Urtin Duu
Urtin duu ( Mongolian Уртын дуу (Urtyn duu) "long song", Chinese 长 调 , Pinyin Chang diao ) is a Mongolian larynx chant accompanied by a horse head violin . The Urtin duu is characterized by slow, indefinite rhythms with large intervals. The songs consist of separate stanzas without a refrain. The singing should not be interrupted by pauses for breath. Urtin Duu is performed on festive occasions or cyclical annual ceremonies, whereby certain rules of presentation must be observed. The nomads also sing for no special reason when they are out and about in the steppe. The Urtin duu is a dialogue with the wide steppe. It has been documented since the time of the great khans in the 13th century.
There are three forms:
- the extended Urtin duu: it has long flowing melody lines with falsetted passages
- the usual Urtin duu: it has no falsetted passages and is easier to sing
- the short Urtin duu: it consists of refrains and short verses and has a rapidly changing melody.
In 2005 the Urtin duu was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO . The Urtin duu is also sung when a camel rejects her newborn baby. This is shown in the 2003 film The Tale of the Weeping Camel . Urtin duu is also the focus of the 2008 film Chang diao - Urtin duu .