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alt.culture.tuva FAQ Version 1.46 [Part 1 of 2]

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Kerry Yackoboski

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Oct 19, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/19/00

Archive-name: cultures/tuva-faq/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 2000/08/23
Version: 1.46
URL: http://FOTuva.org/faq/t-faq.html

Anyone wishing to take a shot at improving this should go ahead and send the
edited section along to me <ker...@nortelnetworks.ca>. Thanks to Bernard
Greenberg [BSG] for his numerous additions and edits and to Bernard Dubriel
[BD], Alan Shrives [AS], Kevin Williams [KW], Albert Kuvezin [AK], Dr Oliver
Corff [OC], Mike Vande Bunt [MVB], Ralph Leighton [RL], Masahiko Todoriki,
Alan Leighton, Ken Simon, and Sami Jansson.

Alt.culture.tuva FAQ Version 1.46,
Part 1 of 2 (August 23, 2000)

Table of Contents - Part 1:

1: How can I get a copy of this Frequently Asked Questions list?
2. Are there any WWW sites for Tuva?
3: What is Tuva?
4: What is all the fuss about?
5: How can I contact X in Tuva?
6: What's this about two voices from one singer?
7: Where can I find out more? (Friends of Tuva)
8: Are there any video tapes about Tuva?
9: Does anyone still collect the old Tuvan stamps?
10: What can you tell me about travel to Tuva?
11: How can I learn to sing khoomei?
12: How did the "Tannu" get into "Tannu Tuva"?

Table of Contents - Part 2:

13: Any recommended reading about Tuva?
14: Any recommended reading about Feynman?
15: Are audio recordings available?

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
online at the Friends of Tuva WWW site (see below for the location).

2. Are there any WWW sites for Tuva?
A: Try the Friends of Tuva site at http://www.FOTuva.org

This has all of the old Friends of Tuva Newsletters, along with all kinds of
neat stuff like the HTML version of this FAQ and numerous photos.

Other recommended sites are:

* Michael Connor's Tuvan rafting trip site at
http://fargo.itp.tsoa.nyu.edu/~connor/catapult/tuva.html feature
photos from a rafting trip to Tuva in the summer of 1995.
* Connie Mueller-Goedecke's Tuva pages at http://www.avantart.com/tuva
feature extensive info on Biosintes, the Shaman Exhibition, electronic
and musical webcards from Tuva, examples of stone carving, Sainkho
Namchylak's homepage with RealAudio, a report and photos from the
shaman exhibition in Antwerp (1998), RealAudio from "Tarbagan Rises on
the Earth" by Todoriki Masahiko and Saga Haruhiko, and much more.
* The official Huun-Huur-Tu WWW site is at http://www.huunhuurtu.com
* The official Sainkho WWW site is at
http://www.avantart.com/sainkho.html
* The "Central Asian Studies World Wide" WWW page at
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~casww/ provides some useful background
information for the researcher in this area, as does the Leeds
University Centre for Russian, Eurasian and Central European Studies at
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/lucreces/resourc.htm

3: What is 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 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 an area of 171,300 square kilometres, somewhat larger than
England and Wales. Tuva lies between 89 degrees and 100 degrees east
longitude, and 49 and 53 degrees north latitude.

Tuva's population is 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 confluence of two major forks of
the Yenisei 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.

Since 1992 the Republic of Tuva has been a member of the Russian Federation,
but this does not imply a large degree of independence from Russia. As one
would expect of a Russian republic, the working language in the capital and
other larger centres is Russian, but in the countryside and in less formal
situations the working language is Tuvan. The Tuvan language is closely
related to certain ancient languages (Old Oghuz and Old Uighur) and modern
ones (Karagas and Yakut). Tuvan belongs to the Uighur group of Turkic
languages, forming a special Old Oghuz subgroup with Old Oghuz, Old Uighur,
and Karagas.

The ethnic composition of the Tuvan people is complex, comprising several
Turkic groups, as well as Mongol, Samoyed, and Ket elements, assimilated in
a Turkic-speaking element. These ethnic traits (Mongol, Samoyed, Ket
elements) also apply to the language. There are many Mongol loan words in
Tuvan, and many words having to do with modern Western culture has been
borrowed from Russian. The Turkic elements are common to the Tuvan, Altai,
Khakas, and Karagas peoples.

4: 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 a train, a man on horseback with
a dirigible above him, and so on).

When they looked Tuva up in the atlas, they saw that the capital was Kyzyl,
and decided that any place with a name like that must be interesting! 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.

5: How can I contact X in Tuva?
A: If you have additional addresses to share, please send them in.

* The Lyceum in Kyzyl can be reached at:
Lyceum,
16 Lenina Street,
667001 Kyzyl, Republic of Tuva,
Russian Federation
tel: (39422) 3-65-30 lit...@dol.ru
* The Lyceum's students have made the first Tuvinian web-wite in Russian
at: http://solar.cini.utk.edu/partners/harmony/ISLP/tuva-ph.htm
* Khoomei scholar Dr. Zoya Kyrgys can be reached at:
Director, International Scientific Center "Khoomei,"
46 Shchetinkin-Kravchenko Street,
667000 Kyzyl, Republic of Tuva,
Russian Federation
Fax: (7) 394-22 3-67-22.
* Anyone in Kyzyl can be FAXed at:
Kyzyl Business Center: 011-7-39422 36722
Keep in mind that the recipient has to pay a fee to pick up the FAX.

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 Tiburon, California,
founded and run by Ralph Leighton. It is a central clearing-house for
information about Tuva and Tuva-related merchandise.

The FoT newsletter is no longer available by mail, but is available only on
the WWW at the FoT site (see elsewhere in this FAQ for the address).

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 current
news related to Tuva would do well to browse through the back issues of the
newsletters available on the WWW.

