Full Description
"Where Rivers and Mountains Sing" takes readers on a journey through the rich sonic world of inner Asia, where the elemental energies of wind, water, and echo, the ubiquitous presence of birds and animals, and the legendary feats of heroes have inspired a remarkable art and technology of sound-making among nomadic pastoralists. For inner Asian pastoralists, sound and music form part of a spiritual relationship with the natural environment that has endured in the face of formidable social and political challenges. As performers from Tuva and other parts of inner Asia have responded to the growing worldwide popularity of their music, Levin follows them to the West, describing their soul-searching efforts to nourish global connections while preserving the power and poignancy of their music tradition. The book includes a combination video DVD and music CD to acquaint readers with the musicians and their music.
Contents
1. Finding the Field Road Warriors; Kyzyl; Reinventing Tuva 2. The World Is Alive with the Music of Sound Musical Offerings; In a Cave; Natural Reverb; Interlude 3. Listening the Tuvan Way Timbre-Centered Music; Throat-Singing: The Ideal Timbral Art 4. Sound Mimesis Mimesis and the Power of Representation; Hunters: The Earliest Sound Technologists?; Ludic Mimesis; Sound Mimesis and Spiritual Landscape; Sound Mimesis as Narrative; The Mimesis of Mimesis; Mimesis as Cultural Memory 5. Music, Sound, and Animals Animal Spirits; Signaling and Singing to Animals; Listening to Animals; Animals in Music; "Animal Style" Art and Music 6. An Animist View of the World Huun-Huur-Tu at Home; Epic Dreams; Shamans and Champagne; The Spirit of Manas; Women Are Not Supposed to Do This; The Ondar Phenomenon; Crete
