Some Mongolian CD’s Page One

For track listing click on the CD cover or Title

Note that this page is the beginning and is still being updated

Go to Page two of Mongolian CD’s 

 

Jargalant Altai (Pan 2050CD) (1996)

(Xöömii and other vocal and instrumental music from Mongolia)

A must buy CD for anyone interested in Mongolian Khöömii singing. You can hear most of the relevant Khöömii singiers from field recordings made in 1994 and archive recordings from Mongolian radio from the 1960’s onwards. The liner notes are excellent.

 

    

Mongolian Songs (King Records KICC 5133) (1988)

Another great CD that features Ganbold ‘s fantastic Khöömii in which he sings up to the 16th Harmonic and the foremost woman urtyn duu (long song) singer Namjil Norovbanzad. The Liner notes are mainly in Japanese with a very badly written English section.

 

 

Chandman’ Song by Tserendavaa (TS001) (2002) (Traditional Mongolian melodies sung in Khöömii (Overtone Singing)

Chandman’ Song is the first CD dedicated to Tserendavaa’s Khöömii singing. You can hear Tserendavaa sing traditional Mongolian melodies in his six styles of Khöömii, including his unique Hosmoljin Khöömii, is a combination of singing words & overtones at the same time! The CD ends with a unique demonstration and lecture in which Tserendavaa explains and demonstrates about his khöömii practices.

 

 

Musique et Chants de Tradition Populaire Mongolie (various artists) Grem G7511 (recorded September/October 1985)

If you can get hold of it this is another must CD for Mongolian Music enthusiasts. There are seven tracks with khöömii, lots of jaw’s harp playing, an unbelievable imitation of the flute with the voice, a stone xylophone, masterly tsuur playing and lots more, all from local musicians invited to Ulaanbaatar in 1985.

 

 

Höömii and Urtyn Duu (JVC VICG 5211) (1992)

This Excellently recorded CD features about six or seven tracks with Khöömii. There are three Khöömii singers Ganbold, Yavgaan and Tübsinjargal. There is also some great long song singing, Morin khuur playing and a shanz solo piece at the end.

 

 

Mongolian Khuumii  by Ganbold (Anoprad company no catalogue no. (released 1997)

This CD was recorded by Ganbold in 1997 and features his Khöömii on nearly all the 23 tracks. He is usually accompanied by a small ensemble of Morin Khuur, Ikh khuur (bass morin khuur), Yoochin, Yatga and Limbe. The best tracks for me are the ones with just Morin khuur assisting and the two or three tracks with other Khöömii singers accompanying Ganbold. There is a Korean & a Japanese melody & with one melody Ganbold reaches the 20th Harmonic! some extra tracks not listed (24 to 27) Ganbold uses in concert Karaoke style!

 

Blue Sky by Zulsar (Egshig records no catalogue no.) (published 1999)

Blue Sky is the First Solo CD by Khöömii singer Zulsar. Along with the normal styles of Khöömii, Zulsar has developed a way of singing an undertone with a harmonic melody arising from the undertone! Most of the tracks on this CD are accompanied by a small ensemble.

 

 

 

Virtuosos from the Mongolian Plateau : King Records World Music Library King 5177 (August 1992)

This fine CD is mainly dedicated to the Urtyn Duu (long song) singing of Norovbanzad. It features her singing a 14 minute version of a long song which is unheard of. There are details liner notes with translations of some of the lyrics. Yavgaan’s khöömii is featured on this CD. He performs some longer versions of some Magtaal’s, which add to the significance of this release.

 

 

 

Mongolian Höömii  by Maestro T. Ganbold (sponsored by strade Co Ltd) 591117

I bought this CD from Ganbold in Mongolia in 2000. He happily played it to us in his town concrete ger. Ganbold is one of the few Mongolians able to sing tunes from other countries and over the years has increased both his repetoire and the harmonic range normally employed by Mongolian singers. I have heard him sing up to the 20th Harmonic. A CD to get hold of when you visit Mongolia.

 

 

 

White Moon (Tsagaan Sar) by Ensemble melody of the Steppes PAN 2010CD (1992)

A typical Mongolian CD with four tracks featuring the khöömii of Ajurzaniin Erdenekhuu, a young singer who studied the music school in Ulaanbaatar. The late master limbe (flute) player Doljingiin Enktaivan leads the ensemble pieces. The liner notes are very good giving the area in Mongolia that the songs originate and the first few lines of the text.

 

 

 

Mongolia by Ensemble Mandukhai : Playasound PS6511 (published 1993)

This CD contains four tracks of the excellent khöömii singing of Tsogtbaatar who I met in 1993 and 1994 in Mongolia. There is also some great morin khuur playing by Tumurbaatar and the usual ensemble pieces.

 

 

 

 

Tengis, Songs of the Darkhad People by Chichgedin oianga (Group of the valley)

Col CD 111 (Colophon Records 2001)

This CD features mainly short songs ably sung by Oyünshimeg and accompanied by a morin khuur (weirdly translated as hurdy gurdy in the liner notes) and/or an accordion. Sodnom Baatar sings his khöömii on the three magtaals (praise songs) present on the CD.

