way. The one in the middle izvikue, izdigayu. The other two slagayu.” (J. I., Dragoichintsi village)

“Izvikuvačkata, she has to okne at first. We can’t just all okneme. Izvikuvačkata leads, she kara the song. She has a better voice, her voice is lighter. Izvikuvačkata is always only one. If there are two of them, their voices will be in conflict.”(G.A., Slatino village)

Phrases:

1. “Izvikuvačkata takes a more central place, she is more important. She leads the song, she leads the melody. Slagačkite vlačat after her.” (F.Ts., Stradalovo village)
2. “Izvikuvačkata would lead the songs. But neither can izvikuvačkata, nor can slagačkite without ivikuvačka. They can sing when they are all only, they should sglasat.” (L.D., Stradalovo village)
3. “Izvikuvačkata is more important. What she says, so slagačkite follow. They follow after her, otherwise they cannot. They expect from her. When you are slagačka you cannot izgovaraš like izvikuvačkata.” (E.K., Pelatikovo village)
4. “Most import is izvikuvačkata. Because as she kara the song, so slagačkite go after her. If izvikuvačkata is good, then slagačkite can also be good. If izvikuvačkata is not good – slagačkite cannot be good. They comee after her.” (M.K., Stradalovo village)
5. “Izvikuvačkata cannot sing alone. Neither can slagačkata sing without izvikuvačkata, nor can izvikuvačkata sing without slagačkite. When we poeme in group – it is much better. She sings a higher tone and we sing a lower tone.” (G.A., Slatino village)
6. “Izvikuvačkata govori and slagačkite only slagat, they don’t izgovarat. So it sounds better. To present the song. Otherwise if we speak the syllables it would be something like speaking. So slagačkite won’t izgovarat the words as clearly as izvikuvačkata. And this is better – so they keep a bass. Only izvikuvačkata should be heard.” (E.K., Pelatikovo village)
7. “Izvikuvačkata, the one who izvikuva, should be very accurate when she izgovara the song. Whereas slagačkite may not be so accurate. There should be three singers and the middle one should izgovara while she pee. Three would stay and the middle one would start to pee and the other two would accompany her. And another three at some distance. With them singing, a big horo may form. But there should be three here, and three there. (N.H., Stradalovo village)