Traditional Mongolian Music

During our first week in UB we went to see a traditional Mongolian performance, including music, singing and dancing. As a music lover I really loved this, and it has inspired me to learn all about these elements of the Mongolian culture, and perhaps even learn one of the traditional instruments or dance.

Mongolian singer

Instruments from left: the morin khuur (Horse-headed fiddle - one of Mongolia's national symbols), a tsuur (like a flute), a yoochin (an instrument similar to a dulcimer), a shants (similar to the Japanese shamisen of which I learned the basics from my third host mother during my exchange to Japan), and a yatga (like a harp).

Throat singing is a major part of Mongolian traditional music. It requires producing two distinct tones simultaneously from the one individual singer. One of these is a low, sustained tone; the other a higher pitched tone that sounds like several flutelike harmonics.

The traditional folk dancing is based on telling stories of aspects of the Mongolian life. I think that it looks really fun!

A film compiling some of the performances: