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Archive-name: tuva-faq Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: 1995/02/10 Version: 1.12 Anyone wishing to take a shot at improving it should go ahead and send the edited section along to me. - Kerry, kerryy@bnr.ca Thanks to Bernard Greenberg for his numerous additions and edits. Alt.culture.tuva FAQ Version 1.12 (February 10, 1995) ====================================================== Table of Contents: ================== 1: How can I get a copy of this Frequently Asked Questions list? 2. Are there any WWW sites for Tuva? 3. Are there any FTP sites for Tuva? 4: What's a Tuva? 5: What is all the fuss about? 6: What's this about two voices from one singer? 7: Where can I find out more? (Friends of Tuva) 8: Any recommended reading about Tuva? 9: Any recommended reading about Feynman? 10: Are audio recordings available? 11: Are there any video tapes about Tuva? 12: Does anyone still collect the old Tuvan stamps? 13: How can I learn to sing khoomei? Questions and Answers: ====================== 1: How can I get a copy of this Frequently Asked Questions list? A: You're reading it, aren't you? :-) Save it! The FAQ is posted monthly to the Usenet newsgroup alt.culture.tuva. The latest version is also available via anonymous FTP at ftp.ee.umanitoba.ca, in the pub/TUVA directory. 2. Are there any WWW sites for Tuva? A: You have your choice of two! Try either: http://darwin.clas.virginia.edu/~rmw8w/ or http://www.ee.umanitoba.ca/~yackob/tuva/ The first one has some pictures of Tuva and Kyzyl, as well as a HTML version of this FAQ. The second one has all of the old Friends of Tuva Newsletters, along with some other neat stuff. There is information on the Tuvan singing group "Yat-Ha" and Tuva at http://www.eunet.fi/womad/english/yat.html. For information on the WWW (World Wide Web), check out comp.infosystems.www. If you don't have access to WWW, send email to listserv@info.cern.ch with anything in the subject line and the one line message SEND http://www.ee.umanitoba.ca/~yackob/tuva/ and take it from there. 3. Are there any FTP sites for Tuva? A: Yes, one has just opened at ftp.ee.umanitoba.ca. Log in as anonymous and cd to pub/TUVA. There's nothing there now, but the FAQ will reside there, and some images will be dropped there soon. If you have something you'd like to contribute, contact kerryy@bnr.ca. 4: What's a Tuva? A: The Republic of Tuva is the former Tannu Tuva, a country in south Siberia absorbed by the former USSR in 1944. Tuva was at one time an oblast of Russia, and then the Tuvinskaya ASSR, and is now a member of the Russian Federation. Tuva is an area arguably in the centre of Asia, nestled just north of Mongolia between the Sayan mountains in the north and the Tannu Ola mountains in the south, with a population of 308,000 (about 64 percent Tuvan and about 32 percent Russian). The capital city of Kyzyl (pronounced stressing the second syllable) (population 75,000) lies at the junction of two rivers that go on to form the Jenissei River. Tuva was known under its Mongol name of Uriankhai until 1922 and deserves interest for the fact that it was twice annexed by Russia within 30 years without the world paying the slightest attention. The first annexation came in 1914 when when Russia proclaimed Tuva a protectorate of Russia, and the second time was in 1944 when the People's Republic of Tuva was transformed into an administrative unit of the USSR. 5: What is all the fuss about? A: In 1977 Nobel Laureate (Physics) and raconteur Richard Feynman asked "What ever happened to Tannu Tuva?" One of his friends, Ralph Leighton, helped Feynman turn their search for information on this country into a real adventure, as explained in Leighton's book "Tuva or Bust". Feynman's interest originated in the 1930's when Tuva, in a philatelic orgy, issued many oddball stamps memorable for their shapes (diamonds and triangles) as well as their scenery (men on camels racing trains, men on horseback hunting with airplanes above them, etc.). When they looked Tuva up in the atlas, they saw that the capital was Kyzyl - arguably a word without a vowel in it! They also soon found out that a monument near Kyzyl marked the centre of Asia, and that some Tuvans sang with 2 voices - one voice usually a lower drone and the second voice a high pitched flute-like sound, both from the same person. This information piqued their curiosity and things snowballed. 