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Songs of Turkmenistan
The vocal pieces are
sung by a performer who both sings and plays the dutur, but quite often the
another dutur player aud a gidzhak player are added to make a trio. This CD
features the female singer Djamar and male singer Rusturn - for the first
half and second half of the disc respectively - and
two groups who play in ensemble with them.
The vocal use of the throat
is quite unusual and the characteristic is in its staccato- ornamentation -
it sounds as if the singers hold their breath for very short intervals.
Many songs started off in
melismatic style with prolonged high notes. Irregular and free rhythms are
also characteristic.
The musical instruments
used here are common throughout Central and Western Asia, but no drums are used here.
The dutur is the most
popular instrument in Turkmenistan. It has a small, pear-shaped body and a long neck.
Two steel strings (they used to be made of silk) are plucked by the fingers.
The strings are tuned a fourth apart - for example re/so/do - and the
parallel fourths have their own characteristic timbre. Also, one of the
strings is often used as a drone. In Persian, du means "two" and
tar means "string." This type of long necked lute can be found all
over Central Asia.
The gidzhak is a
3-or-l-stringed bowed instrument also tuned in fourths. The neck has no frets
and it is held in a horizontal position. On this CD, the inellow and rich
timbre of the gidzhak follows the melody made by the dutur. The same kind of instruments are used in Iran and Azerbaijan too.
At the present time, new
music featuring synthesizers with mechanically set rhythms is gaining in
popularity and an electric dutur has even made its appearance, but as much as
possible this music follows the rules of traditional music.
This is a recording of
musicians who came to Japan for a concert entitled "A
Musical Voyage Along The
Silk Roa, V111 -1,.'pic
Ballads from Afar," which was held in March and April of 1993, and this
CD can be called a sequel to "Instruniental Music Of Turkmenistan- which
has already been released in the World Music Library series.
*ON THE TRACKS
1)
DJANYMYN-DJANANASY
A love Song by Turkmenistan classic poet Zelili.
2) IZLAMA
A Turkmenistan folk song based on epic called "Leili ve (and)
Mejnun." This epic is a tragic love story akin to Romeo and Juliet.
(Mejnun means a hinatic.) Since olden times, the art of story-telling
flourished in Central and Western
Asia and similar stories
can be found in those areas. "Leili ve Mejnun" is the one of those
stories and was originally based on an Arabian legend.
3) GASHLI YAR
This is a song of love.
4) ZULPUN
SENIN
A love song by Gul Baba, a Turkmenistan poet.
5) KHAIT IYKAN
A love song by Kemine
(1770-1840), a poet in Turkmenistan.
6) OBADAN
GELIN (Beautiful Bride)
7) ZARY BILEN
A traditional love song.
8)
BIVEPARARDAN (Betrayal)
A song of warning to the Turkmenistan people based on a poem by Maxtumkuli Fragi
(1730-1782). In the eighteen century, Turkmenistan poetry developed greatly, as did the music, and Maxtumkuli is a poet who is sometimes called
"the father of modern Turkmenistan literature."
9) CHARDI
CITDI (Come and Gone)
Another song by Maxtumkuli,
giving a lesson of life. "Everybody is born and, sooner or later, will
die."
10) AK YUZLI
MARALYM (You Are My Beautiful One)
A love song made by DUrdy,a baxshi who was active at the turn of the twentieth
century.
11) SHIRMAIY
DORAK (Ivory Comb)
12) AMAN AMAN
A folk song based on an
epic called "Shasenern ve Garip." "Aman Aman" is an
interjection.
13)YATAN BORIP (You Can't Live Without Money)
Another lesson-of-life song
by Maxtumkuli.
PERFORMERS
Djemal Saparova (vocals and dutar)
After learning at Gahla Sentriev Music School in Ashkhabad, the capital, she graduated from M. 1. Kalinin University then joined the Ashkhabad Ensemble. She also
established Djemal Saparova Studio and has been working with her own group.
She has played concerts in European and Asian countries.
Allaverdi Ataev (gidjak)
He once belonged to the
Folk Music E.nsemble studio (1979-1981), then played as a member of the Folk
Instruments Ensemble of the Turkmen Republic from 1983 to 1986. After that, he joined Djemal
Saparova Musical Ensemble. He has also played concerts in Western Asian
countries.
Rustam Bairamov (vocals, dutar)
He used be a member of the Turkmenistan Science Academy and is no", a member of Djemal Saparova
Musical Ensemble.
Annaseijt Annamuradov (dutar)
After graduating from the National Music School in Obezov in 1981, he became a dutar teacher at the
school. At the same time, he has played actively as soloist. His father is a
famous dutar player as well.
Written by:Uramoto Yuko
(translated by Mogi
Takeshi)
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And Designed By:
Dr. Farzad MARJANI,
Civil Engineer, Ph.D.
Ankara - TURKEY
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TEL
: +90 - 312 280 82 16
FAX
: +90 - 312 280 67 20
EMAIL : farzad@turkmens.com
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