The ''tovshuur'', also known as ''topshur'' or ''topshuur'' (
Mongolian Cyrillic: ; ) is a two- or three-stringed
lute
A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.
More specifically, the term "lu ...
played by the Western
Mongolian
Mongolian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Mongolia, a country in Asia
* Mongolian people, or Mongols
* Bogd Khanate of Mongolia, the government of Mongolia, 1911–1919 and 1921–1924
* Mongolian language
* Mongolian alphabet
* ...
(
Oirats
Oirats (; ) or Oirds ( ; ), formerly known as Eluts and Eleuths ( or ; zh, 厄魯特, ''Èlǔtè'') are the westernmost group of Mongols, whose ancestral home is in the Altai Mountains, Altai region of Siberia, Xinjiang and western Mongolia.
...
) tribes called the
Altai Urianghais, the
Altais
Delta Draconis (δ Draconis, abbreviated Delta Dra, δ Dra), formally named Altais , is a yellow star in the constellation of Draco. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.0, making it easily visible to the naked eye. Based on paralla ...
,
Tuvans
The Tuvans (from Russian ) or Tyvans (from Tuvan ) are a Turkic ethnic group indigenous to Siberia that live in Tuva, Mongolia, and China. They speak the Tuvan language, a Siberian Turkic language. In Mongolia, they are regarded as one ...
, and
Khalkha
The Khalkha (; ) have been the largest subgroup of the Mongols in modern Mongolia since the 15th century. The Khalkha, together with Chahars, Ordos Mongols, Ordos and Tumed, were directly ruled by Borjigin khans until the 20th century. In cont ...
peoples.
The topshur is closely tied to the folklore of Western Mongolian people and accompanied the performances of storytellers, singing, and dancing.
According to descriptions given by
Marco Polo
Marco Polo (; ; ; 8 January 1324) was a Republic of Venice, Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known a ...
, the Mongols also played the instruments before a battle.
Construction and design
All tovshuur are homemade, and, because of this, the materials and shape of the tovshuur vary depending on the builder and the region. For example, depending on the tribe, the string might be made of horsehair or sheep intestine.
The body of the tovshuur is bowl-shaped and usually covered in tight animal skin.
The
Kalmykia
Kalmykia, officially the Republic of Kalmykia,; , ''Khalmg Tanghch'' is a republic of Russia, located in the Volga region of European Russia. The republic is part of the Southern Federal District, and borders Dagestan to the south and Stavr ...
n tovshuur's form is more similar to that of the
Kazakh Dombra
The dombra, also known as dombyra (; ) is a long-necked musical string instrument used by the Kazakhs, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Nogais, Bashkirs, and Tatars in their traditional folk music. The dombra shares certain characteristics with the ko ...
The Hu - 2019159133009 2019-06-08 Rock am Ring - 0009 - AK8I7908.jpg, Temuulen "Temka" Naranbaatar of the HU playing the tovshuur
See also
*
Tsuur
The ''tsuur'' ( цуур, Mongolian), ''choor'' (Kyrgyz), ''chuur'' ( шоор, Tuvan), ''sybyzgy'' (Kazakh), or '' kurai'' (Bashkir) is an end-blown flute of varying lengths that is common among Inner Asian pastoralists.
In western Mongolia ...
*
Igil
The ''igil'' ( Tuvan: игил) is a two- stringed Tuvan musical instrument, played by bowing the strings. (It is called "ikili" in Western Mongolia.) The neck and lute-shaped sound box are usually made of a solid piece of pine or larch. The ...
*
Doshpuluur
The doshpuluur ( Tuvan: дошпулуур, , ) is a long-necked Tuvan lute made from wood, usually pine or larch. The doshpuluur is played by plucking and strumming.
There are two different versions of the doshpuluur. One version has a trapezo ...
*
Morin khuur
The ''morin khuur'' (), also known as the horsehead fiddle, is a traditional Mongolian bowed stringed instrument. It is one of the most important musical instruments of the Mongol people, and is considered a symbol of the nation of Mongolia. ...
*
Music of Tuva
Tuva is a part of Russia, inhabited by a Turkic people. Tuvans are known abroad for ''khoomei'' (''xöömej''), a kind of overtone singing.
Traditionally, Tuvan music was only a solo effort. The musician's intention was usually to emphasise timb ...
*
Music of Mongolia
Music is an integral part of culture of Mongolia, Mongolian culture. Among the unique contributions of Mongolia to the world's musical culture are the long songs, overtone singing, and morin khuur, the horse-headed fiddle. The music of Mongolia ...
*
List of Mongolian musical instruments
Instruments of western origin, such as piano and trumpet, are excluded.
History
After the 6th century BC it is known that people of Mongolian ethnicity played stringed instruments. The most ancient instrument is probably the tsuur, which is show ...
References
Necked bowl lutes
Mongolian musical instruments
Altai musical instruments
Tuvan musical instruments
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