Friends of Tuva can be reached at:

Friends of Tuva
Box 182, Belvedere, CA
94920, USA
phone or FAX (415) 789-1177

8: 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. Tuvans Invade America

Alt.culture.tuva's own Jeff Cook had a large hand in
this informal documentary on the visit of 3
extraordinary Tuvan performers to California for the
Rose Bowl Parade on January 1, 1993. (90 minutes,
videotape)

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. Tuva - Shamans and Spirits

Tuva is the setting for the reemergence of ancient
spiritual traditions after their near extinction under
Soviet communist repression. From the capital of Kyzyl
to isolated nomadic yurtas in remote alpine mountains,
the Tuvan people are rediscovering their indigenous
Shamanic and Buddhist rituals and healing arts. A group
from the West is invited to participate in the first
public forum and display of previously forbidden
practices. A good insight into Tuva's recovering
shamanism after years of Soviet repression as well as an
interesting Tuva travelogue.

Produced in conjunction with the 1993 visit of
Foundation for Shamanic Studies members to Tuva, the
documentary was completed in 1994 but was not available
to the general public (non-members of the Foundation for
Shamanic Studies) until 1996, which is a shame; I would
recommend this to all those interested in spiritual life
in modern Tuva.

The documentary is great. Filmed in Kyzyl, Todje,
Chadaan, and elsewhere, it is a mini-travelogue of Tuva
that showcases various landscapes of the country. I
would highly recommend this for anyone who wants to see
for themselves what Tuva looks like (albeit on TV).

The video interviews numerous practitioners and shows
them at work, explaining the significance of their dress
or actions. The video is as realistic and life-like as
can be expected without actually being there. The
shamans are open and willing to share their histories
and their feelings about their work; a man who is both a
Buddhist monk and a shaman provides a unique insight on
Tuvan attitudes towards health and healing.

55 minutes VHS videotape, completed 1996. $30US
including tax, shipping, and handling within the USA.
Contact: Tom Anderson, PO Box 1119, Point Reyes, CA
94956, USA. Fax (510) 649-9719, or call (510) 649-1485.

8. Tuva - Two Short Videos

Ben Lange (ben....@pi.ne) has produced two short
videos made during his two visits to Tuva; one is a
general video of little more than 7 minutes about the
beauty of Tuva, and the other is about a winter ceremony
by a female shaman (also little over 7 minutes).

These videos have been shown at the Ethnographic Museum
in Antwerp, Belgium, since October, 1997, and they are
available for purchase from Oibibio, the new-age centre
in Amsterdam. The video is no available directly from
the producer: NGN produkties O.Ph.(Flip) Nagler
Korsjespoortsteeg 16 1015 AR Amsterdam Netherlands tel:
+31 (0)20 638 2633 fax: +31 (0)20 638 9199

The video format is PAL (NTSC can be arranged for North
Americans). The price is 40 NLG (Dutch Guilders): 30 for
the video and 10 postal charges. Currently, this would
be about US$20. People can obtain a tape by sending a
money order to the producer in Amsterdam, with the
amount given above and with their name and address. The
tape will be mailed after receipt of the money order.
Eurocheques are also accepted. This tape is now
available via the Tuva Trader.

9: Does anyone still collect the old Tuvan stamps?
A: Yes, many stamp collectors are 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!).

TTCS member Eric Slone has produced The Tuva Files, a Windows and Mac CD-ROM
with philatelic information and other data. The philatelic contents include
high-resolution scans of Tuva's stamps (early and modern issues), postal
cancels, postal stationary, covers, postcards, a collection of Tuvan
philatelic literature featuring Blekhman's postal history of Tuva (in
English) and more. The many other items of interest to Tuva-philes include
Tuvan fonts, a nearly-complete archive of all posts to alt.culture.tuva, the
contents of a few WWW sites, several maps, and more. Contact the Tuva
Trader (http://www.tuvatrader.com) for more information.

10: What can you tell me about travel to Tuva?
A:

GETTING THERE

BY AIR

Some flight information is available online at
http://havayollari.webjump.com/misc.htm#tu This includes data on
the fabled and feared Yak-40 jet airliners.

In Moscow in 1995 it was possible to purchase a ticket to Kyzyl
for about $150 US (cheaper than a flight from Moscow to Abakan,
which costs about $250 US). As of February, 1998, the asking price
according to Victor Akiphen is $500 US for the return flight.

The entity that used to be Aeroflot doesn't exist any more, and
several smaller (more regional) airlines are filling in the holes;
some even lease their planes from Aeroflot. The Aeroflot in Kyzyl
is a different company than the one in Moscow, and that's still a
different company from the one in Montreal.

Yak airlines flies once a week to and from Kyzyl, from Moscow.
There are stops both ways in Omsk, lasting about 1.5 hours. Route
727 flies from Moscow to Kyzyl on Saturdays. Route 728 returns
from Kyzyl to Moscow on Sundays. The quoted price is $148.00 each
way (please note: in general, in Russia and the former Soviet
Union, there is no such thing as a ``round trip rate''. Round trip
is simply twice the one-way rate.

The Yak Flight Director, Victor Akiphen(r?), is a nice guy, a
mountain climber, and speaks some English. He can be reached in
Moscow at 151-66-92 or 151-89-86, or by fax at 956-16-13, and will
be happy to provide further info and assistance. By the way, Yak's
planes are OK, and the service is pretty decent by Russian
standards. If you contact Victor, please give him Steve Sklar's
regards.

As of November 1997, there were weekly flights from Moscow to
Kyzyl on Sundays, leaving Vnukovo Airport (take Bus #511 from
Metro Station "Yugo-Zapadnaya"), at 21:45 (9:45pm) on "Yak
Service" flight IB 727, arriving in Kyzyl at 08:15 Monday
mornings. Flights from Kyzyl to Moscow are on Mondays at 12:25 pm
("Yak Service" flight IB 728), arriving in Moscow at 14:45
(2:25pm) Monday afternoons. This is presumably the flight that
previously departed Moscow Saturdays (listed above) and stopped at
Omsk enroute to Kyzyl.

