Kherlen Bariya

Rock and long song

Jalam khar

Domog, Khusugtun, Jonon, Altan Urag, Arga Bileg

TEDxUlaanbaatar

Images of Mongolia

Monster khuur in action

Ovgon savdagiin ulger

Good, good, we have a new video from Altan Urag...

Mirage in the far away by Altan Urag

One of the big classics covered nicely by Altan Urag:

Altan Urag's new album

So, this song is from the group's new album called Blood. Not bad, but I kind of regret the fact that they are getting farther away from the traditional music style that gives their music such awesomeness. Anyway, I am curious to listen to the rest of the songs.

Naran, singer

I first discovered Naran listening to Altan Urag's Araatan. Her powerful voice immediately caught my attention. Such a deep and peculiar voice deserves more exposure..... So, I started searching for more of her music. The UB Post has an article on Naran.
I was deeply touched by her interpretation of John Lennon's Imagine:

More:

Altan Urag

Yes! Another great vid! And another one:

Altan Urag

Just saw this:

Ooooooh.... I like..... cool, huh? The monster khuur rocks. The sound of the bishguur is really something

The environment

The nomads have always lived in harmony with their surroundings. Whenever they moved the ger and their cattle to a different place, the custom was to leave the land as they'd found it, the only reminder of the months spent there was just the circular dry patch of land that was hidden under the ger and nothing else. They would protect water sources, since water can sometimes be scarce. They would take from nature only what was necessary. They would praise the land and mountains in songs and imitate the sounds of nature.

View a video about music and culture here
Today, the aggressive mining activity with mining companies drilling indiscriminately all over the place, poaching and illegal wood cutting are damaging the environment beyond repair. It makes me think, in a few years, when Mongolia becomes a country ravaged by desertification (most of the territory is menaced by it), with rivers polluted by toxic waste and wildlife in distress, what will happen to the nomadic culture? What will happen to music that was inspired by pristine nature and immense spaces where fences were non-existent?

Araatan by Altan Urag The phrase in the end reads: "Isn't man the most cruel of all animals?"
Visit the WWF Mongolia website

Altan Urag, folk rock

I was pretty impressed with this particular group, Altan Urag... Through fusing rock and traditional music , they have managed to attract a wide variety of fans, especially young people who had no interest in traditional music. Bravo... You can find them on myspace.com/altanurag and altanurag.mn

Photos by Martin Waugh