6: What's this about two voices from one singer? A: It's called "khoomei", or throat singing, and numerous CD's are available. This is not unique to Tuva - singers come from Mongolia as well, and the Tantric Gyuto Monks of Tibet (now living in India), also practice this two-note singing in their chanting. They also have several recordings available. 7: Where can I find out more (Friends of Tuva)? A: Friends of Tuva is an organization headquartered in Pasadena, California, founded and run by Ralph Leighton. It is a central clearing-house for information about Tuva and Tuva-related merchandise. Write to: Friends of Tuva Box 70021, Pasadena, CA 91117, USA phone or FAX (213) 221-TUVA By sending two or three self-addressed, stamped envelopes to FoT you can receive their newsletter. FoT also has a variety of wonderful things for sale, including many of the recordings and videos listed here (recordings, books, maps, etc.). The goods are very reasonably priced, and anyone seeking to learn more about Tuva and things Tuvan would do well to subscribe to the newsletters. The newsletters and the Tuvan Trader (a list of items for sale) have also been posted to alt.culture.tuva. 8: Any recommended reading about Tuva? A: Send your suggestions. Here's what I've found. 1 - Tuva or Bust! Ralph Leighton. W.W. Norton, 1991. The canonical work. Describes Feynman and Leighton's decade-long struggle to reach Tuva. Semi-related works are ``Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!'' and ``What Do You Care What Other People Think?'', both by Richard Feynman (with Ralph Leighton). 2 - Journey to Tuva Otto Ma"nchen-Helfen, extensively annotated and translated from German to English by Alan Leighton. Ethnographics Press, University of Southern California, 1931/1992 Available from Friends of Tuva. A great book detailing the visit of a Westerner in 1929. Contains an appendix about present day Tuva and a map. 3 - Nomads of Eurasia Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County University of Washington Press, 1989. This book accompanied the museum exhibit "Nomads: Masters of the Eurasian Steppe" in 1989-1990. Great pictures and text. 4 - Nomads of South Siberia Sevyan Vainshtein, translated by Michael Colenso Cambridge University Press, 1980. Wow. The detail is impressive as the author examines Tuvan nomadic life. 5 - In Search of Genghis Khan Tim Severin, Arrow Books, 1992. The author joins a horseback expedition to trace the steps of Genghis Khan from Mongolia to Europe in 1990. An intriguing foray into the life of the modern Mongolian nomad, with many details that may frighten prospective visitors to the region. 7 - The Peoples of the Soviet Far East Walter Kolarz, published by Frederick Praeger of New York, 1954. 8 - The Tuvan Manual John Krueger, available from the Mongolia Society, 322 Goodbody Hall Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. An indispensable work that includes a primer on the area and culture, lessons on how to read and speak Tuvan, a Tuvan to English glossary, and several samples of Tuvan text. An extremely valuable book that is worth double the price (about $20). A word of caution; the only Tuvan I know to have seen the book commented that "no one uses those words anymore". 9 - Ancient Traditions: Shamanism in Central Asia and the Americas Edited by Gary Seaman and Jane S. Day. Published by the Denver Museum of Natural History and the University Press of Colorado, 1994. Based on the proceedings from "Nomads: Masters of the Eurasian Steppe," Volume 4 of the Soviet-American academic symposia in conjunction with the museum exhibitions. The one chapter devoted to Tuvan shamanism is by Russian ethnographer Vera P. Diakonova. 9: Any recommended reading about Feynman? A: Send your suggestions. Here's what I've found. 1 - Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! Richard Feynman, as told to Ralph Leighton W.W. Norton, 1985. Another canonical work. Sometimes inspirational, sometimes educational, always amusing. I can't praise this book highly enough to do it justice. 