As of April, 1999, Yak Service from Moscow Vnukovo to Kyzyl is now
non-stop. Current cost is supposedly 1500 roubles (cheap like
borscht!). Flights are still Sunday evening to Kyzyl, Monday
morning to Moscow.

Other flights are still available via Abakan. Khakkasia Airlines
fly as follows to Moscow Domodedevo:

Moscow to Abakan Wed, Fri, Sun, dep. 22:55, arr. 07:25 1450
roubles Abakan to Kyzyl Mon, Wed, Fri, dep. 07:05, arr. 08:00 250
roubles

Kyzyl to Abakan Mon, Wed, Fri, dep. 08:40, arr. 09:30 250 roubles
Abakan to Moscow Wed, Fri, dep. 09:30, arr. 10:20 1450 roubles
Sun, dep. 19:30, arr. 20:25 1450 roubles

BETWEEN AIRPORTS IN MOSCOW

In Moscow, use the blue Aeroflot transit busses to go from any
airport to the central Aerovokzal (Airstation) where you can
either change to another bus to another airport, or get on the
Metro (nearest is 'Aerport' station on the 'V. I. Lenin' - pale
green - line). The Aerovokzal is next to the Aeroflot hotel.

Busses to and from Vnukovo cost 12 roubles plus 3 roubles for
luggage, take 70 minutes and leave hourly between 06:10 and 23:10.

Busses to and from Sheremetevo cost 12 roubles, 3 roubles for
luggage, take 45 minutes and leave every hour between 07:15 and
23:15.

Busses to and from Domodedevo take 1 hour 40 minutes, cost 18
roubles plus 5 roubles for bags and leave hourly between 06:30 and
22:30.

OVER LAND

From Novosibirsk, trains head south to Abakan where there are
frequent buses to Kyzyl. The bus between Abakan and Kyzyl takes
about 7 hours and costs 85 roubles (as of April, 1999). Some
prefer the daytime bus, not the overnight, to arrive in Tuva
overland, and later leaving by air to get the morning bird's eye
view. Be warned, the bus ride looks long and challenging.

MONEY

Bring lots of new bills. Outside of Moscow and a few other large,
western Russian cities, they don't accept American Express. Or
Visa. Or traveller's checks. Or anything. You must have 1990 or
newer dollars, preferably very new, and they must be unwrinkled,
untorn and unmarked if you don't want difficulties.

Although the exchange rate in Kyzyl is theoretically higher than
in Moscow, you may want to exchange at least some money in Moscow.
In previous years Kyzyl's banks sometimes had no roubles to
exchange.

The exchange rate "on the street" in Moscow may be better than
that in the bank in Kyzyl or via official channels in Moscow, but
be careful. Exchanging money on the street is illegal and the
penalty includes a fine as well as confiscation of your money. You
also risk being cheated (robbed or given counterfeit bills) or you
may get a worse exchange rate than that offered by the banks.

Recent travellers advise that when possible, you should exchange
your money in a bank. Problems with the availability of roubles do
not exist any more.

As of the summer of 1998, there is an ATM in Kyzyl - in one bank
only, for now. It is in a main street backyard establishment (ask
for it, in front of OVIR and Bank of Tuva). It works with Visa
cards.

GUIDES AND REFERENCES

Buy your maps in your home country, or in Moscow. Topographical
maps are hard to come by in Tuva. When you meet people along the
road and in villages, you will be proud to show off with your 1:1
000 000 scale map from the US Defence Mapping Agency.

The Lonely Planet guidebook for Russia is has seven pages on Tuva
(seven among 1200) but they are useful and include a map of Kyzyl.

Some experienced travellers are now leading tours into Tuva. We
can not give first-hand recommendations for anyone, but we will
not list anyone who has not already travelled into Tuva.

* Gary Wintz
o 1247 Lincoln Bl. PMB 232 Santa Monica, CA 90401 tel/fax
310.822.7908 email: globa...@email.com
* Sasha Lebedev
o An independent guide who has worked with Catapult
Adventures for 6 years. Email: aleb...@techmarket.ru

OTHER

You don't need to have Kyzyl listed on your visa any more, but it
is advisable and will generate less hassle.

There is a classical process to obtain a visa in order to travel
freely through all Russia. The classical process makes it almost
impossible to travel there independently and without personal
invitation. The Lonely Planet guide for Russia has a section on
visas. This section is very complicated but details the best
(quickest) way to get a visa - this has worked for some
correspondents but be warned that there is some question as to
whether this approach is completely legal.

Patience and flexibility are the greatest of virtues. Practice the
mantra ``we will wait, and we will see''.

11: 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, reproduced below.
* Steve Sklar (ssk...@uswest.net) has some online instructions
at http://www.atech.org/khoomei/khoomei.html
* 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.
* Teachers are available for seminars or workshops in North
America. Steve Sklar is both reachable online
(ssk...@uswest.net) and willing to travel to teach.

The absolute best advice was offered by Ralph Leighton, namely, listen to
masters and imitate.

How to Sing Khoomei (by Dan Bennett, dan_b...@hp.com )

Khoomei is easiest for men. I *have* heard a recording of a Mongolian Kazakh
women singing khoomei, but it's simply not so easy or spectacular, because
of the higher pitch of the female voice. (Sainkho Namchylak can sing khoomei
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 khoomei. 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 khoomei 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 khoomei!

Put it this way: the *aim* of the khoomei 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.

12: How did the "Tannu" get into "Tannu Tuva"?
A: Several Mongolians and the band Ozum were asked about the word "Tannu";
they did not know the word or its source. Mongolians and Tuvans both
answered "it may not be Tannu, it must be Tangdy". They opined that it must
be a Tuvan term; it is certainly not Mongolian. Their guess is that Tangdy
is the word printed on some maps as "Tannu-Ola" (in Tuvan dictionaries this
appears as "Tangdy cyny" or "Tangdy-Uula"). As you may know, tangdy
(ta"ng"dy) means "high mountain" or "taiga surrounded by high mountain" in
Tuvan.

