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Norovbanzad's Legacy: Contemporary Concert Long Song in Mongolia Gabrielle Giron

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Norovbanzad's Legacy: Contemporary Concert Long Song in Mongolia Gabrielle Giron Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2007 Norovbanzad's Legacy: Contemporary Concert Long Song in Mongolia Gabrielle Giron Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC NOROVBANZAD’S LEGACY: CONTEMPORARY CONCERT LONG SONG IN MONGOLIA By Gabrielle Giron A Thesis submitted to the College of Music In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Master of Music Degree awarded Fall Semester 2007 Copyright © 2007 Gabrielle C. Giron All Rights Reserved The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Gabrielle Giron defended on August 22, 2007. __________________________________ Michael B. Bakan Professor Directing Thesis __________________________________ Jane Piper Clendinning Outside Committee Member __________________________________ Denise Von Glahn Committee Member __________________________________ Frank Gunderson Committee Member Approved: _______________________________________________ Jeffrey T. Kite-Powell, Professor and Chair, Department of Musicology ________________________________________________ Seth Beckman, Professor, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, and Director of Graduate Studies. The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members ii Figure 1. The Gentle Sun of the World. Mongolian artist Naiga renders in Mongolian calligraphy the text from Norovbanzad’s song in the shape of a sun. iii In memory of Marian Davis whose love for peace, justice, and beautiful music continues to light the world. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have assisted me in the exciting process of learning and writing about concert long song. While it would be impossible to name everyone who has contributed to this thesis, there are several people I would like to mention specifically. First, my heartfelt appreciation goes to all the hospitable and skilled people with whom I worked during my summer of fieldwork in Mongolia. Altantsetseg, Batmend, Bayarerdene, Byambjargal, Chimedtseye, Chuluuntsetseg, Dashtsermaa, Delgermaa, Dondov, Dorjdavga, Enkhbat, Erdenetsetseg, Erkhembayar, Gombo, Jantsannorov, Khongorzul, Lkasuren, Nergui, Nominerdene, Sarantuya, Tumenjargal, and Tuvshinjargal, members of Mongolia’s music community, welcomed me to Mongolia and took the time to answer my many questions. Voice lessons provided by Chuluuntsetseg and Khongorzul were especially helpful in gaining a singer’s experience of long song. Ayasgalan, Bujigmaa, Ganaa, Naranzul, Narmandakh, Khaliuna, and Uranzaya assisted me not only by translating words, but also by teaching me about Mongolian culture and customs. Ethnomusicologists Peter Marsh and Erdenechimeg pointed me towards key sources and contacts in the field. Second, I am thankful for the innumerable opportunities afforded to me during my studies at Florida State University. My colleagues Benjamin Whiting and Trevor Harvey provided invaluable assistance in transmitting my music transcriptions to a computerized format, digitizing images, and converting field recordings into a set of accessible musical examples. The members of my thesis committee, Jane Piper Clendinning, Frank Gunderson, and Denise Von Glahn, gave patiently of their time and contributed invaluable expertise in diverse areas. Benjamin Koen offered expert assistance in issues surrounding the study of Central Asian music. Special thanks to my advisor, Michael Bakan, for working closely with me to enhance the writing process, and for giving me the right advice at the right time. Finally, thanks to Mom, Dad, and Felix for being their wonderful selves. Ars gratia vivendi Art for the sake of the living John Miles Foley v TABLE OF CONTENTS NOTES ON TRANSLITERATION AND CITATION .................................................. viii LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES.................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... xii PART I. SUNRISE 1. Introduction.........................................................................................................1 Sunrise..........................................................................................................1 Thesis Statement ..........................................................................................3 Purpose and Significance.............................................................................4 Background..................................................................................................5 Survey of Literature ...................................................................................10 Theoretical Approach.................................................................................12 Methodology..............................................................................................18 2. The Queen of Long Song .................................................................................21 Herdswoman ..............................................................................................21 Rising Star..................................................................................................25 Long Song Educator ..................................................................................32 World Music Icon ......................................................................................34 PART II. NOON Nomadic Civilization in Song................................................................................38 3. Technique..........................................................................................................42 The Long Song Instrument ........................................................................42 Voice Classification...................................................................................43 Range and Registration..............................................................................44 Shurankhai .................................................................................................45 “Long Song is the Art of Breath” ............................................................. 47 Vocal Exercises..........................................................................................48 Imagery ......................................................................................................49 vi 4. Performance Practice ........................................................................................51 Chimeglel...................................................................................................51 Transmission and Notation ........................................................................53 Repertory....................................................................................................54 Gutgeleg and Long Song Variation ...........................................................55 The Morin Khuur and Long Song Accompaniment ..................................57 Performing Mongolianness........................................................................60 5. Aesthetics..........................................................................................................64 Nutag..........................................................................................................65 Texts...........................................................................................................70 Meta-Texts .................................................................................................71 PART III. SUNSET 6. A Case Study Analysis of “The Gentle Sun of the World” ..............................77 Sound Structures ........................................................................................78 Analysis Summary.....................................................................................81 Technique and Performance Practice.........................................................86 Aesthetics...................................................................................................88 6. Conclusion .........................................................................................................96 Long Song and the Landscape…………………………………………...96 Long Song Pathways…………………………………………………….98 APPENDIX A. Transcription Legend ............................................................................101 APPENDIX B. Long Song Vocalise “Ukhai” ................................................................102 APPENDIX C. Norovbanzad’s “Uyakhan Zambuu Tiviin Naran”................................103 APPENDIX D. Copyright Permission............................................................................107 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................108 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ...........................................................................................116 vii NOTES ON TRANSLITERATION AND CITATION In providing transliterations of Khalkha (Mongolian), I aim to provide the simplest and clearest approximations of Mongolian words and pronunciations possible. Therefore, I have eliminated a spectrum of diacritical markings often found in published English transliterations of Mongolian
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