Huun-Huur-Tu

Biography

Huun-Huur-Tu (Tuvan: Хүн Хүртү, romanized: Xün Xürtü [ˌxʏn xʏrˈtʰʏ]; Russian: Хуун-Хуур-Ту [ˌxuːn xuːr ˈtʊ]) are a music group from Tuva, a Russian federative republic situated on the Mongolia–Russia border. Their music includes throat singing, in which the singers sing both a note and its overtones, thus producing two or three notes simultaneously. The overtone may sound like a flute, whistle or bird, but is solely a product of the human voice.
The group primarily use native Tuvan instruments such as the igil, khomus (Tuvan jaw harp), doshpuluur, and dünggür (shaman drum). However, in recent years, the group have begun to selectively incorporate Western instruments, such as the guitar. While the thrust of Huun-Huur-Tu's music is fundamentally indigenous Tuvan folk music, they also experiment with incorporating Western instruments and electronic music.

History

The khöömei quartet Kunggurtug (Tuvan: Куңгуртуг, [ˈqʰʊɴ.ɢʊr.tʰʊʁ]) was founded in 1992 by Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, brothers Alexander and Sayan Bapa, and Albert Kuvezin. Not long afterwards, the group changed its name to Huun-Huur-Tu, meaning "sunbeams" (literally "sun propeller"). The focus of their music was traditional Tuvan folk songs, frequently featuring imagery of the Tuvan steppe or of horses.
The ensemble released its first album, 60 Horses In My Herd, the following year. The album was recorded at studios in London and Mill Valley, California. By the time recording began for the follow-up, Kuvezin had left the group to form the more rock-oriented Yat-Kha. Kuvezin was replaced by Anatoli Kuular, who had previously worked with Khovalyg and Kongar-ool Ondar as part of the Tuva Ensemble. The new line-up recorded The Orphan's Lament in New York City and Moscow, and released it in 1994.
In 1995, Alexander Bapa, who had produced the first two albums, departed the group to pursue production as a full-time career. He was replaced by Alexei Saryglar, formerly a member of the Russian state ensemble Siberian Souvenir. A third album, If I'd Been Born An Eagle×If I'd Been Born an Eagle21 January 1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Taraan‐Taraam3:312Don’t Frighten the Crane5:503Dadyr‐Todur1:194Samagaltai4:065Orai‐la Boldu‐la2:516Herder’s Conversation2:387Bai‐Taiga4:268Chylandyk2:159Daglarim1:3910Chadaana2:5511Dangyna3:0012Dönen‐Shilgi3:1913Tozhular Yry3:3914Shaldyg‐Xaya2:5315Song of a Lonely Man5:3816Erge‐Shölee Biste Turda2:38, recorded in the Netherlands, followed in 1997. In early 1999, the group released its fourth album, Where Young Grass Grows×Where Young Grass Grows19 January 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Ezir-Kara3:432Anatoly on Horseback0:473Deke-Jo2:284Xöömeyimny Kagbas-la Men (I Will Not Abandon My Xöömei)5:455Avam Churtu Dugayimny (Dugai, The Land of My Mother)1:576Dyngyldai3:417Highland Tune6:078Hayang (name of a hunter)2:409Barlyk River2:3210Tarlaashkyn2:0711Interlude: Sayan playing xomuz with water in his mouth0:2012Sarala3:4113Sagly Khadyn Turu-la Boor (It's Probably Windy on Sagly Steppe)3:4714Ezertep-le Bereyin Be (Do You Want Me to Saddle You?)4:0115Live Recording: Anatoly and Kaigal-ool riding horses in Eleges while singing sygyt (Anatoli), kargyraa and xöömei (Kaigal-ool)1:29.
Huun-Huur-Tu participated in the 2000 BBC Music Live event. The following year, the group released their first live album.
In 2003, Kuular quit the group and was replaced by Andrey Mongush, an experienced teacher of khöömei and Tuvan instruments. Mongush's tenure with the group was short and in 2005 he was replaced by Radik Tülüsh, formerly of Yat-Kha fame.
Huun-Huur-Tu signed with Beijing management company Stallion Era in March 2015.

Collaboration

Since the group's inception, Huun Huur Tu has collaborated with musicians from many genres, such as Frank Zappa, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, the Kodo drummers, The Moscow Art Trio, the Kronos Quartet, The Chieftains and Bulgarian women's singing group, Angelite. Their recording "Eternal×EternalJuly 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Ancestors Call5:412Mother Taiga6:493Saryglarlar Maidens5:464Saryglarlar Reprise1:285Dogee Mountain (interlude)8:216In Search of a Lost Past4:567Orphaned Child5:118Tuvan Prayer2:21" is a collaborative effort with underground electronic musician, Carmen Rizzo. Huun Huur Tu appeared on three songs on Bahamut, the debut of New York-based blues group Hazmat Modine. In January 2010, Hazmat Modine also announced plans to record with Huun Huur Tu again.

In popular culture

Huun-Huur-Tu's Radik Tülüsh song "Oskus Urug" was featured in the American television series Fargo's third-season episode "The Law of Vacant Places" and "Prayer" from the 1994 album The Orphan's Lament×The Orphan's Lament22 November 1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Prayer2:352Ancestors3:573Aa-Shuu Dekei-oo2:544Eerbek-Aksy2:075The Orphan's Lament6:466Kaldak Khamar2:397Steppe4:088Borbanngadyr3:569Chiraa-Khoor ("The Yellow Trotter")4:5410Exile's Song4:1611Eki Attar2:2412Irik Chuduk ("The Rotting Log")6:1313Sygyt2:5514Agitator1:5815Khomuz Medley4:5316Ödugen Taiga6:56 was featured in fifth-season episode "The Paradox of Intermediate Transactions". In 2001, several of Huun-Huur-Tu's songs were featured on the soundtrack of Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, a 2001 Cannes Winner.

Recordings

Solo releases

60 Horses In My Herd (1993)
The Orphan's Lament (1994)
If I'd Been Born An Eagle (1997)
Where Young Grass Grows (1999)
Live 1 [also known as Best * Live] (2001)
Live 2 (2001)
More Live (2003)
Ancestors Call (2010)
With The Bulgarian Voices - Angelite & Sergey Starostin:

Fly, Fly My Sadness (1996)
With The Bulgarian Voices - Angelite & Moscow Art Trio:

Mountain Tale (1998)
Legend (2010)
With various electronic artists (remixes):

Spirits from Tuva (2002 & 2003)
With Malerija (remix album):

Huun-huur-tu Malerija (2002)
With Samsonov:

Altai Sayan Tandy-Uula (2004)
With Sainkho Namtchylak:

Mother-Earth! Father-Sky! (2008)
With Carmen Rizzo:

Eternal (2009)
Koshkyn (EP, 2018)
With Vladimir Martynov (chamber orchestra Opus Posth, singer Mikhail Stepanitch & choir Mlada):

Children of the Otter (2009)
Collaborations:
With Marcel Vanthilt:

I Shoot Dikke Jo single (1995)
With Kronos Quartet:

Early Music (Lachrymae Antiquae) (1997)
18. "Uleg-Khem" Trad. Tuvan arr. Steve Mackey (3:15)
With Hazmat Modine:

Bahamut (2007)
2. "It Calls Me" (Featuring Huun-Huur-Tu) Schuman (3:10)
8. "Everybody Loves You" (Featuring Huun-Huur-Tu) Schuman (6:16)
14. "Man Trouble" (Featuring Huun-Huur-Tu) Jaybird Coleman / Traditional (11:11)
With Ross Daly:

The White Dragon - Alive (2008)