Tuva throat singing

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An important part of Tuvan culture is their throat singing. It is mostly done by individuals to mimic the sounds of things such as rivers, nature and animals [1]. This particular kind of singing is usually done in certain areas. Often, singers will travel far into the countryside looking for the right river, or will go up to the steppes of the mountainside to create the proper environment for throat-singing [2]. Unlike music that we are used to hearing in the United States and throughout most of Europe, Tuvan throat-singing music does not carry a melody nor are there any words. It is simply the harmonized sounds that they are able to produce from deep within their throats [3]. Some throat-singing is also done for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and holidays, but they do not hold large concerts to play their music as would be expected in American culture [4].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Levin, Theodore. When Rivers and Mountains Sing. Bloomington, IN. Indiana University Press 2006.
  2. ^ Slobin, Mark. Ethnomusicology. Volume 36, No. 3, Special Issue: Music and the Public Interest. (1992), pp 444-446.
  3. ^ Aksenov, A. N. Tuvan Folk Music. Asian Music, Vol. 4, No. 2 (1973), pp 7-18.
  4. ^ Levin, Theodore. When Rivers and Mountains Sing. Bloomington, IN. Indiana University Press 2006.