Here is some supporting information, mainly from a book by S. A. Shoizhelov
(Natsov), Tuvinskaya Narodnaya Respublika, Moscow 1930. (Written in Oct.
1929).

Tuva was indeed called "Tang-nu Wulianghai". The Czarist Russians called
Tuva "Uryanhai". P. 29-30 of the above mentioned book talks about a
"Russo-Uryanhai regional meeting", in which, of course, a resolution was
passed. This meeting was after, and supposedly in response to, the February
Revolution. (Note: Which year was that? 1915?) The meeting was held in
Byelotsarsk, and was convened by the Immigrants' Administration
(Pereselencheskogo Upravleniya).

Article One of this resolution refers to "Tannu-Uryanh[a]i", obviously a
corruption or Russianization of "Tang-nu Wulianghai".

Once the Russians decided to call the Tuvans "Tuvans" and not "Uryanhais",
then it was a natural step for them to quit calling the place
"Tannu-Uryanhai" and call it "Tannu-Tuva" instead.

In his discussion of the first meeting of the Party in Tuva, Natsov refers
to the "Tannu-Tuva", but then afterwards it is always simply "Tuva". At the
founding of the nominally independent state, it was called the Tannu-Tuvan
People's Republic, but that soon afterward, in just a few years, the "Tannu"
was dropped.

As we all know, the first Tuvan postage stamps, issued in 1926, have "Ta Ty"
for Tangdy Tyva on them. The next issue, from 1927, has just "Tyva".

[Heroic answers provided by Masahiko Todoriki and Alan Leighton.]

Kerry Yackoboski

unread,

Oct 19, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/19/00

Archive-name: cultures/tuva-faq/part2

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 2000/08/23
Version: 1.46
URL: http://FOTuva.org/faq/t-faq.html

Alt.culture.tuva FAQ Version 1.46,
Part 2 of 2 (August 23, 2000)

Table of Contents - Part 1:

Table of Contents - Part 2:

13: Any recommended reading about Tuva?
14: Any recommended reading about Feynman?
15: Are audio recordings available?

Questions and Answers:

13: 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 Mänchen-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.

10 - The Lost Country: Mongolia Revealed Jasper Becker. Hodder &
Stoughton, 1992. ISBN: 0-340-57978-1

Written by the Asia correspondent of the Guardian
newspaper, who visited Mongolia and surrounding
countries several times in 1989-90. Includes are
chapters on Buryatia and Tuva. Plenty of personal
observation as well as background history.

11 - The Last Disco In Outer Mongolia Nick Middleton. Onon, 1992.
ISBN: 1-85799-012-9

About the travel experiences of a British student who
visited Mongolia in 1987 and 1990. He observes the
changes that have taken place between his two visits.

12 - Recherche experimentale sur le chant diphonique Hugo Zemp and
Tran Quang Hai. Cahier de Musique traditionnelle, 4,p27-68,Atelier
d'ethnomusicologie, Geneve, 1991.

The most thorough analysis of Tuvan, Tibetan, Mongol and
Altai styles. Plenty of sound spectra representing
excerpts from a variety of songs, including cuts from
the Smithsonian Folkways CD. [BD]

13 - Structural, aerodynamic and spectral characteristics of
imitated Tibetan chanting. Aliaa Ali Khir, M.D. and Diane M.Bless,
Ph.D. Proceedings of the 21st symposium of The Voice Foundation.
Philadelphia, June 1992.

A study on ``the underlying physiological adjustments of
this unique phonetary mode''. For those with high
interests in acoustic and physiological details. The
subject under study was an American male, not a Tibetan
monk. The study suggests aphonic patients may benefit
from Tibetan chanting, as it requires minimal mean flow
rates. It quotes and agrees with previous authors
(Smith, Stevens, Tomlinson 1967), that Tibetan style may
be due to ``two modes of oscillations, one at the normal
frequency and another at some ``ill-defined'' low
frequency that synchronized to every pulse of the higher
frequency''. It rules out glottal fry as the source of
the low note, which I believe is an error. [BD]

14 - Sons multiphoniques aux instruments a vent Michele
Castellango Rapport IRCAM, 34|82. Paris, France.

Wind instruments, not just voices, can play multiple
sounds. The trombone, the flute, the oboe, bassoon and
bass clarinet are examined in that respect. Defined as :
``l'entretien d'un son stable percu comme un accord'',
multiphonic instrumental emissions are compared to vocal
overtone singing. ``Si l'on renforce l'intensite de
certaines harmoniques, ceux-ci peuvent etre percu
isolement et former une melodie independante. A un
instant donne, on percoit alors deux hauteurs. C'est le
cas du chant diphonique, de la guinbarde et de l'arc
musical ou l'on a dailleurs souvent deux ou trois
melodies formantiques en contrepoint.''

N.B In previous years, Michele Castellango and Trang
Quang Hai have worked together on a number of occasions,
trying to pin down the nature of biphonic singing. [BD]

14 - Theorie physiologique de la musique Hermann von Helmholtz
Editions Jacques Gabay Paris, 1990.

The Bible of acoustics and music, from the well known
19th century Heidelberg university professor. First
edition in French: 1868.

When we sing overtones, we behave as Helmholtz
resonators, amplifying certain harmonics in the note we
sing. We do so by slightly changing the volume of air
contained in our vocal tract or by changing the surface
of the aperture of our mouth. Helmholtz shows us that in
matters of resonance, there are no other variables at
play than volume of air and surface of aperture.

Following up on Helmhotz I hypothesized that whenever
three notes were distinctly heard in a given style (i.e.
Kaigal-ool Khovalyg singing in khoomei style) one was
amplified using the tongue as a means to vary the volume
of air, one was amplified using the aperture of the
mouth. Both field observations of professional Tuvan
singers and personal practice seem to verify this. [BD]

15 - Tuvan Folk Music A.N. Aksenov Asian Music IV, 1973

I've been unable to confirm the existence of this book,
or even find out what language it has been published in.
It was listed as one of several books being auctioned by
a specialist in antique books.