2 - What Do *You* Care What Other People Think? Richard Feynman, as told to Ralph Leighton W.W. Norton, 1988. In a way, "What Do You Care" fills in the holes that "Surely You're Joking" left unexplored. Some stories are light hearted, while others are somewhat tragic. The second half of the book details Feynman's work with the Rogers Commission. Highly recommended. 3 - QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter Richard Feynman Princeton University Press, 1985. Quantum electrodynamics explained for the generalist. Will the reader understand modern physics after reading this book? No, but not to worry (as explained on page 9). The clearest and most concise explanation of the subject available. 4 - The Feynman Lectures on Physics Richard Feynman, Robert Leighton, Matthew Sands Addison-Wesley, 1963. This legendary three-volume set established the precedent of "Feynman talks, Leighton writes". Fascinating lectures delivered with insight usually not presented to undergraduate students. 5 - Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman James Gleick Pantheon Books, 1992. Gleick is a thorough researcher; the bibliography is formidable. His writing does not convey the same friendly charm of Feynman's narrated stories, but the different viewpoint will be of interest to the completist. 6 - No Ordinary Genius: The Illustrated Richard Feynman Christopher Sykes W.W. Norton, 1994. Great book. Ralph Leighton describes it as a get-together at a home where Feynman is the main topic of conversation, and Feynman shows up to tell his version of events. 7 - SIX EASY PIECES: Essentials of Physics Explained by its Most Brilliant Teacher Richard P. Feynman Addison-Wesley and the Caltech Archives, 1994. Six Lectures from The Feynman Lectures on Physics, with accompanying audio on CD or cassette. 10: Are audio recordings available? A: Glad you asked. I recommend numbers 1, 2, 9, 8, in that order. Number 1 might turn off some people as it is a sampler of styles and not a collection of songs. In that case, skip to number 2. Number 18 is new and readily available and a great intro to the subject. (Reviews by Kerry Yackoboski except [BSG] by Bernard Greenberg and "Tuvinian Singers & Musicians" reviewed by Dr Oliver Corff). 1 - Tuva: Voices From The Center Of Asia. Smithsonian Folkways CD SF 40017 Distributed by Rounder Records, Cambridge MA. 33 tracks, 41'50, featuring numerous performers recorded in Tuva by Ted Levin, Eduard Alexeev, Zoya Kirgiz. Khoomei, jew's harp, sigit, animal imitations. Excellent liner notes. Excellent, scholarly, musicological liner notes, texts in Tuvan available. 2 - Tuva: Voices from the Land of the Eagles Pan Records CD 2005CD P.O. Box 155, 2300 AD Leiden, Netherlands 11 tracks, 46'46, khomus, tyzani, igil, amirga, toshpular. Features Kongar-ool Ondar, Kaigal-ool Khovalig, Gennadi Tumat, all soloists of the folk ensemble Tuva. Recorded February 23, 1991. Excellent liner notes. 3 - Voix de l'Orient Sovietique Inedit W 260008 Masion des Cultures Du Monde , Paris Only one Khoomei track, but it is supposedly very good. Other tracks from other Soviet (now CIS) central Asian republics. [I don't have this one - Kerry] 4 - Mongolian Folk Music Selected from the 1967 year's collection by Lajos Vargyas. Hungaroton HCD 18013-14 [I don't have this one - Kerry] 5 - Mongolie- Musique vocale et instrumentale Inedit W 460009 [I don't have this one - Kerry] 6 - Sainkho Namtchylak - Lost Rivers Free Music Productions FMP CD 42 Postbox 100 227, 1000 Berlin 10, Germany Solo voice. Avante garde singing, with some polyphonic singing. 13 tracks, 74'18. 7 - Sainkho Namtchylak - When the Sun Is Out You Don't See Stars Free Music Productions FMP CD 38 With Peter Kowald (bass), Werner Ludi (saxes), Butch Morris (cornet). 20 tracks, 72,50, less avante garde than Lost Rivers. 8 - Sainkho Namtchylak - Out Of Tuva A collection of traditional songs, some arranged in a new context. 9 - Sainkho Namtchylak - Letters Leo CD 190. Unreviewed. 10- Tuva: Echoes from the Spirit World Pan Records CD 2013CD 17 tracks, 61'38, khomus, tyzani, igil, amirga, toshpular, dambiraa, bell, kengirge, byzaanchy, limbi, buree, savag, tung, tenchak, khirilee. Features 11 performers, includes recordings made on tour in 1992 as well as older recordings from Soviet radio (1973, 1983, 1986). Superlative liner notes explaining many ideas and terms. 