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URTIIN Duu (Long Song) and Khoomei (Throat Singing) have always been regarded as the most typical and important cultural symbols of the Mongolian ethnic group in China. Mongolians mainly live in Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, with the rest residing in pastoral areas of the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. Living in the vast grassland and virtually growing up on the horseback, the brave and unrestrained Mongolian people have a deep connection with nature. Singing is an important way to express their affection, even passion, for their beautiful homeland.
Long Song
Urtiin Duu is the name of a traditional singing style. The word urtiin means eternity while duu refers to song in the Mongolian language. As one of the oldest genres of Mongolian musical art, Urtiin Duu involves complicated and drawn-out vocals, demanding extraordinary skills from the singers in breath control and guttural singing. It is believed that this folk art originated some 2,000 years ago, and has been recorded in literary works since the 13th century.
Apart from the common Urtiin Duu we hear today, two other major styles are identified: the mini Long Song and the majestic Long Song, both of which demand a wide vocal range.
The main feature of the Long Song is prolonged and tenuto musical notes with modulated vibrato on the vowels. It is rich in other ornamentation, such as portamento and coloratura evolving from the Noguerra, meaning “decorative sound” in Mongolian. Different from common human singing, the tonal range of Urtiin Duu may reach to as high as three octaves.
Though there are regional differences in the form, Urtiin Duu generally features a rising melody, which is slow and steady and a falling melody that is often in a lively rhythm. Regional styles of broad variety have been preserved and are performed today. The eastern style is characterized by a wide range and slow tempo, while in the north, melody often moves faster and in more complicated composition forms. In the western area, the vocal range is somewhat narrower and the tempo is faster in comparison to the eastern.
Long Song was created by nomadic tribes in North China during grazing. The composition and performance are drawn from the pastoral way of life, themed mainly on praising the beauty of the steppe, mountains, and rivers as well as the spirit of the Mongols themselves. The elongated notes, unrestricted rhythms and evocations of all things majestic depict the tranquil soul of the nomadic character.
As a ritual form associated with important celebrations and festivities, Urtiin Duu is held in esteem by Mongolian society. It is often performed at wedding banquets, family gatherings and other grand social events of the Mongolian community. Especially during the annual Nadam Fair (a traditional Mongolian sports fair), Long Song is an essential part of praising the warriors’ courage when they compete in wrestling, archery and horse racing.
In a sense, Urtiin Duu is more than a music genre, it reveals the connection between man and nature. People usually sing the long songs while riding alone on the open steppe. To Mongolian people, it even possesses magical power. When a ewe refuses to suckle her lamb, herdsmen will sing the sorrowful songs all day long. Touched by the moaning, the ewe begins to weep and finally nurses its young. This phenomenon is also known among other livestock; an incident was captured in the award-winning documentary The Weeping Camel.
Running through Mongolian history and social life, Urtiin Duu has become the vocal embodiment of nomadic culture. Nowadays, this living fossil form not only reflects the high artistry of Mongols, but also strengthens our understanding of Mongolian language, history, religions, customs and philosophy.
Khoomei
Khoomei, also known as Throat Singing, is the astonishing art of one singer taking two voice parts simultaneously. A throat singer produces the diversified harmonics of multiple voice parts with the overtone based on his/her continuous production of the bass part from the throat. This singing skill came into existence with the formation of the Mongolian people and has been passed down from generation to generation, master-to-apprentice, over past centuries. Their ancestors used to imitate the sound of animals, waterfalls and such when hunting and grazing on the Mongolian Plateau. They believed that imitating the sounds of nature was part of the harmonious and inseparable nature of humans and their environment. This is considered the root of Khoomei.
In China, this art finds its singers and audiences mainly in Xilin Gol in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the Altai area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
As a form of laryngeal singing art, Khoomei requires special vocal treatment. Deep fundamental tones being carried by the vocal chords, while loud overtones are uttered from the cavity. Such fundamental separation of tones and overtones, together with breath control and changes in the syntonous point in the cavity, create rhythms in treble parts and form the peculiar impression of multiple voice parts. The distance between the undertone and high-tone may be as high as six octaves. Rhythms created in high-tones are sometimes similar to whistles or metallic sound. Such effects are praised as “high as reaching the top of welkin, low as touching the bottom of sea, and vast as the boundless land.”
Traditionally, Khoomei is performed only on very formal occasions so as to create an atmosphere of solemnity and respectfulness. Its basic theme focuses on the admiration and glorification of the universe, wild nature, ancestors and heroes. Similar to Urtiin Duu, Khoomei now is also performed during large gatherings other than rituals, such as banquets and horse races. But the timing and sequence of the songs are strictly regulated.