 

 

 

Music of Mongolia (Various Artists) : Buda records 92951-2 (recorded june August 1993)

This CD has three khöömii tracks, one a solo featuring the six styles of Gereltsogt, the other two being part of praise songs. The CD also features a rare field recording of song that makes a mother camel cry! Some extracts of rare epics, as well as some rare Kazakh recordings.

 

 

 

Naariits Biilye (Let’s dance) by Ensemble Altai-Hangai : Pan records Pan 2061 CD (Recorded November 1997)

This is a very well recorded CD focusing on dance tatlagas called bii tatlaga, song tatlagas called duut tatlaga, legend tatlagas called domogtoi tatlaga, and solo horse‑head fiddle tatlagas called dan morin khuuryn tatlaga. The pieces are masterly played and well arranged. 10 of the feature Ganzorig’s fine khöömii, which is interesting as Tatlaga’s do not usually have arrangements with khöömii, so a whole new traditions is being created in front of our ears.

 

 

Gobi by Egschiglen: Dunya records 21750 8005 2 (recorded 1997)

Quite contemporary arrangements of Magtaals, traditional melodies and western classical influenced pieces.

The khöömii interest lies with the fantastic singing of Khosbayar who appears on five of the tracks on the CD. He along with Zulsar, seem to have created the kharkhiraa combined with khöömii style. All of the musicians are professionals and masters of their respective instruments.

 

 

Mongolie , Vocal and Instrumental Music (various artists) Maison des Cultures du Monde W260009 (November 1988)

This well recorded CD contains five tracks of Ganbold’s khöömii as well as a little of Yavgaans. There is some great long song singing and morin khuur playing and unusually a good selection of darkhad songs.

 

 

Vocal & Instrumental Music of Mongolia (Various artists) : Topic records TSCD909 (Rec. April/May 1974)

These fascinating field recordings were made by ethnomusicologist Jean Jenkins. The Two khöömii tracks feature the great late Sundui. Unlike most Mongolian CD’s, the milking songs, finger/bone game songs and praise songs give a insighrt into the way song is an intrinsic part of traditional Mongolian life. There are solo recordings of most of the Mongolian musical instruments including a great bamboo jaw’s harp played by Chimmidorj (maybe the khöömii singer).

 

 

Mongolian Folk Music (Various Artists) Hungarton HCD18013/14 (recordings from 1967)

Originally available on a triple vinyl LP, these recording are of great historical and musical interest. The Khöömii singer Bori is featured on two short tracks. Strangely the liner notes say that Khöömii singing is fairly common in Eastern Mongolia, which does not seem to be the case now!??. Catch some early long song of Norovbanzad, fine epic/legend singing and lots, lots more.

 

 

Le Chant des Steppes by Talyn Duulal (group) Label Bleu LBLC 2523 (released 1995)

Another CD to show the talents of Khöömii singer Ganbold. He performs four styles of Khöömii on five tracks including simultaneously playing the Tömör Khuur (jaw’s harp) and Khöömii! There is some great female long and short song singing. The rest of the CD features traditional and “composed contemporary traditional” instrumentals played on the Morin Khuur, Yata, and Yoochin.

 

 

Mongol Nutgiin Salkhi  (various artists) : (Japanese label in Japanese!) MOCN 9601 (published 1996)

I bought this short CD (37’09’’) after seeing the State traditional music ensemble play in Ulaanbaatar. It contains three very well recorded tracks of Zulsar’s amazing khöömii as well as an interesting contemporary classical concerto for the Morin Khuur and the fine ensemble playing that you would expect from these well-practiced professionals. Sadly the liner notes are mainly in Japanese.

 

 

Tuuls By Miagmar Nyamgerel & Tsogtgerel TP9 records TP9-016 (published 1999)

A CD with a lot of Khöömii sung in Magtaals, all rather the same and not as skilfully sung as other Khöömii singers.

The recording quality could be better and the few liner notes are in German.

 

 

 

Chants Kazakh et Tradition épique de L’Ouest (Various artists) : Ocora C580051

(recorded October 1984 & August 1990)

Mainly devoted to the fine Kazakh music of Western Mongolia this CD recorded by the French Mongol expert Alain Desjacques features only two tracks with Khöömii. Some good translations of the Kazakh songs and also a translation of a section of Altai Magtaal are contained in the liner notes.

 

Chamanes et Lama Mongolie (Various Artists) Ocora C 560059 (recorded 1991/2/3)

This CD does not feature any Mongolian Khőőmii. However it is one of the only releases where you can here some actual shamanic ritual. The vocal imitations, connections to nature and the spirit world link it to Khőőmii and this is where its value lies. There are also two Mongolian Buddhist Rituals recorded at the dawn of the revival of Buddhist in Mongolia after many years oppression and persecution.

 

 

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