11- Ozum (Sprouts): Young Voices of Ancient Tuva Window to Europe CD sum 90 008 Jodenbreestraat 24, 1011 NK, Amsterdam, Netherlands A Dutch-Russian release from Otkun Dostai, Oolak Ondar, and Stanislav Iril, three young Tuvan musicians who have built on the traditional style. A strong album that I really like. Oolak Ondar (b. 1973) was the winner at the throat singing symposium (1991, Kyzyl) in sygyt style. Khoomei, khomus, acoustic guitar, and shaman drum. 13 tracks, 42'34. 12- Mongolian Songs King Record Co CD KICC 5133 2-12-13 Otowa Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 112 Japan Part of King's World Music Library, this is a Japanese import with almost no English in the package. 7 performers, 19 songs, 54'52. The men's khoomei is very good, the women's takes some getting used to. 13- Mongolian Epic Song (Zhangar) King Record Co CD KICC 5136 2-12-13 Otowa Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 112 Japan Male vocal with instrumental accompaniment. Short and long songs. 14- Mongolian Morin Khuur Ci Bulag King Record Co CD KICC 5135 Sentimental horse-head fiddle solos. 15- Morin Khuur Ci Bulag JVC World Sounds, VICG-5212 More Sentimental horse-head fiddle solos. 16- Mongolie Ensemble Mandukhai Playa Sound, PS 65115 Large variety with some khoomei. 17- Mongolie Chants Kazakh et tradition epique de l'Ouest Ocora - Radio France, C 580051 25 songs, with tobsuur accompaniment, recorded in Mongolia in 1984 and 1990. Twenty songs of Kazakh music, some of it actually danceable! Minimal khoomei, although the voices do make good use of changing timbres. The final five songs are labelled ``epic tradition of the West'' and the lyrics are fragments of lengthy epic songs. 18- Huun-Huur-Tu: Sixty Horses In My Herd - Old Songs and Tunes of Tuva Shanachie Records CD SH 64050 CD/MC 37 E. Clinton St., Newton NJ 40017 Master khoomigch Kaigal-ool Khovalyg and his new group, which has toured all over the US. 12 tracks of all natures of top-notch khoomei, other singing, igil (Tuvan viol) playing. Its being studio-produced, which although lending a slight inauthenticity, makes for an eminently listenable album. Decent liner notes and text. [BSG] 19- Uzlyau: Guttural Singing of the People of the Sayan, Altai, and Ural Mountains (1993) PAN 2019CD (PAN Records Ethnic Series) 37 recordings from Russian archives form a catalog of all known styles of overtone singing from Tuva (12), Altai (2), and Baskhiria (23), collected, produced, (partially) recorded, and documented in encyclopaedic, scholarly liner notes by Vyacheslav Shchurov. Studio and field recordings, featuring master khoomigch Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool in some awesome 1977 performances recored by Radio Moscow. Some doshpuluur and khomus, but almost all vocal. Some absolute knockout kargyraa. A must. [BSG] 20- Tales of Tuva Kira Van Deusen recites three Tuvan stories (in English) with musical accompaniment by Kongar-ool Ondar, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, and Anatoli Kuular. 21- Shu-De: Voices from the Distant Steppe Realworld/WOMAD Productions (Real World Records Ltd) (In US): Carol 2339-2 Caroline Records, Inc 111 West 26th St., New York NY 10001 16 tracks by the Tuvan ensemble Shu-De (M. Mongush, L. Oorzhak, N. Shoigu, B. Salchak, O. Kuular), including all varieties of khoomei, igil, doshpuluur, & limbi (flute) playing, plus a wide variety of styles from Buddhist Chant to Tuvan tonguetwisters to Western-style choral harmony. A shamanic ritual ends out the CD. A magnificent kargyraa cut by Leonid Oorzhak is a highlight. Eminently listenable. (Spring 1994). Weak liner notes. [BSG] 22- Tuvinian Singers & Musicians: Khoomei: Throat-Singing from the Center of Asia. Volume 21 of the World Network series, a coproduction from WDR (West-deutscher Rundfunk - a major TV and radio station in Germany) and World Network. Distributed in Germany via Zweitausendeins Versand, Postfach, D-60381 Frankfurt. Order Number 55838. 