With generations of use and development, Khoomei has been the object of constant innovation. In the past, Khoomei could only be performed by male singers. However modern times see women learning this technique and giving performances on grand occasions too. Female vocals integrate exquisitely with male parts. Sometimes, men do the Khoomei bass roles while the women do the soaring aspects, forming a perfect choral effect. Today, Throat Singing can be performed solo or in chorus. Moreover, a chorus will sometimes combine the Khoomei skill with Urtiin Duu – one singing the tenor part in the Long Song style while others render the bass in throat singing.
Passing down the Magical Art
The Urtiin Duu and Khoomei have been listed by UNESCO as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. These arts are drawing increasingly more attention from the rest of the country and the world. Many more people are starting to learn the singing skills. Training classes for different forms are held to bring along talented youth making up the new generation of practitioners. The more they learn, the stronger their fascination with exploring Mongolian history and culture.
Currently, some universities and academic institutions in China have been engaged in the research and preservation of these two vocal miracles. Cultural exchanges between China, Mongolia and Russia have been held with Urtiin Duu and Khoomei as kind of emissaries of culture; all three countries have throat singing traditions, and this greatly increased mutual understanding and friendship between them.
Better protection and conservation is served through local festivals. Every year in Xilin Gol, a contest on Urtiin Duu is held, attracting competitors from the whole prefecture and other parts of the country. According to the organizers, the local officials for cultural affairs, such contests present an opportunity to record the songs and learn the history related to this art form.
Innovations on traditional songs are attracting an ever-increasing following among youth. Composed of young musicians from the Mongolian ethnic group, the band Hangai leads the way in reviving Mongolian folk art. They adapt the old songs from the grasslands, and use Khoomei skill along with traditional instruments to bring new life to the endangered music of their forefathers. The young singers say that every time they sing Mongolian folk songs, they feel calm and secure as if they have returned to the vast grasslands that underpin their culture. At the same time, aged folk singers are glad that the younger generation still love these enduring arts and devote themselves to passing it down.
The unique arts of Urtiin Duu and Khoomei reflect the philosophical attitude of the Mongols towards nature and life. Through the songs, we grasp the Mongolian spirit and its reception in the rest of the world. As ethereal monuments to this proud aesthetic tradition, Urtiin Duu and Khoomei are emblematic of northern nomadic culture.
Long Song
Urtiin Duu is the name of a traditional singing style. The word urtiin means eternity while duu refers to song in the Mongolian language. As one of the oldest genres of Mongolian musical art, Urtiin Duu involves complicated and drawn-out vocals, demanding extraordinary skills from the singers in breath control and guttural singing. It is believed that this folk art originated some 2,000 years ago, and has been recorded in literary works since the 13th century.
Apart from the common Urtiin Duu we hear today, two other major styles are identified: the mini Long Song and the majestic Long Song, both of which demand a wide vocal range.
The main feature of the Long Song is prolonged and tenuto musical notes with modulated vibrato on the vowels. It is rich in other ornamentation, such as portamento and coloratura evolving from the Noguerra, meaning “decorative sound” in Mongolian. Different from common human singing, the tonal range of Urtiin Duu may reach to as high as three octaves.
Though there are regional differences in the form, Urtiin Duu generally features a rising melody, which is slow and steady and a falling melody that is often in a lively rhythm. Regional styles of broad variety have been preserved and are performed today. The eastern style is characterized by a wide range and slow tempo, while in the north, melody often moves faster and in more complicated composition forms. In the western area, the vocal range is somewhat narrower and the tempo is faster in comparison to the eastern.
Long Song was created by nomadic tribes in North China during grazing. The composition and performance are drawn from the pastoral way of life, themed mainly on praising the beauty of the steppe, mountains, and rivers as well as the spirit of the Mongols themselves. The elongated notes, unrestricted rhythms and evocations of all things majestic depict the tranquil soul of the nomadic character.
As a ritual form associated with important celebrations and festivities, Urtiin Duu is held in esteem by Mongolian society. It is often performed at wedding banquets, family gatherings and other grand social events of the Mongolian community. Especially during the annual Nadam Fair (a traditional Mongolian sports fair), Long Song is an essential part of praising the warriors’ courage when they compete in wrestling, archery and horse racing.
