| Mongolia |
Ganbold and his wife Enkhzaya in the train to Ulaan Bator
Japanese friends
Chris, our american friend loving cigar and wine (no royalties for you, guy!)
Contorsionists are performing in the "National Drama Theater"...
...and in the Tumen Ekh theatre as well
Palamjav Tsildee : Khöömii singer (or " throat singing ").
Details about Palamjav's life:
Palamjav, as all his group members ("Altai Khairkan" (means "respect for the Altai mountains")) was born is Uvs, a small town located in the northwest of Mongolia. His father was a storyteller. It's a tradition inherited from shamanism; shamans were at the same time healers, priests and storytellers. Palamjav began his artistic career very joung as a dancer. He's been consecrated two times the best dancer of Mongolia while he was in the army. Several years later and after a couple of tours in Europe, Palamjav learn to sing in the Khöömii style ("throat singing") and also initiate himself to Tobshuur (Mongolian lute with 2 strings). A few years later, he became a talented musician and he's gone to live in Germany with his former band. He stayed there for 8 years and during that time, he studied German language. Since 2 years, he's living in Holland with his new band. His son is one of its members and 2 of his childhood's friend too.
Palamjav (on the picture's right side) with his son Lhamjav Palamjav (on the picture's left side) and his student Iderzogt (on the picture's center) singed for us a beautiful Magtaal song (song of praise). Palamjav composed the lyrics of this song.
You can download this song by clicking on this link
Accompaniment's instruments: 1 Morin Khuur et 1 Tobshuur.
Khöömii techniques used: Kargyraa, Naryn Khöömii, "Sharaa".
CONTACT Palamjav Tsildee:
phone in Amsterdam : 0031 (0) 622523414
phone in Ulan-Bator : 99249426
Email : akkhan@tengri.nl
Village near Ulaan Bator (30 kilometer from UB center).
Andrew, a canadian guy.
Tracks near Tsetserleg.
Road leading to Kharkhorin.
Small halt in a yourt.
Camels
That day, we're totally lost, but seeing this worthed it !
Gandantegchinlen Khiid monastry
Tuvshinbayar was born in the south of Gobi. He began studying music from the age of 16 with Mr. Tseten Bee, a very famous Morin Khuur player. A couple of years later, he made his studies in a musical school of Ulan-Bataar. During his 4 years of study, his professor was Mr. Tsee Purou. Since 1994, he's been more and more interested with throat singing and began practicing with a Khöömii singer named Otsolour.
Interpreter : Tseasegee, one of the guides working in our guest house (named Idre's guest house).
Lhagwa-Ochir (on the picture's left side) et Monkhsaikhan (on the picture's right side) are two very talented Morin Khuur's players. They studied music since their very childhood and are now is their second year of musical studies in the musical department of the fine arts faculty of Ulan-Bataar.
Special thanks to their professor : Tsengelmaa (Tseasegee sister)
LINKS:The website Soundtransformations is incredibly rich in informations about mongolian tradtionnal music http://www.soundtransformations.btinternet.co.uk/ (website of Michael Ormiston and Candida Valentino)
Mongolian folkloric traditions:
1) Mongolian folkloric dances:Here are 2 extracts of Mongolian dances performed in the " State Drama Theatre " by the Mongolian national academic song & dance ensemble.
The first one is called " Hodoogyn Tal ", which means: The Mongolian steppes.
NB : the music accompanying the dance was played from a recorded tape, so it is difficult for us to name all the instruments used here.The second one is called " Chichirgee "
NB : the music accompanying the dance was played from a recorded tape, so it is difficult for us to name all the instruments used here.- Religious dance with masks: "Tsam Danse"
The old white man (" Tsagaan Ovgon "), one of the main character of the Tsam dance.
EXTRAIT
Instruments used for accompaniement : long horn Ikh Buree (voir photo ci-dessous, à gauche), short horn Baga Buree, drum Ikh Khengereg (see picture below, on the right side), cymbals Tsan, cymbalets, oboe Bishguur. 5 musician's formation.
Dancers of the Mongolian national academic song & dance ensemble, during the show taking place in the theatre "Tumen Ekh", Ulan-Bataar, Mongolia.
Vous pouvez en télécharger un extrait en cliquant ici
- The Biylegee danse :
A dancer of the Mongolian national academic song & dance ensemble, during the show taking place in the theatre "Tumen Ekh", realised a soloist performance of this dance's style.
See an extract of Biylegee dance
Dancer : "Olziidelger"
NB : the music accompanying the dance was played from a recorded tape, so it is difficult for us to name all the instruments used here.
2) Mongolian vocal music
- long songs ("Urtyn duu" in mongolian language)
Singers: Bazarbat & Bayambajargal
Accompanying Instruments: 2 vielles Morin Khuur, 1 vielle Khuurchir, 1 zither Yatag, 1 zither Yochin, 1 " "double-basse " Ikh Khuur, 1 transverse flute Limbe, 1 luth Shanz, 1 Ever Puree et 1 oboe Bishguur.
Morin Khuur player: Tuvshinbayar
Morin Khuur player: Tuvshinbayar- the short songs ("Bogin(o) Duu")
Singer: Uyench
Accompanying instruments: 2 vielles Morin Khuur, 1 vielle Khuurchir, 1 zither Yatag, 1 zither Yochin, 1 " double-basse " Ikh Khuur, 1 transverse flute Limbe, 1 luth Shanz et 1 Ever Puree.
