Comments on: Mongolian Overtones

Mongolian Overtones

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:26:41 -0800

In Mongolia, overtone singing (or hoomei, as it's known locally) is mainly a guy thing, but there are exceptions to the rule, for example, the Hoomei Women's Group. More commonly though, women who want to sing do so in an exquisite, soaring style like this and this. Sometimes the men do the hoomei thing while the women do that soaring thing. Then there are those lovely choral arrangements. And then there are those rare moments when the YouTube poster's description of a clip just hits the nail square on the head, as with this one: amazing.

These guys are getting throaty just outside the Centre Pompidou in Paris. This fellow's really working those upper partials, presented in a clip that also features some glimpses of Mongolian life. Lots of horses. N. Sengedorj of Mongolia demonstrates khöömei throat-singing. Here's a cool little combo, with some hoomei going on.

By: zeoslap

zeoslap — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:43:22 -0800

Wow, that was great, nice post.

By: invitapriore

invitapriore — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:49:37 -0800

flapjax, your music posts always make my day. Thanks again!

By: invitapriore

invitapriore — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:52:59 -0800

Ah, I forgot to comment on the content itself. The embouchure control I imagine must be required to lock in to overtones this strongly seems ridiculous. I wonder what sort of timbral control could be achieved in western classical vocals with some of these techniques...

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:04:55 -0800

Great post, as always!

By: tellurian

tellurian — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:05:45 -0800

Oh my goodness! amazing indeed, I went straight to the 'amazing' link expecting it to be so, and it was. But I'm puzzled, why doesn't he look like all old and grizzled - romany, gypsy, type - because that what he sounds like to me (well, before the eunuchy bit). What a surprise that bit of bow jigging at the end was too. Magic.

By: taliaferro

taliaferro — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:15:12 -0800

Great stuff - thanks

By: progosk

progosk — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:23:33 -0800

Albert Kuvezin aka Yat-Kha: Love Will Tear Us Apart and When The Levee Breaks.

By: ubersturm

ubersturm — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:43:57 -0800

Awesome. I've been wondering for a while whether it's possible for women to do overtone singing/throat singing/etc. Glad to find out they can (and can do it well!) I highly recommend Huun Huur Tu, by the way, if they put on a concert near you. Truly gorgeous Tuvan throat-singing.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:08:06 -0800

I love that MeFi can be counted on for a throat-singing post about every six months. I would alert the White People blog, but I adore it too much. And not the white half of me, either. The black half secretly harbors dreams of doing a throat-singing hip-hop album. With didgeridoos.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:26:02 -0800

If you like Tuvan throat singing I highly recomend this artist.

By: lonemantis

lonemantis — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:23:08 -0800

Wonderful post!!! I have to agree with many above, that "amazing" link was indeed amazing, quite soulful. Thank you!

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:43:49 -0800

I played the YT's, and next thing I know, I look out the window, and the backyard's full of yaks. Excellent post, flapjax.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:49:51 -0800

next thing I know, I look out the window, and the backyard's full of yaks Head North, I think you are in Tibet.

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:55:53 -0800

I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Alba-koikee. Also: Billy Laughlin.

By: bwg

bwg — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:01:23 -0800

Great stuff. Perfect as I just finished reading Genghis Khan by John Man.

By: flaterik

flaterik — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:13:42 -0800

Albert Kuvezin aka Yat-Kha: Love Will Tear Us Apart and When The Levee Breaks. Not being able to get these to play (it keeps just sending me back to the front page of the site) is making me quite sad.

By: flaterik

flaterik — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:26:11 -0800

approximately 12 seconds after saying that I noticed flashblock was blocking the tiny little inconspicuous player at the bottom of the page. *hangs head in shame*

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:46:24 -0800

If I could favorite this 10 times I would. wow.

By: bwg

bwg — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:22:14 -0800

Anyone know where I could get the mp3 of the second singer in this clip? I've got major goosebumps.

By: Abiezer

Abiezer — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:07:56 -0800

I am lucky that my local bar is run by Mongolian brothers with an interest in folk, so I get to hear lots of great sounds through them.

By: melissam

melissam — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 09:46:23 -0800

I love this music in The Story of the Weeping Camel. I wish I could find the song from it, it's really beautiful.

By: vronsky

vronsky — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:46:11 -0800

sweet post. The song in the "amazing" link sounded like a mongolian version of "house of the rising sun".

By: Stove

Stove — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:35:57 -0800

I've been listening to Urna Chahar-Tugchi, who does the 'soaring' thing. (You can find some samples here) The song "Ordosiin hawur", track 3 on her album "Jamar", sounds even more like a Mongolian version of "House of the Rising Sun" than the song in the "amazing" link. It's uncanny.