In a sense, Urtiin Duu is more than a music genre, it reveals the connection between man and nature. People usually sing the long songs while riding alone on the open steppe. To Mongolian people, it even possesses magical power. When a ewe refuses to suckle her lamb, herdsmen will sing the sorrowful songs all day long. Touched by the moaning, the ewe begins to weep and finally nurses its young. This phenomenon is also known among other livestock; an incident was captured in the award-winning documentary The Weeping Camel.
Running through Mongolian history and social life, Urtiin Duu has become the vocal embodiment of nomadic culture. Nowadays, this living fossil form not only reflects the high artistry of Mongols, but also strengthens our understanding of Mongolian language, history, religions, customs and philosophy.
Khoomei
Khoomei, also known as Throat Singing, is the astonishing art of one singer taking two voice parts simultaneously. A throat singer produces the diversified harmonics of multiple voice parts with the overtone based on his/her continuous production of the bass part from the throat. This singing skill came into existence with the formation of the Mongolian people and has been passed down from generation to generation, master-to-apprentice, over past centuries. Their ancestors used to imitate the sound of animals, waterfalls and such when hunting and grazing on the Mongolian Plateau. They believed that imitating the sounds of nature was part of the harmonious and inseparable nature of humans and their environment. This is considered the root of Khoomei.
In China, this art finds its singers and audiences mainly in Xilin Gol in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the Altai area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
As a form of laryngeal singing art, Khoomei requires special vocal treatment. Deep fundamental tones being carried by the vocal chords, while loud overtones are uttered from the cavity. Such fundamental separation of tones and overtones, together with breath control and changes in the syntonous point in the cavity, create rhythms in treble parts and form the peculiar impression of multiple voice parts. The distance between the undertone and high-tone may be as high as six octaves. Rhythms created in high-tones are sometimes similar to whistles or metallic sound. Such effects are praised as “high as reaching the top of welkin, low as touching the bottom of sea, and vast as the boundless land.”
Traditionally, Khoomei is performed only on very formal occasions so as to create an atmosphere of solemnity and respectfulness. Its basic theme focuses on the admiration and glorification of the universe, wild nature, ancestors and heroes. Similar to Urtiin Duu, Khoomei now is also performed during large gatherings other than rituals, such as banquets and horse races. But the timing and sequence of the songs are strictly regulated.
With generations of use and development, Khoomei has been the object of constant innovation. In the past, Khoomei could only be performed by male singers. However modern times see women learning this technique and giving performances on grand occasions too. Female vocals integrate exquisitely with male parts. Sometimes, men do the Khoomei bass roles while the women do the soaring aspects, forming a perfect choral effect. Today, Throat Singing can be performed solo or in chorus. Moreover, a chorus will sometimes combine the Khoomei skill with Urtiin Duu – one singing the tenor part in the Long Song style while others render the bass in throat singing.
Passing down the Magical Art
The Urtiin Duu and Khoomei have been listed by UNESCO as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. These arts are drawing increasingly more attention from the rest of the country and the world. Many more people are starting to learn the singing skills. Training classes for different forms are held to bring along talented youth making up the new generation of practitioners. The more they learn, the stronger their fascination with exploring Mongolian history and culture.
Currently, some universities and academic institutions in China have been engaged in the research and preservation of these two vocal miracles. Cultural exchanges between China, Mongolia and Russia have been held with Urtiin Duu and Khoomei as kind of emissaries of culture; all three countries have throat singing traditions, and this greatly increased mutual understanding and friendship between them.
Better protection and conservation is served through local festivals. Every year in Xilin Gol, a contest on Urtiin Duu is held, attracting competitors from the whole prefecture and other parts of the country. According to the organizers, the local officials for cultural affairs, such contests present an opportunity to record the songs and learn the history related to this art form.
Innovations on traditional songs are attracting an ever-increasing following among youth. Composed of young musicians from the Mongolian ethnic group, the band Hangai leads the way in reviving Mongolian folk art. They adapt the old songs from the grasslands, and use Khoomei skill along with traditional instruments to bring new life to the endangered music of their forefathers. The young singers say that every time they sing Mongolian folk songs, they feel calm and secure as if they have returned to the vast grasslands that underpin their culture. At the same time, aged folk singers are glad that the younger generation still love these enduring arts and devote themselves to passing it down.
The unique arts of Urtiin Duu and Khoomei reflect the philosophical attitude of the Mongols towards nature and life. Through the songs, we grasp the Mongolian spirit and its reception in the rest of the world. As ethereal monuments to this proud aesthetic tradition, Urtiin Duu and Khoomei are emblematic of northern nomadic culture.