These reviews of Tuvan and Mongolian music originally formed part of the Tuva FAQ which is regularly posted to the Usenet newsgroup alt.culture.tuva. Only little later, they were up- dated twice by Alan Shrives. The editor took the liberty to rearrange the titles alphabetically. O.C., Dec. 14th, 1994, Jan. 31st, 1995, Feb. 18th, 1995 (Reviews by Kerry Yackoboski (unmarked or [KY]), Bernard Greenberg [BSG] and Alan Shrives [AS]). Disappearing World - various (76:54) Cat No: CD-SDL 376 Saydisc Records Chipping Manor, The Chipping, Wotton- Under-Edge, Glos, GL12 7AD, UK. Music of 17 endangered cultures recorded by Granada Television for the Disappearing World TV series. Some of the recordings are outstanding, including the Tuvan songs. The liner notes let this disc down badly. There is little information about the performers, or when and where they were recorded. Tracks: (only those relevant to this discography listed) 3) The Mongols - Mongolia (8:13) Buddhist Chant (khaylakh) long song (female & orchestra) long song (female & orchestra) sygyt & yochin (zither) long song (female & morin khuur) 17) The Tuvinians - Tuva, USSR (7:04) kargyraa sygyt sygyt & igil sygyt & tovshuur sygyt & female duulakh & igil [AS] 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 na- tures 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] Kamchatka: Dance Drums From The Siberian Far East Siberia Series Vol 4. Cat No: 92598-2 Buda Records. See also below "Nganasan". Playing time: 73:17. Songs about family, animals and the environment. Many of the songs are personal songs and the lyrics are either nonsensical or not revealed by the performer. Some ex- cellent performances. The notes are informative and also contain photographs of some of the performers. The notes explain how the culture of these people is on the brink of extinction, but that there are now some small, but positive, developments which may save it. Tracks: Koryak - Nimylane dialect Ossora Village 1) vocal & frame drum - Alexandra Nanovna Popova (2:07) 2) vocal & frame drum - Lidija Innokentevna Chechulina (1:01) 3) vocal & frame drum - Lidija Innokentevna Chechulina (1:23) 4) vocal & frame drum - Marija Nikoforovna Chechulina (Kaljanga) (0:54) 5) vocal & frame drum - Marija Nikoforovna Chechulina (Kaljanga) (0:47) 6) a capella - Marija Nikoforovna Chechulina (Kaljanga) (0:46) 7) vocal & frame drum - Marija Innokentevna Prichina (Roaj) (2:07) 8) vocal & frame drum - Marija Innokentevna Prichina (Roaj) (1:50) Karaga Village 9) vocal & frame drum - Kondratij Konoratjevich Evgur (2:08) 10) a capella - Kondratij Konoratjevich Evgur (2:04) 11) a capella - Irina Khristoforovna & Anna Vasilevna Kolegova (1:19) 12) a capella - Irina Khristoforovna & Anna Vasilevna Kolegova (1:36) 13) a capella - Irina Khristoforovna & Anna Vasilevna Kolegova (0:48) 14) vocal & frame drum - Anastasija Vasilevna Gitorovka (Rokka) (3:04) 15) vocal & frame drum - Anastasija Vasilevna Gitorovka (Rokka) (3:42) Tymlat Village 16) vocal & frame drum - Alexej Platonovich Uichan (2:54) 17) vocal & frame drum - Alexej Platonovich Uichan (4:41) 18) vocal & frame drum - Marija Afanaseva Uichan (1:05) 19) vocal & frame drum - Marija Afanaseva Uichan (0:44) 20) vocal & frame drum - Vitalij Grigorevich Takjavmin (1:32) 21) vocal & frame drum - Vladnen Egorovich Avva (Nakut) (4:49) 22) vocal & frame drum - Alena Alexeeva Uichan (Cacame) (3:38) 23) vocal & frame drum - Nadedja Danilovna Chechulina (Naserta) (6:33) 24) vocal & frame drum - Ljubov Nikolaevna Chechulina (Njutatavagal) (2:42) 25) vocal & frame drum - Ljubov Nikolaevna Chechulina (Njutatavagal) (1:26) Tilichiki Village 26) vocal & frame drum - Tatjana Nikolaevna Kolegova (Evnukhaut) (1:56) 27) vocal & frame drum - Savelij Vasilevich Kolegova (Sanva) (0:58) Koryak - Chachuven dialect Manilj Village 28) vocal & frame drum - Nina Itekovna Ljutgina (Ev'zin) (2:07) 29) vocal & frame drum - Tamara Ivikovna (Ejgili) (3:56) 30) vocal & frame drum - Petr Evlikhovich Kotginin (1:29) 31) vocal & frame drum - Petr Evlikhovich Kotginin (1:07) 32) vocal & frame drum - Pavel Ivilovich Pokka (4:44) Kolyma: Songs Of Nature And Animals (62:53) Siberia Series Vol 3. Cat No: 92566-2 Buda Records. See also below "Nganasan". Mostly lyrical songs. Some animal impersona- tions and 'throat rasping'. The text is informative and includes a picture of each of the performers. Text in French and English. Tracks: Cukc (Chukchi) 1) My Planes, My Racing Reindeers - Anna Alexandrovna Kaulgina (0:33) 2) Wordless Song - Anna Alexandrovna Kaulgina (0:23) 3) Song Of The Young Sister-in-law - Anna Alexandrovna Kaulgina (1:16) 4) When My Wife Waits For Me In The Jaranga - Nikolai Andreevic Deckov (1:17) 5) You Are The Only One I Have - Nikolai Andreevic Deckov (0:48) 6) Cukcs Are Walking Over There, It's Obvious - Nikolai Andreevic Deckov (1:02) 7) Days Are Short - Innokenti Jakovlevic Goruline (1:49) 8) We Can See These People Came From Another Country - Ivan Ilijc Cymkil (2:05) 9) I Am An Eagle - Ivan Ilijc Cymkil (1:20) 10) My Daughter Irina Told Me - Ivan Ilijc Cymkil (3:09) 11) The Tundra Wakes Up In the Spring - Slava Egorovil Kemlil (4:20) 12) My Beloved Reindeer Has Great Antlers - Slava Egorovil Kemlil (2:02) 13) The Cukcs' Black Reindeer - Egor Andreevic Nutendi (2:34) 14) Before Collectivization - Egor Andreevic Nutendi (1:21) Even 15) In Old Time Life - Nikolai Petrovic Slepsov (0:51) 16) My Native Sea - Evdokia Petrovna Agaphonnikova (1:45) 17) Children, Let Us Go Outside - Evdokia Petrovna Agaphonnikova (1:09) 18) My Swift Reindeer - Ivan Stepanovic Tataev (2:12) 19) I Had An Aunt Who Was Cukc - Anna Ivanovna Kilipcina (0:42) 20) The Strong Reindeer - Evdekia Mikhaillovna Kilipcina (1:53) 21) When I Came Back From The Kolyma - Evdekia Mikhail- lovna Kilipcina (0:45) 22) When I Was Already Getting Old - Maria Petrovna Tataeva (0:21) 23) When Winter Comes - Maria Petrovna Tataeva (0:44) 24) In My Khalerca - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (1:25) 25) Kolyma, When You Have Great Waves - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (1:32) 26) Throat Song - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (0:50) 27) Tundra Birds 1 - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (0:43) 28) Tundra Birds 2 - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (0:52) 29) The Partridge - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (1:01) 30) The Kolyma Gull - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (1:14) 31) My Grey Reindeer - Anna