The Mongol music was a distinctive feature of the Mongol cultural tradition, and it was based on a combination of Mongolian instruments and the instruments of Central Asia. The Mongols were famous for their music, and music was a central feature of the social and religious life of the empire. The most distinctive feature of the Mongol music was the use of the morin khuur, the horse-head fiddle, which was the national instrument of the Mongols.
Mongol music has a long and rich history, and it is a major feature of the cultural heritage of Mongolia. The music is still widely performed in Mongolia today, and it is a major symbol of the Mongolian national identity. The music is also widely known in the rest of the world, and it has been the subject of considerable scholarly and popular attention.
The Morin Khuur
The morin khuur (literally “horse-head fiddle”) is the national instrument of the Mongols, and it is a two-stringed fiddle with a horse-head carving at the top of the neck. The morin khuur is a distinctive instrument, and it produces a haunting, melancholy sound that is said to evoke the sound of the wind on the steppe. The morin khuur is typically used to accompany the long song (the “urtiin duu”), a form of vocal music that is central to the Mongol musical tradition.
The morin khuur is made of a wooden body, typically made of pine or spruce, and the strings are traditionally made of horsehair. The bow is also made of wood, and the bow hair is also made of horsehair. The instrument is typically held vertically, and the bow is drawn across the strings from top to bottom.
The morin khuur has a deep cultural significance for the Mongols. The instrument is associated with a number of legends and stories, and it is a major symbol of the Mongol national identity. The instrument is also a major tourist attraction, and visitors to Mongolia often see performances of the morin khuur during their travels.
The Long Song (Urtiin Duu)
The long song, or urtiin duu, is a form of vocal music that is central to the Mongol musical tradition. The long song is characterized by long, drawn-out vocal phrases, often with elaborate ornamentation, and it is typically accompanied by the morin khuur. The long song is typically performed at celebrations, weddings, and other special occasions, and it is a major part of the social and cultural life of the Mongols.
The long song has a long history, and it is a major feature of the Mongol cultural heritage. The long song is typically performed by a single singer, and the singer is expected to have a powerful voice and a strong sense of rhythm. The singer is also expected to be familiar with the traditional repertoire of the long song, and the singer is expected to be able to improvise within the traditional forms.
The long song has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and it is a major symbol of the Mongolian national identity. The long song is also widely performed in other countries of Central Asia, particularly in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, where it is a major part of the cultural heritage of the Mongol minority.
Other Instruments
In addition to the morin khuur, the Mongols used a number of other instruments, including the tobshuur, a plucked lute; the khuur, a generic term for stringed instruments; the limbe, a type of flute; and the dun, a type of drum. The Mongols also adopted a number of instruments from the conquered peoples, including the Persian rubab and the Chinese sheng.
The tobshuur is a plucked lute that is widely used in the western part of Mongolia, particularly in the Khovd and Bayan-Ölgii provinces. The tobshuur is a long-necked lute with a pear-shaped body, and it is typically used to accompany the long song and the epic songs of the western Mongols.
The limbe is a type of flute that is widely used in the Mongol musical tradition. The limbe is a simple end-blown flute, and it is typically made of wood or bamboo. The limbe is used to play a variety of melodies, and it is a major feature of the Mongol musical tradition.
The Epic Songs
The Mongols were also famous for their epic songs, and the long song was often used to perform the epics. The most famous of the Mongol epics is the “Secret History of the Mongols,” which was written down in the mid-thirteenth century. The Secret History is, in many ways, a literary work, and it is full of songs, speeches, and dramatic dialogue.
The other famous Mongol epics include the “Epic of Geser,” the “Epic of Jangar,” and the “Epic of King Gesar.” These epics are typically performed by professional singers, and the epics are often accompanied by the morin khuur. The epics are a major feature of the Mongol cultural heritage, and they are widely performed in Mongolia and in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.
The Legacy of Mongol Music
The legacy of the Mongol music is visible in a number of ways. The most obvious is in the modern music of Mongolia, where the traditional music of the Mongols is still widely performed. The most famous of the modern Mongol musicians is the morin khuur player, who is a major symbol of the Mongolian national culture.
The legacy of the Mongol music is also visible in the music of the successor states of the Mongol Empire. The most obvious is in the music of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, where the long song and the morin khuur are major features of the cultural heritage. The other examples include the music of the Buryatia and Kalmykia regions of Russia, where the morin khuur is also widely used.
Sources
- Jack Weatherford, The Secret History of the Mongol Queens (New York, 2010).
- Anatoly M. Khazanov, Nomads and the Outside World (2nd ed., Madison, 1994).
- David Morgan, The Mongols (2nd ed., Oxford, 2007).