Mongolian Throat Singing

Question 1

What is khoomei?

Answer 1

~A form of singing originating in Western Mongolia
~Refers to the throat muscles used for singing
~Involves producing two notes at once
~Used to imitate animal sounds for hunting and herding, part of daily life and rituals and displays a close connection to nature

Question 2

What are the harmony and timbre of khoomei?

Answer 2

~Chant overtone singing or split voice by French researchers
~British researchers describe it as split tones, throat singing, overtones
~German literature refers to it as overtone chanting, harmonic singing, or throat singing
~In Russia, it’s described as overtone and throat singing

Question 3

What is the Central Asian description of khoomei?

Answer 3

~Language and broader cultural aspects are integral to the understanding of khoomei in Central Asia
~Deeply rooted in culture and tradition
~Connected to natural environment and geographical features
~Reflects the traditional customs of people living in this area

Question 4

What is the importance of the intersection of linguistic and cultural studies when defining khoomei?

Answer 4

~Throat singing studies require more comprehensive approaches (through biology or linguistics)
~These studies will attract interest from domestic and foreign scholars which leads to more collaborative understanding of khoomei