Dimitrievna Neostroeva (1:07) Jukaghir 32) On The River Banks - Matriona Nikolaevna Toxtossa (1:44) 33) I Am Standing Here - Matriona Nikolaevna Toxtossa (1:20) 34) When I Was A Reindeer Breeder - Varvara andreevna Slepsova (2:47) 35) Long Ago, While they Were Working - Ekaterina Ivanova Tymkil (1:14) 36) I Remember Well The Old Olonkho's Music - Ekaterina Ivanova Tymkil (1:42) 37) When I Was A Little Girl - Ekaterina Ivanova Tymkil (1:16) 38) In Spring Geese Com From Far Away - Ekaterina Ivanova Tymkil (1:54) 39) Let Us Dance And Sing A Little - Ekaterina Ivanova Tymkil (0:53) 40) My Land, Winter Here Is Very Cold - Nikolai Nikolaievic Deskov (1:39) 41) When I Die - Nikolai Nikolaievic Deskov (1:24) 42) I Remember My Youth - Nikolai Nikolaievic Deskov (1:39) 43) There Are No Young Maids Going By - Akulina Vas- silevna Slepsova (0:48) Kronos Quartet: Night Prayers Elektra Nonesuch CD 2 79346 1994, Distributed by Warner Music. One track on this CD, "Kongerei", features Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoly Kuular, and Kongar-ool Ondar singing along to the ac- companiment 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 instru- ments. [KY] Mongolia, Traditional Music, UNESCO Collection Cat No: CD D8207. UNESCO Auvidis 12 Av. M. Thorez, 94100, Ivry-Sur- Seine, France. Tracks: Long Songs 1) My Speckled Bay (2:16) 2) Two Little Ducks (5:35) 3) Horse With Light-Grey Coat (2:55) 4) The Beautiful Altai (2:47) Horse-Viele 5) View Over The Kherelen River (2:54) 6) The Four Seasons (2:49) 7) Popular Dance Of Western Mongolia (2:19) 8) Dance Tune Of Western Mongolia (2:09) 9) The Black Stallion Zhonon Of The Khalka Mongols (2:18) 10) The Brown Silk Dress (2:09) 11) Movements Of A Blessing (1:49) Tobshuur Lute 12) Linked Movements (0:54) 13) Colours Side By Side (1:02) 14) Bechaining (0:59) 15) Bechaining Movements (0:50) 16) Wake-like Dance (0:53) 17) Quick, Short Movements (2:30) Short Songs 18) Surzhidmaa (1:21) 19) Saddle Flags Of Saykhiyu Leather (1:39) 20) These Shimmering Blue Mountains (1:49) 21) My Darling (2:43) Songs For Special Occasions 22) Songs Of Praise Of The Horse (4:34) 23) Dembee (finger game) (1:23) Instrumental Songs 24) Metal Jew's Harp (1:21) 25) Bamboo Jew's Harp (2:45) 26) Transverse Flute (2:20) 27) Four Stringed Viele (1:13) 28) Shanza Lute (2:20) Diphonic Song 29) The Khoomej Lesson (2:46) 30) The 4 Year-old Light-tan Horse (1:49) Mongolia - Vocal & Instrumental (60:40). W 260 009 Inedit Maison Des Cultures Du Monde, 101 Bd Raspail, 75006, Paris, France. A very good selection, recommended. The liner notes (in French and English) are comprehensive. A printing error has put part of the English track list in German! Performers: Adilbish Nergui, Damdinjav Tuvshinjargal, Sodnompil Ganaa, Luwsangombo Iderbat, Taravjav Ganbold, Guendenpil Yavgaan, Sosor Tosjargal, Jigdee Tsetsegmaa, Dechinzundui Nadmid Tracks: 1) Jaakhan Charga (Love Song) (2:01) 2) Erdene Zasguyn Unaga (Long Song) (2:39) 3) Morin Tovorgoon (Morin Khuur) (2:35) 4) Torguud Nutag (Khoomei & Morin Khuur) (2:56) 5) Khoomei & Ekhel (2:35) 6) Khuren Khallgatai Delguur (Khoomei) (0:56) 7) Mandal Juujaa (Morin Khuur) (3:25) 8) Dance Music (Morin Khuur) (2:05) 9) Khangayn Magtall (Song Of Praise) (6:04) 10) Dorvon Uul (Short