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8, Ilishkina str., Elista, 358000, Republic of Kalmykia, Russian Federation
Senior researcher, Mongolian Philology Department, Kalmyk Scientific Centre, Russian Academy of
Sciences
Omakaeva E.: e-mail: elomakaeva@mail.ru
Tel.: +7 (905) 400-25-31
11, Pushkina str., Elista, 358000, Republic of Kalmykia, Russian Federation
Senior researcher, Scholar Department, Kalmyk State University named after B.B. Gorodovikov
This paper is financially supported by the grant of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 16-24-03005 “Authentic art of the Mongolian nomads (the long song, folk dance, musical instruments): the Kalmyks of Russia and the Oirats of Mongolia”.
In this paper the authors have described folk songs and musical instruments of the Oirats of Xinjiang, basing on own field materials. In 2012 during the international research expedition the authors have recorded long (plangent) songs, short humorous songs and dance tunes from the Oirats of Xinjiang. Themes of the recorded songs are various. Some describe the own beloved horse or a winner of traditional horse-racing. Hymns praise the native land. Philosophic and profound lyrical meditations were performed orally as well as humorous songs. Lyrical genre prevails among traditional folk songs of Xinjiang Oirats. Their main purpose is to reveal the inner state of a person by means of direct expression of his fee- lings, thoughts, impressions, moods. Historical songs also belong to the most common genres of the Xinjiang Oirats’ authentic music. Many dramatic events in the history of the Oirats of Xinjiang, which are reflected in historical songs, have been related with their departure from Russia to China in 1771. Instrumental music of Xinjiang Oirats is multifaceted and complex. The performers did not only accompany singing of Magtaal hymns of the heroic epics of Dzhanghar, but also performed independent instrumental repertoire. Further publication of transcriptions and musical notations of field recordings of performance of song texts, recorded by contemporary electronic media, provide evidence of preservation in time of the oral poetic and musical traditions. It will help to fill many gaps in the studies of folk- lore and in particular of the understudied phenomenon of music performance among the peoples of Central Asia.
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