16 - The Choomij of Mongolia: a Spectral Analysis of Overtone
Singing R. Walcot Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology 2, 1974

17 - The Land In The Heart Of Asia Vladimir Semenov and Marina
Kilunovskaia Bronze Horseman Literary Agency (1995) 70-52 Olcott
Street Forest Hills, NY 11375

$22, 112 pages, 72 color illustrations. Bronze Age,
Neolithic, and Scythian artifacts from excavations in
Tuva.

18 - Unknown Mongolia: A Record of Travel and Exploration in
North-West Mongolia and Dzungaria Douglas Carruthers Hutchinson &
Co., 1914.

``Unknown Mongolia'' is an enormous two-volume tome
based on British geographer Douglas Carruthers' 20-month
journey and mapping expedition through what is now Tuva
and Mongolia. The first volume is almost all about Tuva.
Carruthers was literally charting uncharted territory.
The stated intent of the journey was as a geographic
expedition. Carruthers set out to map the territory and
investigate its geology, flora and fauna. The result is
a fascinating and highly informative account, written in
the somewhat overblown, erudite manner typical of the
aristocrats who were members of the Royal Geographic
Society.

Despite his understandably "Orientalist" approach,
Carruthers for the most part manages to avoid the
judgmental condescension of many other British
explorers. His account of the indigenous people and
their ways of life is sensitive and respectful, and his
painstaking attention to detail is rendered more with
refreshing candor and wide-eyed wonder than with the
bored skepticism of some of the other British travel
accounts of the period. It's informative, entertaining,
readable, and full of vivid geographic and ethnographic
detail. [Review by Brian Donahoe.]

Booksellers list a 1994 edition of this book (ISBN
8120608577) with a price in the $40 (US) range - much
better than the rare 1914 edition.

19 - Open Lands: Travels Through Russia's Once Forbidden Places
Mark Taplin Steerforth Press, 1998, ISBN 1-883642-87-6

In 1992, when the doors to formerly forbidden areas of
the Soviet Union were opened, Taplin visited seven newly
accessible cities and regions. One chapter is devoted to
Tuva; the chapter is an interesting read, the highlight
being his run-in with Mongush Kenin-Lopsang. Taplin has
an eye for detail and provides generous descriptions of
the situations he's encountered; his Tuvan chapter
doesn't include much on aspects of Tuvan tradition or
day-to-day life but does provide much insight on the
legacies of the Soviet system.

20 - Books by Lev Nikolayevich Gumilev (1912-1992)

Several Russians have reported that they first became
interested in Tuva through the works (in Russian) of
this author. Some titles of interest are "Hunnu in
China" "Ancient Turkic people".

14: 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. Paperback by Bantam Books, ISBN 0-553-34668-7.

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. Paperback by Bantam Books, ISBN
0-553-34784-5.

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. Paperback by Vintage/Random House, 1993, ISBN 0-679-74704-4.

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.

8 - The Art of Richard P. Feynman : Images By a Curious Character Compiled
by Michelle Feynman G+B Science Publishers SA, G+B Arts International ISBN
2-88449-047-7

173 pages with 92 full page black and white images and 7 colour
plates by Feynman the artist. Accompanying the images are 57 pages
of commentary and reminiscences, some of which has been printed
before (``But Is It Art?'' from ``Surely You're Joking'') and some
of which is new. Particularly interesting are the contributions
from the wonderful Albert Hibbs and from Michelle Feynman. A great
book for the enthusiast.

9 - The Beat of A Different Drum: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman
Jagdish Mehra Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 1994 ISBN 0-19-853948-7 (cloth)

According to the book jacket, Feynman in 1980 requested that Mehra
``do what he had already done for Heisenberg, Pauli, and Dirac,
that is write a definitive account of his life, science and
personality.'' Mehra, who had known Feynman personally for 30
years, readily agreed.

10 - Richard Feynman - A Life In Science John Gribbin and Mary Gribbin
Dutton, published by the Penguin Group, 1997 ISBN 0-525-94124-X (hardcover)

The book attempts to capture both the essence of Feynman's
scientific works and the essence of his `curious character' in one
book, and succeeds to a good degree. The scientific explanations
are well-explained in an interesting manner, and the anecdotes are
always engaging. This may be of the most interests to the reader
who has not already enjoyed other books featuring stories from
Feynman's life, since there is inevitably some duplication between
books, but even the seasoned reader will find something new here.

11 - Most of the Good Stuff - Memories of Richard Feynman Laurie M. Brown
and John S. Rigden, editors American Institute of Physics, 1993 ISBN
0-88318-870-8 (hardcover)

One of the better books, this is a collection of reminiscences and
anecdotes from colleagues and friends, organized around the impact
he made through his scientific work, through his teaching, and
through his personality. Several of the pieces appeared in the
February 1989 issue of `Physics Today' but are not reprinted
elsewhere.

15: Are audio recordings available?

A: I'm glad you asked. Long gone are the days when Tuvan (and other central
Asian) music was difficult to find; the enthusiast now has a wonderful array
of offerings to choose from. Of course, not all of these recordings are
available in every store, but we've tried to supply all the information
needed to place a special order. of course, if you're not certain of what
you want, you can always ask in Usenet newsgroup alt.culture.tuva.

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, scholarly, musicological liner notes.

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
Maison 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
Hungaroton HCD 18013-14

Selected from the 1967 year's collection by Lajos
Vargyas. [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
Cramworld/Crammed Discs CD CRAW6
Released 1993.
Recorded between 1986 and 1993 in Kyzyl, Moscow, Wuppertal,
Paris, and Brussels.

Mostly pop songs incorporating traditional folklore and
some traditional techniques, the liner notes explain
that these are recordings that Sainkho had made with no
plans to release them. Muscovite Artemy Troitsky thought
that they should be released and put them on this disk,
along with three new songs.

The songs are generally less esoteric than other Sainkho
works and they are far more accessible to the casual
listener. The featured instrument is her voice, and the
accompaniment varies from somewhat bare percussion to a
large orchestra to synthesized washes. I like this disc
more than the other Sainkho ones I've heard, and if I
were to recommend a first Sainkho album to newcomers,
this would be it.