Song) (2:05) 11) Alsyn Gazryn Zereglee (Short Song) (2:50) 12) Budarmaar Budamaar Slkhi (Khotogoyd Song) (2:29) 13) Chingin Chivrin Uus (1:07) 14) Dursgalyn Alchuur (1:09) 15) Tosonguyn Oroygoor (1:53) 16) Kharmayn Khagd (Darkhat Song) (1:56) 17) Dunjin Garav (Song Of Praise) (3:55) 18) Enkh Mendyn Bayar (Long Song) (3:10) 19) Ovgon Chuuvuu (Long Song) (2:20) 20) Dorvon Oyrdyn Uurya (Morin Khuur) (2:00) 21) Uekhan Zambuu Tivyn Naran (Long Song) (3:53) 22) Altayn Magtaal (Song Of Praise) (5:33) [AS] 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. Mongolian Folk Music. Selected from the 1967 year's collec- tion by Lajos Vargyas. Hungaroton HCD 18013-14 [I don't have this one - KY] Mongolian Morin Khuur Ci Bulag. King Record Co CD KICC 5135 Sentimental horse-head fiddle solos. 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. Mongolie - Musique vocale et instrumentale. Inedit W 460009 [I don't have this one - KY] Mongolie Chants Kazakh et tradition epique de l'Ouest Ocora - Radio France, C 580051. 25 songs, with tobsuur ac- companiment, recorded in Mongolia in 1984 and 1990. Twenty songs of Kazakh music, some of it actually dance- able! 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. [KY] Mongolie Ensemble Mandukhai. Playa Sound, PS 65115. Sunset- France, 66 Rue De L'Est, 92100, Boulogne, France. A good selection, many of the songs have orchestral backing. Includes a couple of good khoomei performances. Liner notes in French and English. Performers: Dashzeveg, Dashtsermaa, Batsuur, Tsogtbaatar, Selengee, Tumurbaatar, Battuvshin, Gerelmaa, Yagaanbaatar Tracks: 1) Enkh Mendiin Bajar (2:49) 2) Ar Khovchiin Unaga (2:14) 3) Durvun Oirdyn Uria (2:57) 4) Altai (4:42) 5) Khan Khokhiin Ujanga (3:52) 6) Mandukhai (3:12) 7) Khuumii (3:48) 8) Ulgeriin Kholboo (3:02) 9) Zandan Khuren (4:28) 10) Zaakhan Sharga (4:51) 11) Khavar (3:48) 12) Dorvon Uul (3:25) 13) Delger Moron (2:44) 14) Dari Ekhiin Burilba (3:31) 15) Uran Nugaralt (4:02) 16) Khuumii (2:49) 17) Kunnu (5:23) [AS] Morin Khuur Ci Bulag. JVC World Sounds, VICG-5212 More sentimental horse-head fiddle solos. Musiques De La Toundra Et De La Taiga - various (62:37) W 260 019 Inedit Maison Des Cultures Du Monde, 101 Bd Raspail, 75006, Paris, France. Just about everything you can do with a Jew's harp! Plus Shaman dances, epic poems, animal imitations (no khoomei). Authentic stuff. Informative liner notes in French and English. Tracks: The Yakuts 1) The Yakut Khomus (16:27) 2) I Sing For The World (2:16) 3) Generation Song (4:09) 4) Native Country (2:30) The Buryat 5) A Song For Parents (1:59) 6) Buryat Song (1:50) The Tungus 7) Nanay Shaman (2:14) 8) The Call Of The Ki-Un-Ki (1:14) 9) Imitating The Sounds Of The Forest (1:10) 10) The Call Of The Bu-Nin-Ku (0:49) 11) Teih-Lun-Gu (2:28) 12) Khopu-Khat (1:17) 13) Sir-Pak-Tak Solo (1:04) The Nenets 14) Epic Poem On The Giants (3:19) 15) Recumbent Song (2:14) 16) Vexation Song (2:40) 17) The Nganasan (14:25) Invoking The Sun And Sky Invoking Thunder Healing Song Invoking The Wind Bear Dance [AS] Nganasan: Shamanic And Narrative Songs Of The Siberian Arctic Siberia Series Vol 1. Cat No: 92564-2 Buda Records, 188, db Voltaire, 75011 Paris, France. The first of a series of CDs (4 so far) containing music from Siberia. The