Albert
Kuvezin and "YAT-KHA"
OY
ADYM (my Grey Horse)
-
trad. arr. A. Kuvezin
A
horse is rushing along the steppe with boldness boy on its back
This
is my grey trotter, this is my brother Mergen
The
Grey is galloping like an arrow across long fields with a small
girl on its back
This
is my famous trotter, this is my smart daughter
…in
Central Asia the horse was the best friend and main means
of transportation for the nomads. Tuvans usually had to
give a name to a horse using it's colour. At the beginning
is also a "turgen chuga" (fast talk) which is
a game by words and rhythm, impossible to translate even
approx. In the past it was popular like a competition during
the People’s Holidays. The winner is who can talk as much
as possible in one breath.
TOZHU
KYZY (Tozhu Girl)
-
trad. arr. Yat-Kha
The
brave daughter of a reindeer herder
will
ride by reindeer to Tozhu
The
poor cowboy of Khemchik
Will
remain on cowback.
…in
Tozhu region in the Northeast of TUVA, where it is lakes
and mountain tundra, most people are reindeer herders and
people use riding by reindeer like a horse, on the back
of it. The "Khemchik" people in the west of TUVA
breed cattle, yaks, sheep and horses but they cannot ride
the reindeers which can go through the snow much better
with their wide feet.
CHORUMAL
BODUM (I am a Traveler)
-
trad. arr. A. Kuvezin
In
the middle of a green steppe a green pine tree sways
A
poor traveller, I refreshed myself in it's shadow.
In
the middle of a white steppe that lonely pine tree is shining
and
now when I will come again I would like to ask about it's health
…from
ancient times Tuvans have believed in spirits of nature
and have been thinking that everything in nature is alive
and spirits live in everywhere. The lonely trees were special
places where the spirits liked to live. People respected
such places as if they were sacred and brought gifts to
the spirits living in those trees. In this song the poor
lonely traveler meets in the steppe such lonely pine tree
and takes shelter from a storm
KOZHAMYK
(ditty)
-
trad. arr. Yat-Kha
If
you cannot give us a treat
then
console us by your radiant smile
And
combing back your black curls
Sing
us a song about some brave funny boys
…in
Tuvan traditional music lyrics are not attached to one melody.
In different regions people sing different lyrics on the
same melody. Also the singers sometimes compose the words
spontaneously like an improvisation. "Kozhamyk"
means a "ditty". Usually it is in the rhythm of
8 equal musical times (bars). The lyrics are most with humour.
CHEDI
TEI (Seven Hills)
-
trad. arr. Yat-Kha
From
the Chedi Tei all the steppe is visible
As
if on the palm of your hand
And
hundreds of yurts snow-white in the distance.
You
can hear the song of a shepherd boy
Chedi
Tei – Seven Hills – like brothers
They
stand in line so quiet and calm
as
if they listen to the shepherd boy’s song
…in
the Southeastern Tuva there is a place called "Chedi
Tei" that means "Seven Hills". It is situated
on the border with Mongolia. The landscape around this place
is so amazing that this song was born in the soul of people
who live there.
TYVA
KYZTAR (Tuvan Girls)
-
music A. Kuvezin,
-
lyrics Kombu Bizhek
-
arr. A. Kuvezin
How
beautiful modern Tuvan girls are, look at them…
They
are like silver-birch trees in the glade
Flowing
plaits stream like rivers or waving millet in the fields
Ah,
to touch and hold their lovely thin fingers.
Black-black
eyebrows like a swallow’s wing
Their
sparkling eyes like stars in the sky
Shapely
legs like arrows straining
And
flowing motions like a fish in water…
Their
wit and knowledge are acclaimed by everyone,
The
girls are smart, forewomen "on both hands".
I
praise the land, the life that will be rich.
Pray
God give them all the best in the world.
…about
beauty and intellect of Tuvan girls, nothing different than
in other cultures and nations.
TAKH-PAKH
CHASKHY TAN (spring breeze)
-
music A. Kuvezin,
-
lyrics Tükpeyev
-
arr. Yat-Kha
Where
have you been, spring breeze?
Where
did you come from?
Whose
soul did you bring and strike a young heart?
On
your colourful road, spring breeze, you brought sunny flowers
and merry songs.
…in
Khakassian music "Takh Pakh" means "Verse".
Khakassia is the ancient country situated just to the North
of Tuva. Khakassians are relatives to Tuvans; they are from
the same language family and have the similar history and
traditions. Some Tuvan and Khakass tribes are from the same
root. My mother is Khakass.
BAI-LA
MONGUN (Rich Silver Mountain)
-
trad. arr. A. Sevek.
O
my sacred Bai-Mongun,
Not
for nothing you got the name "Rich".
The
people living on your steppe are all similar.
You
look severe but you are so rich that
People
living here for hundreds of years
All
extol and sing your praises
…Mongun
Taiga is the highest place in Tuva (3976m) in the Southwest
in the highest mountain chain in all Siberia – the Altai
– which are silver-topped all year round. Also it is the
coldest and windiest and the best pasture for cows, yaks
and sheep.
OI
MOROZ (O Frost)
-
trad. arr. Yat-Kha
Frost
don’t freeze me, don’t freeze me or my horse.
My
white-maned horse, I have a wife, a jealous wife.