As an added bonus, the insert artwork is pretty good;
the cover is a stunning photo of Sainkho's face and
shoulders superimposed in front of a bright blur of
colour. The liner notes are good but too brief; only
some of the songs have accompanying notes listing the
details of the recording. 13 Tracks, total length 40:30.

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 tongue twisters 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.
Distributed in Germany via Zweitausendeins Versand, Postfach,
D-60381 Frankfurt. Order Number 55838.

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.

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. [OC]

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 byzanchi 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].

Here is some news from Yat-Kha from August of 1995:

Eki ergim eshter! (Hello dear friends)

I would like to inform you about some news of the
Yat-Kha band. We are right now recording a new album at
the Global Mobile studio in Helsinki under the roof (and
rules) of Anu Laakkonen. The album presents our new
style: "Yenisei kargyrapunk". The participating
musicians in this projects are: Alexei/vocal, tungur,
igil; myself/kargyra & guitars; Evgeniy/percussions,
Kari/sound & drinks; Anu/sauna; Mikko/cooks & drinks;
Akym/phonecontrol. The CD will be released by Global
Music Centre soon. Start saving now! We will give the
account details later. [AK]

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]

27- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Geronimo, An American
Legend
Columbia CD CK 57760

Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoly Kuular, and Sayan Bapa sing
and play on six of the seventeen tracks. The Tuvans make
a significant contribution to the soundtrack and share
writing credits on some songs. This CD is not a
"must-have" for the traditionalist but is interesting.
The CD seems to have a higher Tuvan content than was
actually heard in the movie.

28- The ReR Quarterly, Volume 4, Number 1 (ReR 0401)

The ReR Quarterly is a sort of audio magazine dedicated
to weird and experimental music. The first track on this
issue is "Koongoortoog," whom we know today as
Huun-Huur-Tu. Most of the rest of the CD is
significantly modernist abstract composition or
alienated rock music.

This old traditional song was recorded in 1991 in Moscow
when the Koongoortug band consisted of only Albert
Kuvezin and Alexander Bappa. On this song Mr. Kuvezin
sang and played all the instruments (yat-kha, fretless
bass, drum machine, buddhist percussion) except shell by
Mr. Bappa. Arrangement was done by Mr. Kuvezin. The
studio time was purchased by Mr. Bappa. This tape was
given to Chris Cutler in London. The picture and the
information was mistakingly taken from the first CD of
Huun Huur Tu. ReR Megacorp is reachable at 74 Tulse
Hill, London SW2 2PT, England, or distributed in the USA
by Wayside Music, PO Box 8427, Silver Spring MD 20907.
(Source: [AK], Alexei Saaia, Anu Laakkonen, Akym (AAAA
Club))

29- Whistling In the Temple: Harmonic Voices
Simone Records, 412 East Ellis Ave., Inglewood, CA 90302.
In the USA, call 1-800-300-3315 for info.

Most songs have overtone singing and other cultural
references such as instrumentation and source material
which refer to Tuvan lifestyle. It is a hybrid
recording, but not in a pop type manner such as Sainko.
I did enjoy the music and gist of the material
immensely. [KW]

30- Jeff Lorber: West Side Stories
Polygram Records, distributed by Verve Records, 314 523
738-2.

Kongar-ool Ondar sings on one track, ``Tuva'', five
minutes long. He sings two themes (the old favourite,
``Alash River'' and another, about the Tuvan forests),
and Lorber has built a song around them. The music is
not traditional, or a facsimile (for example, the Kronos
Quartet blended their instruments well with the Tuvan
themes on their Tuvan song) but is funky light jazz
played mainly on synthesizers. An added bonus: in the
liner notes Lorber mentions that he made his studio
available to Kongar-ool to record an album for release
in Tuva.

31- Biosintez
Lava Productions. 23705 Vanowen St., suite 123, West Hills,
CA 91307, USA. E-Mail: LAV...@AOL.COM

Tuvan music played on modern rock instruments.
Unreviewed.

32- Kongar-ool Ondar - Echoes of Tuva
1995.

This recording is a solo recording by Kongar-ool Ondar,
made in the picturesque old city hall of Pasadena,
California. The building's natural reverberance is used
to great effect and gives the recordings a very natural
lively feel.

The recording opens with traditional songs done
impeccably, but it is the more modern-sounding songs
that are most interesting. Also striking is the prayer
for Richard Feynman, a song featuring only voice and
drum.

The recording is available directly from Friends of
Tuva, Box 182, Belvedere CA 94920.

33- The Legend of Tannu Uriangkhai
Published by The Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission,
4th Floor, #5, Shu-Chow Road, Taipei, Republic of China.
Produced by the Typhoon Music Co, director Lee Hou-kou.

A book and CD combination in Chinese and English, with
references, the CD is excellent [Not reviewed by me -
KY].

34- Khomus: Jew's Harp Music of the Turkic Peoples in the Urals,
Siberia,
and Central Asia.
Pan Records CD PAN 2032CD
P.O. Box 155, 2300 AD Leiden, Netherlands
Phone: (+31-71)219479 fax: (+31-71)226869

While only one track (out of 33) is from Tuva, this is
an excellent survey of khomus music of the Turkic
speaking peoples. Excellent liner notes, including
repeated mention of Tuva and a Tuvan folk tale regarding
the origin of the khomus. Very listenable if you like
khomus (very twangy if you don't like khomus...) with
most of the songs being complete, though fairly short.
Music is from Gorno-Altai, Kyrgyzstan, Tuva,
Bashkortostan, and Yakutia. There is surprising variety
in the music from this simple instrument.

