When most of us think of Mongolia, we probably can't think of too much. Maybe some of us who are history nerds will conjure images of Genghis Khan and his horse-riding soldiers, or perhaps some of us will just think about that one Mongolian BBQ place at the mall. Whatever you think of, it turns out that the Mongolian people have a rich musical culture. Like most other cultures, Mongolia has a rich history of folk music and it's a shame that it is not very well known here in the West.
After listening to many pieces from AnDa Union (a group made up of members hailing from different areas and varying traditions of Mongolian music), I found one consistent and unique musical theme, or timbre, throughout all of the music. Each and every song I listened to seemed to have a quality of not just sadness--a lot of music from different cultures can sound 'sad'--but this music possessed a unique longing or yearning. I began to wonder, why did this folk music from the Mongolian people make me feel like I'm missing something, like I am longing for something that is familiar yet absent.
I started digging deeper into the music to find why I felt this way. Like most folk music, it is rhythmic, very easy to dance to--or in my case, good to bob my head to. It didn't use any special or standout harmony, much of it is pentatonic (using five particular notes in any given scale) which is characteristic of a lot of Asian music. Sure they used drone notes (think of bagpipes), but none of these characteristics captured exactly what I felt. What could this feeling be that was so deep, and why is this unique sound so pervasive among all of these different songs?
I did some research into traditional Mongolian instruments and it turns out, Mongolia has a national instrument. Yep, music is such an important aspect of this country's culture that they actually have a national instrument. This particular instrument is called the Morin Khuur a.k.a. the horse head fiddle. Possessing two strings and similar in size to a violin or viola, this instrument (which appears to be related to the Er-Hu family of Chinese instruments) has a unique timbre, reminiscent of a mournful sounding cello. This instrument is used very often in these songs and can produce both droning notes and the melody of any song, or provide the accompaniment for a singer. So like the cello, the horse head fiddle can gift us with sounds of sadness and longing. But still, why is this unique sonic pallet so common in Mongolian music? I'm no anthropologist, but I wonder if the previously nomadic nature of the Mongol people has anything to do with why this sound is so prevalent. Perhaps it is their constant moving around which generates this longing for home or homesickness. Or even, maybe it is their lack of permanent residence that makes them desire a place to settle permanently. Whatever the case is, I encourage you to listen to this sample from AnDa Union. To Western ears, it may be a bit jarring at first, but I hope you listen to the whole song and can appreciate its beauty.
The name of this piece, Altargana, apparently is a type of deep-rooted grass native to the steppes of Mongolia. According to AnDa Union, this song and its lyrics signify the deep bonds between parents and children. I think it is interesting that despite this song having nothing to do with missing home, you still can hear that influence of longing from the instruments. The singer’s voice, while perhaps a bit abrasive at first, actually reveals a deep sadness and yearning in her unique style. When I listen to this, my mind conjures images of vast grasslands and a people who long for their home. There is a beauty hidden within the mournful exterior of this culture’s music.
Sources:
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cJyPuyoyl0
Instrument: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morin_khuur
AnDa Union: https://www.andaunion.com/about.php