recordings were made in the field, but are of a high quality. The music is basic, perhaps an unaccompanied singer or single musician, but this reflects the sparseness of their landscape. Ozum (Sprouts): Young Voices of Ancient Tuva. Window to Europe CD sum 90 008. Jodenbreestraat 24, 1011 NK, Am- sterdam, 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. Khoomei, khomus, acoustic guitar, and shaman drum. 13 tracks, 42'34. Pesni I Instrumentalnie Melodii Tuvi. Cat No: D030773-74, Melodiya Records, 1969. LP no longer available. Recorded by Vyacheslav Shchurov. Tracks: side 1 1) Alash River - sygyt - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool 2) Bayan-Kol - sygyt - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool 3) I Won't Give Up My Khoomei - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool 4) Manchurek - khoomei - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool 5) My Brother, I'll Sing Borban - borbannadyr - Oorzhak Khunashtaar-ool 6) My Beloved Girl's Ear-Rings - Kara-Sal Ak-ool 7) Tuvan Folk Tunes - Manohakay Sat 8) Song of Khoomeizhi - M. Dakpay 9) Artyy Saiyr - kargyraa - D. Damba-Darzhaa, A Lapman side 2 10) Fantasia on Tuvan Folk Songs - Kara-Sal Ak-ool 11) Song about the Igil - Kara-Sal Ak-ool 12) Three Old Melodies - Kara-Sal Ak-ool 13) Dembildey - Kara-Sal Ak-ool 14) Uzyn-khoyug - Kara-Sal Ak-ool 15) Temir-khomus - N. Olzey-ool 16) To Summer Pastures - Kara-kyz Munzuk Sainkho Namtchylak - Lost Rivers. Free Music Productions FMP CD 42 Postbox 100 227, 1000 Berlin 10, Germany. Solo voice. Avantgarde singing, with some polyphonic singing. 13 tracks, 74'18. 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 avantgarde than Lost Rivers. Sainkho Namtchylak - Out Of Tuva. A collection of tradi- tional songs, some arranged in a new context. Sainkho Namtchylak - Letters Leo CD 190. Should be available soon. 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] 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. Tuva: Echoes from the Spirit World. Pan Records CD 2013 CD. 17 tracks, 61'38, khomus, tyzani, igil, amirga, tosh- pular, dambiraa, bell, kengirge, byzaanchy, limbi, buree, savag, tung, tenchak, khirilee. Features 11 per- formers, 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. 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, musicologi- cal liner notes, texts in Tuvan available. Tuva: Voices from the Land of the Eagles. Pan Records CD 2005 CD. 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. 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 un- available, 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. [KY] Uzlyau: Guttural Singing of the People of the Sayan, Altai, and Ural Mountains. PAN 2019CD (PAN Records Ethnic Series) - see #2 for address. (1993) 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] Vocal & Instrumental Music Of Mongolia. Cat No: TSCD909 Topic Records, 50 Stroud Green Road, London, N4 3EF, UK. Originally released as 2 LPs by Tangent Records in 1977. Recorded by Jean Jenkins. Voix de l'Orient Sovietique Inedit W 260008. Masion des Cul- tures 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 - KY] Yakutia: Epics And Improvisations. Siberia Series Vol 2. Cat No: 92565-2 Buda Records. See above "Nganasan".