Here are the details on the Tuvan track (#5): ``BAYAN
KOL and BISTING TYVA (Our Tuva). Also found on LP
Melodiya 14937 #1 and #10. Many folk musicians do not
perform on the stage but rather prefer to play in a
natural environment, like the Tuvan herdsman
Khunashtaar-ool Oorzhak playing temir khomus''. Total
time: 66'03. [MVB]

35- Khoomei 92 - WTE Tapes 004
Window to Europe
Jodenbreestraat 24, 1011 NK, Amsterdam, Netherlands
tel +31-20-6245747 fax +31-20-6203570

Though I have not heard this one myself it comes highly
recommended by a friend in Amsterdam. It is a tape
(presumably also on CD) from the first International
Symposium on Throat Singing in Kyzyl, June 1992. [MVB]

36- Planet Soup
Produced by Ellipsis Arts, 20 Lumber Rd., Roslyn, NY 11576,
(800) 788-6670, FAX: (516) 621-2750.

This illustrated book (48 pages) and three compact discs
(or cassette) includes one song (1:51 minutes),
``Genghis Blues: The Ballad of Cher Shimjer (What You
Talkin' About?)'' featuring Paul Pena, (vocals, guitars,
kargyraa vocals); Kongar-ool Ondar (sygyt vocal, khomus)
and; ``C.T.'' and Rusty Gunn (backing vocals).

There's also an interesting track by Bolot Bairyshev,
from Altay in Mongolia (this track is originally from
``Voice of Asia 2'').

37- Jon Rose: Violin Music For Supermarkets
Megaphone Records, Megaphone 016 (CD), released 1994.

Sainkho Namtchylak appears on track 11, ``Shopping In
Tuva'' (3:51).

38- Yat-Kha: Yenisei-punk
Global Music Centre GMCD 9504, Finland, 1995.
Duration: 56:31
Contact: e-mail: g...@global.pp.fi ,
http://www.globalmusic.fi/index.html (Finnish) or
http://www.globalmusic.fi/in_english/index.html
(English)

TRACKS:
Solun chaagai sovet churtum (Beautiful Soviet Country)
Karangailyg kara hovaa (In the endless black steppe)
Kaa-khem (Name of the river)
Kuu-la khashtyn baaryndan (At the foot of a mountain)
Kamgalanyr kuzhu-daa bar (We have protection force)
Irik chuduk (Rotten log)
Chashpy-khem (Name of a river)
Kadarchy (Shepherd boy)
Chok-la kizhi yry (Song of a poor lonely)
Een kurug kagban-na men (I didn't leave my yurt empty)
Toorugtub taiga (Cedar taiga)
Karagyram

If Michael Gira would have been born in Tuva, this is
how the Swans would sound, I guess. All the instruments
but the electric guitar are ethnic Tuvan, but I have the
impression they're not as lively and diversified as with
Huun-Huur-Tu. Also, the throat singing is quite
threatening in a monotonous way, but not as
breath-taking and crazy as with Huun-Huur-Tu. Although
many of the songs are about nature, this CD sounds very
dark and gloomy, hence the "punk" title; not the Sex
Pistols kind of punk, more like Joy Division.

Every song on its own is an impressive listening
experience, but maybe there isn't enough variation to
make the whole CD interesting enough. Luckily, some
songs have accompanying extra voices.

The last track is more than 10 minutes long, and is not
really a song, more the singer showing of his low throat
voice, which only rarely gets the "vacuum cleaner" sound
effect. Conclusion: good, but not essential exotica
stuff. [Reviewed by Johan Dada Vis
<johan...@ping.be>.]

39- Deep In the Heart of Tuva - Cowboy Music From the Wild East
Ellipsis Arts CD4080, ISBN 1-55961-324-6
64 page book, 60+ minute CD

This recent release comes with a well-produced booklet
full of information (interviews, khoomei details, liner
notes, etc.) and superb photos. The music is a sampler
of a wide variety of performers and styles. This release
sets a new standard for Tuvan music production.

40- Huun-Huur-Tu: If I'd Been Born An Eagle
Shanachie Records

"If I'd Been Born An Eagle" explores a possible past
with the addition of an end-blown flute, an instrument
of other Turkic mountain peoples, which may once have
been played in Tuva. Once you hear it along with the
other Tuvan instruments, you'll wonder why the Tuvans
ever gave it up! This CD is a worthy addition to the
other two by HHT. [RL]

41- Huun-Huur-Tu and Angelite: Fly, Fly My Sadness

Recorded in Bulgaria with the women's choir Angelite
(formerly called Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares), this CD
is definitely meditative stuff --- not quite my style,
but certainly an interesting mixture of distinctive
musical traditions. [RL]

42- Vershki da Koreshki
Al Sur CD ALCD 204, 1996.
15, rue des Goulvents, 92000 Nanterre, France,
Telephone (33) 01 41 20 90 50.

9 tracks, 56'08.

Featuring: Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, voice, khoomei, igil,
khomus Mola Sylla, vocals, kongoma, xalam, kalimba
Alexei Levin, accordian, piano, khomus, kongoma Vladimir
Volkov, double bass Paco Diedhjou, sauruba

This album features one musician from Tuva, two from
Senegal, and two from Saint Petersburg. The musicians
blend their styles and genres to form an interesting and
attractive result; although similar experiments haven't
always worked well in the past, in this case it does.

The accordian and the double bass complement, rather
than steer, the other instruments. The addition of the
rich sounding double bass to Tuvan melodies is quite
satisfying. The African and Tuvan musical elements are
not as disparate as one might expect; this is more a
testimony to the talents and to the calibre of the
musicians than to any similarities inherent in the
cultures.

43- Chirgilchin: The Wolf and the Kid
Shanachie CD 64070 16 tracks, 1996.

Featuring: Ondar Mongun-ool, throat-singer Aidysmaa
Kandan, singer Tamdyn Aldar, instruments Produced by
Alexander Bapa

The 20-year old Tuvan performers sound great on this
recording, and some listeners will already know
Mongun-Ool from a sygyt cut on the World Network CD
``Choomeij: Throat-Singing From the Center of Asia''.
Mongun-Ool is one of the greatest sygyt-singers, but he
masters other styles as well. [Review by Sami Jansson.]