16 tracks (total playing time: 64' 01"), partially recorded in Cologne in April 1993 and in Tuva in September 1992. Performers include Schaktar Schulban, a 10 year old boy, the 18 year-olds Ondar Mongun-Ool and Bujan Dondak, and the Tuva Ensemble, founded in 1988 by Gennadi Tumat, Oleg Kuular, Stas Danmaa and Alexander Salchak. This CD can be warmly recommended to all lovers of Tuvinian music. The music presented is a well performed collection of authentic vocal and instrumental pieces. Since all pieces are strictly traditional this CD cannot be compared to the performance by e.g. Sainkho. Track no. 9, performed by the unusually young artist Schaktar Schulban, reveals the enormous talent of this promising singer. The CD is very interesting because next to the overview of singing styles the listener is also introduced to a representative spectrum of instrumental music. [Reviewed by Dr. Oliver Corff] 23- Tuvinski Folklore Melodiya Stereo 33 C60-14937-42 1981, Out of print. This three LP set features a total of 65 tracks, most of which are khoomei, and instrumental music. One entire disk (both sides) is devoted to two tracks, each over 24 minutes long, of hi playing. There are also several tracks of story telling, and a few of the musical numbers are repeated with variations or in slightly different styles. The Melodiya record that Feynman had is apparently unavailable, although the vaults of recording agencies in the former USSR have been opened to interested entrepreneurs. Latest reports say that the masters have been lost. 24- Kronos Quartet: Night Prayers Elektra Nonesuch CD 2 79346 Distributed by Warner Music. One track on this CD, "Kongerei", features Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoly Kuular, and Kongar-ool Ondar singing along to the accompaniment of the Quartet (2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello). This new version is interesting in it's approach to a traditional Tuvan song with modern Western instruments. 25- Yat-Kha General Records GR 90-202 (Moscow), 1993 Albert Kuvezin (throat-singing and instruments yat-kha, byzanchi, organs, khomus, percussion & gongs) and Ivan Sokolovski (keyboards, computers, cello, drums & percussions, noises). Kuvezin is a founding member of the group Huun-Huur-Tu, living in Moscow, who specializes in his own style of kargyraa, extremely low-pitched singing with artificial subharmonics. In this hour of 13 tracks, he exploits this awesome and rarely-heard technique, combining it with techno-pop backup sounds (and a token amount of traditional singing/playing) to produce a thoroughly unique, avant-garde offering which has the power to grow on you. Deliberately obscure liner notes [BSG]. 26- Huun-Huur-Tu (with Mergen Mongush): Orphan's Lament Shanachie Records 64058 A work of well-produced art, contemporary offerings in traditional Tuvan styles, not an ethnomusicological assay. Its 16 pieces in styles varying from unison Kargyraa chants to political songs to khomus ("Jews' harp") solos provide a tour-de-force of Tuvan styles designed for listening pleasure and wonderment. Master khoomigch Kaigal-ool Khovalyg's deeply touching igil (Tuvan viol) playing is (as on "60 Horses") a real highlight of the album. His frequent vocal solos in all styles, and those of the sweet-voiced Anatoli Kuular, joined by Mergen Mongush for one sygyt cut, help place this album among the two or three "must-have"'s for anyone who *enjoys* authentic Tuvan music. [BSG] 11: Are there any video tapes about Tuva? A: Yes, there are. Many of these are available from Friends of Tuva. 1. The Pleasure of Finding Things Out A NOVA episode about Richard Feynman. It, as well as "Fun to Imagine" and "Last Journey of a Genius" are about Feynman, although the set of Tuva-heads and the set of Feynman-fans has a large intersection. FoT has a scheme through which the first two tapes may be rented in the USA; the third may be purchased. Last winter the BBC aired a 2-part special on Feynman (sorry, no Tuva) that was whittled down to one episode for broadcast in the USA under the title "The Best Mind Since Einstein". The longer English version is great. 2. They Who Know: Shamans of Tuva A Belgian production in English featuring "45-snowy-I" Ondar Daryma. 3. Tuva TV Over 7 hours of broadcasts from Tuva TV, all in colour, with a written guide to describe the action. 