I
have a wife, a beauty, waits for me at home, waits so sad.
I
come home at the break of day, hug my wife by the horse’s trough.
Frost
don’t freeze me, don’t freeze me or my horse…
…old
Russian trad song. Probably it comes from the "yamchiki"-
the special postal couriers in Old Russia. This word and
also this service was adopted from the TATAR-MONGOLS. In
Tuvan language "Yamazychi"- means workers of official
structure or Ministry. Of course, it is not a drinker's
song but it is true that Russians like to drink and then
to sing, also this song.
SAMBAZHYKTYN–YRY
(Song of Sambazhyk)
-
trad. arr. Yat-Kha
You
are visible even from a distance
Holy
red mountain Kyzyl Taiga
A
peasant lives at your foot, please protect him from oppression
of enemies
My
holy Kyzyl Taiga I worship and beg you,
You
can see everything all around, please guard
The
peace of a poor peasant
…Sambazhyk
was a leader of people insurrection against feudal aristocrats
oppression in the last century in TUVA. Here he prays for
help from the spirits of the mountain.
KHARY
KYIGY/ (The Call)
-
music A. Kuvezin,
-
lyrics Eduard Mizhit
-
arr. A. Kuvezin
My
native land…
The
Kogei and Tannu-Ul, the Kogmen (Western Sayan) and Altai mountains
Rock
the land between to sleep in the palms of their hands.
I
came back from foreign parts and stood on a high cliff-top,
And
talked with you, peering into my soul…
Stormy
Khemchik and long Tes-Khem and Ene-Sai (Yenisei) rivers,
With
a noble destiny you heard my moods, joined me with your churning
voices.
My
hidden thoughts in my soul’s nest took off, spread free their
wings at last.
…Tchaurkhan
"Subedei" Bagatur is a historical figure, a comrade-in-arms
of Genghis-Khan, who came into History as a commander who
never lost a battle. He was from one of the Tuvan tribes
and on the surface seems to have been in service at Genghis
Khan. But there was not a simple relationship between Genghis
Khan and Subedei and about that our young Tuvan poet Eduard
Mizhit wrote the long poem "SUBEDEI".
ALDYN
DASHKA (The Golden Cup)
-
trad. arr. Yat-Kha
Our
bay horse by its tether
Admire
– how beautiful it is
Our
Golden Cup in the place of honour
It
is full.
Be
glad! Today is a holiday –
Guests
relatives – enjoy!
Our
Golden Cup is the symbol of
Happiness
and Peace.
…in
Soviet Union there was time of Big Anti-Alcohol Company
when there was propaganda of Sober Style of living and a
limitation on production and selling of alcohol (a little
similar to USA in Depression.) It got to a hypertrophical
form, a farce. And maybe this song was not welcome because
it was saying about full cup of "araka"- milky
vodka, and sings about a feast, old customs and merriment.
Recorded
in 1998 and 1999
Engineered by:
Martijn FERNIG at GMC, Helsinki
Zhenya Tkachov in Tuva and Moscow
Ken SLUITER at Kingsize, Chicago
Ian SHAW at Shaw Sound, London
Dale MORNINGSTAR at The Gas Station, Toronto
Balanced by Ian SHAW at Wolf Studios, Brixton
Mixed and mastered by Dominic BRETHES at Wolf Studios, Brixton
Assistant to Mr. Brethes, Alex BALZAMA
Executive Producer – Paddy MOLONEY
A&R by Ian MENZIES
Produced by Lu EDMONDS
Photographs – Marek PYTEL and V. KRIVDIK
Video Materials – Marek PYTEL
Artwork – Jochen KIRCH @ www.perpperoni.de
Sleeve-notes – Albert KUVEZIN
Lyrical translations – Aldyn-ool SEVEK, Ksenia KANDYKOVA, Budachi
KUVEZIN, Eduard MIZHIT
YAT-KHA are managed by Lu Edmonds
Thanks
to:
Roger, Diana, Ben and George in London; Artemy Troitsky, Leonid
Zakharov, Sergei Dyudyukin and Natasha Timofeieva in Moscow;
Don Kerr, Dale Morningstar, Ian Menzies, Nicole Jackson, Guadalupe
Jolicoeur, Sam Feldman, Steve Macklam and everyone at SLFA in
Canada; Rob Challice, Helen Neale at The Concert Clinic in London;
Paul Kahn, Ben Albert and Chhaya Kapadia at Concerted Efforts
in Boston; Piranha GmbH in Berlin; Global Music Centre in Helsinki;
Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains; BMG Classics Worldwide; Katerina
Pavlakis in London; our families and relatives in Tuva; our
friends in the World.
Yat-Kha
from Tuva:
Albert KUVEZIN – voice, guitar,
yat-kha
Aldyn-ool SEVEK – voice, igil,
morinhuur
Alexei SAAIA – morinhuur, bass,
bvoice
Zhenya TKACHOV – kengyrgy, percussion,
voice
Mikhail "Mahmoud" SKRIPALTSCHCHIKOV
– bass
Sailyk OMMUN – yat-kha, voice
Radik TIULIUSH – vox, igil
Aias-ool DANZYRYN – voice, shanzi
Guests
from London:
Martyn BARKER – snare-drum on "Kyigy"
Steve GOULDING – drum-kit on "Oy Adym"
previous
CD "Dalai Beldiri"