Singer: Hyamgerel
Accompanying instruments: 2 vielles Morin Khuur, 1 vielle Khuurchir, 1 zither Yatag, 1 zither Yochin, 1 " double-basse " Ikh Khuur, 1 transverse flute Limbe, 1 luth Shanz et 1 Ever Puree.
Accompanying instruments: 1 zither Yochin, 2 transverse flute Limbe (Ikh Limbe & Baga Limbe).
Instrumentists : " Davaasuren " (Limbe), Uranbileg (Yochin)
Compositor : Mendamar
- epics songs ("Tuuli")
These song are same as Magtaal songs but extended to several hours.
- songs of praise ("Magtaal")
5 musicians of the " Mongolian national academic song & dance ensemble ", during the show taking place in the theatre "Tumen Ekh" played a wonderful Magtaal song:
Instruments used : 2 Morin Khuur, 2 Tobschuur et 1 " violoncello " Ikh Khuur.
Khöömii techniques used : Kargyraa, Naryn Khöömii & "Sharaa".
Instrument used: Morin Khuur.
Khöömii technique used: Khargyraa, Sigit.
Vous pouvez télécharger cette chanson en cliquant ici
- Harmonic singing / diphonic singing / diplophonic Höömij (or Khöömei) singing:
The Khöömii is a magical singing style discovered in the Altai's mountain range. It is particularly developed in the western Mongolia, Tuva (Russia independent province located in the north-west of Mongolia), the Gorno-Altai region and in Mongolian provinces of Karkhassia, Baskhiria and Kalmyk.1 musician of the Mongolian national academic song & dance ensemble, during the show played in the "Tumen Ekh" theatre, performed a superb demonstration of Khöömii.
Singer and Morin Khuur player: Gantulga
Instruments used: 2 vielles Morin Khuur, 1 vielle Khuurchir, 1 zither Yatag, 1 zither Yochin, 1 "double-basse" Ikh Khuur, 1 transverse flute Limbe, 1 luth Shanz and 1 Ever Puree.
Khöömii techniques used: Kargyraa, Naryn Khöömii et "Sharaa".Short history about the Khöömii's birth:
No one knows exactly where and when the Khöömii first appeared. Its birth could date from Chingiss Khan or even before, with the arrival of Turkish nomads on the central Asia plateau. Nevertheless, it was only around the end of the 19th century that Russian and French explorers established the existence of this type of songs (inside the Bashkir ethnic group) for the occidental world.
According to Mongols, Khöömii birth place is Chandman Sum in the west of Mongolia. Yet, this technique of harmonic singing is also used in other civilisations. These civilisations are mainly centred around the Altai and Sayan mountain ranges (Mongols, Tuvas, Khakash, Bachkirs & Altaians). It exist also, to a certain degree, some quite surprising exceptions : among the Rajasthani people in India (1 single record dated in the 70s), South Africa's Xhosas and Tibetans monks of the Gyütö and Gyüme monastery.In Chandman Sum, the presumed birthplace of Khöömii is situated in the middle of small hills overhanging the "Khar Us Nuur" (black water), "Khar Nuur" (black lake) and "Dorgon Nuur" lakes in the north, south and west. The legend tell that when the wind blows on these 3 lakes, it creates a resonance effect which can be reflected back up to 3 days in the Jargalant mountains. Finally, this sound get lost in the Chandman plains.
Most of the other theories on the origin of Khöömii are connected to natural sounds and supernatural events. It is said that certain birds can sing Khöömii and, more specifically, the Butar who, produce a very special sound when his head is immerged. The chirp of the crane is also considered quite similar to the Khöömii. Furthermore, the Khöömii is sometimes associated to the echoing of the voices and chirps. Finally, the sound of the water flowing between stones and, in particular, the sound of the river Eev are also compared to Khöömii. No one knows the exact location of this river but Tuvinians, Tuvas, Uriangkhais & Khalkh from the west of Mongolia all declare that Khöömii is connected to the magical properties of this river. 2 of its magical properties were to produce very beautiful men and women, as well as great Khöömii singers.
Presentation of several Khöömii techniques:
Définitions (by Palamjav Tsildee):
"Zatraa" = open. Diphonic singing without using the tongue (technique with 1 vocal cavity)
"Bitou" = close. Diphonic singing with the use of the tongue (technique with 2 vocal cavities)
"Gytsy amsra" : voice with the use a strong belly contraction.
"Tseedznii amsra" : thoracic voice (Tseedznii = chest, thorax).
Many techniques are existing, depending of the vocal source and of the resonance place:
Nasal Khöömii; Can be singed mouth opened or closed.
Singer: Palamjav Tsildee.
Tongue technique producing an effet near to the horse's gallop (by the rythmic variations of the sound more than by the timbre of the voice)
Singer: Palamjav Tsildee.
Singer: Iderzogt.
Technique singed mouth closed or opened.
Singer: Iderzogt.
Singer: Tuvshinbayar.
Kargyraa (or Argira) = lung
Technique singed mouth opened or closed.
Sharaa
it is not really a Khöömei technique but more a way of singing the drone. This voice style is produced by contracting the throat muscles and the abdominals.