4. The Tuvans Invade America Alt.culture.tuva's own Jeff Cook had a large hand in this an informal documentary on the visit of 3 extraordinary Tuvan performers to California for the Rose Bowl Parade on January 1, 1993. Jeff Cook has also made available a Quicktime movie of a short video news release that was made for the 1993 Rose Bowl Parade visit by Tuvan singers. FTP to ftp.digex.net, login as anonymous with your own ID as a password, type "cd /pub/access/jcook", list files with "ls", and do a "get TUVA_MooV.sea". This file can be viewed using Apple's Quicktime utility on a MacIntosh. 5. Lost Land of Tannu Tuva Another famous PBS show, narrated by Hal Holbrook.< 6. Throat Singing In Tuva This 30-minute documentary from the Tuvan Ministry of Culture (in English) features masters past, present, and future. Historical footage from the 1950s shows Tuvans appearing in Moscow for the first time; contemporary scenes show Kongar-ool Ondar (pre shaved-head) and some of his students, including Bady-Dorzhu Ondar. 7. CBC TV also featured singing Tuvans on "What In the World" and I'd like a copy if anyone taped that. 12: Does anyone still collect the old Tuvan stamps? A: Yes, there is a group of stamp collectors devoted to the old diamond-shaped and triangular stamps of Tuva from the 1920's and 1930's. These stamps feature many fanciful images of people, animals, machinery, and nature (sometimes all on the same stamp!). You can contact them at the Tannu Touva Collectors Society: In North America: Ken Simon, 513-6th Ave. S., Lake Worth, FL 33460-4507 In Europe: David Maddock, 49 Dinorbean Ave., Fleet, Hants, GU13 9SQ, UK In Asia: Wilson Lin, No. 74 Section 1 Anhe Road, Annan District, Taiwan City, Taiwan, 709 R.O.China 13: How can I learn to sing khoomei? A: It's not easy; the best singers begin their training before they can walk. However, it's not impossible to learn later. Dan Bennett has volunteered his advice, seen below. I also recommend an excellent pamphlet, "Khoomei - How To's and Why's" by Michael Emory, PO Box 648, Westbury, NY, USA, 11590. Michael's illustrations, while not exactly helpful, are fantastic. His text is quite useful. The absolute best advice was offered by Ralph Leighton, namely, listen to masters and imitate. How to Sing Khoomei (by Dan Bennett, dan@hpwina39.uksr.hp.com) ============================================================== Khoomiy is easiest for men. I *have* heard a recording of a Mongolian Kazakh women singing khoomiy, but it's simply not so easy or spectacular, because of the higher pitch of the female voice. (Sainkho Namchylak can sing khoomiy too.) 1. Sing a steady note while saying "aah" (to start with). Pitch it in the middle of your range, where you can give it plenty of energy, i.e. - Sing it loudly. 2. Aim to make the sound as bright - not to say *brash* - as you can. The more energy there is in the harmonics, the louder and clearer they'll be when you start singing khoomiy. Practise this for a while. 3. OK, with this as a basis for the sound generation, you've got to arrange your mouth to become a highly resonant acoustic filter. My style (self- taught, but verified for me by a professional Mongolian khoomiy singer I had a lesson with in Ulaanbaatar) is as follows: Divide the mouth into two similar-sized compartments by raising your tongue so that it meets the roof of your mouth, a bit like you're saying "L". Spread your tongue a bit so that it makes a seal all the way round. At this point, you won't be able to pass air through your mouth. Then (my technique), break the seal on the left (or right) side of the mouth, simply to provide a route for the air to get through. Then (here's the most difficult bit to describe over the net - or even in person, for that matter!), push your lips forward a bit, and by carefully (and intuitively) adjusting the position of your lips, tongue, cheeks, jaw, etc, you can sing Mongolian khoomiy! Put it this way: the *aim* of the khoomiy singer ("khoomigch") is to emphasize ONE of the harmonics which are already present in the sound generated by the throat. This is achieved because he is forming a resonant cavity, which (a) is tuned to the chosen harmonic (overtone), and (b) has a high resonance, or "Q" factor. By adjusting the geometry and tension of your mouth you can choose which harmonic you're emphasizing, and thus sing a tune.