44- Big Sky: Standing On This Earth
Skysong Productions, inc., SPCD1001, 1997
P.O. Box 11755, Minneapolis, MN, 55412
12 tracks, total time 55:57

Big Sky features alt.culture.tuva contributor Steve
Sklar on guitar and vocals, and on one song on this CD,
"Siberia", he uses his his formidable kargyraa and sygyt
to great effect. Not a Tuvan CD, but one with some Tuvan
influence; it is mostly upbeat (in outlook as well as
tempo) pop/rock with a bright, wide-open, spacious sound
reminiscent of Tuva's wide open plains.

Additional Big Sky tracks can be found online at
http://mp3.com/bigsky --- for instance, "Fire in the
Water" features khoomei singing, (especially sygyt).

Big Sky themselves are on the WWW at
http://www.bigskyrocks.com/ and Steve Sklar has a
khoomei page at URL
http://www.atech.org/khoomei/khoomei.html

45- Ondar & Pena: Genghis Blues
TuvaMuch Records, 1997, c/o Friends of Tuva
12 tracks, total time 53:54
Available from the Tuva Trader.

A collaboration between Tuva's Kongar-ol Ondar and
occasional alt.culture.tuva contributor Paul
``Earthquake'' Pena, this CD successfully blends the
traditions of Tuvan music with those of American blues.

Several of the songs are traditional, but the original
songs by Pena are the attraction: the first track,
``What You Talkin' About?'', is a killer and is worth
the price of the CD by itself. This Bo Diddley-style
tour de force recounts how Pena began his journey to
Tuva and his journey into khoomei.

Other highlights are the notable ``Kargyraa Moan'', a
song that helped win Paul Pena first prize in the
kargyraa competition at the 1995 Khoomei Symposium in
Kyzyl, as well as ``Tuva Farewell'', Pena's thoughts and
insights about his visit to (and return from) Tuva.

46- Tuvan Folk Music: It's Probably Windy In Ovyur...
Long Arms Records & IMA-press, 1997, CDLA 9707
29 tracks, total time 60:58
Contact long...@redline.ru .

This recording may be a landmark on the horizon of Tuvan
music in that it was recorded in Tuva (October-November
1995) by Tuvans, for Tuvans. This is a collection of
songs by musicians from the Ovyur region (with the hope
that compilations will be forthcoming for other regions)
featuring aspects of singing that have been overlooked
by foreign recordings, which have concerned themselves
primarily with the various forms of khoomei. Ovyur is a
region southwest of Kyzyl, bordering on Mongolia.

The music is wonderful and covers a wide range of
styles; ballads, galloping songs, laments, patriotic
fighting songs... and that's just the first four!
Various instruments are used, including igil, doshpulur,
and khomus, along with the accordion, but many songs are
vocal solos, by both women and men. Words cannot do the
CD justice; the performances are all very natural
sounding and very clearly recorded. This sounds like a
performance sitting around the campfire or around the
stove in the yurt, with no echo or effects added. My
favourite songs are the ones with the soaring melodies
and quiet accordion accompaniment.

The liner notes are primarily in Russian (I think; I
can't see any Tuvan) with some translation into English.
The package and insert are well-crafted with flashy
graphic arts and photos. Produced by Sainkho Namchylak
and Otkun Dostai, this is a work to be proud of, and I
hope to see more recordings in this vein.

47- Kongar-ol Ondar: Back Tuva Future
Warner Brothers Records CD9 47131-2

11 tracks, 50'05. Wow! An interesting and adventurous
experiment bringing together Kongar-ol Ondar's music and
singing, recordings from Feynman and Leighton's drumming
and storytelling days, and some excellent western
musicians including Sam Bush, Randy Scruggs, and Victor
Wooten. Some of these tracks became instant favourites -
the ones with the most propelling beat actually sound
vaguely reminiscent of some Tuvan-Western fusion songs I
heard on a cassette tape in a car on the road to Teeli.
Don't forget to look for the hidden track!

48- Huun-Huur-Tu: Where Young Grass Grows
Shanachie Records CD 66018

15 tracks, 45'05. No review available yet. Tracklist: 1
Ezir-Kara 2 Anatoly On Horseback 3 Deke-Jo 4 Xöömeyimny
Kagbasla Men (I will not abandon my xöömei) 5 Avam
Churtu Dugayimny (Dugai, the land of my mother) 6
Dyngyldai 7 Highland Tune 8 Hayang (name of a hunter) 9
Barlyk River 10 Tarlaashkyn 11 Interlude: Sayan playing
khomus with water in his mouth 12 Sarala 13 Sagla Khadyn
Turula Boor (It's probably windy on Sagly steppe) 14
Ezertep-Le Bereyin Be (Do you want me to saddle you?) 15
Live Recording: Anatoly and Kaigal-ool riding horses in
Eleges while singing sygyt (Anatoly), kargyraa and
xöömei (Kaigal-ool)

49- Tuva, Among the Spirits: Sound, Music, and Nature in
Sakha and Tuva
Smithsonian Folkways CD SFW 40452

19 tracks, 49'00, featuring numerous performers recorded
in Tuva and Sakha by Ted Levin and Joel Gordon.
Excellent music with excellent scholarly, musicological
liner notes. To be reviewed further.

50- Tarbagan: Tarbagan Rises On The Earth
BooxBox World Wide Music CD BWM-A801

14 tracks. Japanese release featuring Haruhiko Saga and
Masahiko Todoriki.

51- Yat-Kha: Dalai Beldiri
Wicklow Entertainment LLC

10 tracks, 46:05. More amazing bass from Albert Kuvezin
with Aldyn-ool Sevek and Zhenya Tkach'v. Mainly
traditional songs arranged in a modern style by Kuvezin;
some exciting sounds. This is a very natural-sounding
album and the fusion doesn't sound at all forced and
contrived - a very musical record. Comes in a cool
package with some great photos.

51- Shu-De: Kongurei
Newtone Records - NT 6745 2 CD

12 tracks.

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