
The Solitary Mongol: Morin Khuur Solo in Medieval Steppe Music
Following the Mongol conquests, a former warrior of the Mongol Empire roams the unfamiliar Ponto-Caspian steppe alone. Stripped of his comrades, his only companion was his horse, which fell ill and passed away. In an act of ingenuity and tradition, he crafted strings from his horse's hair for a new Morin Khuur, an ancient Mongolian instrument. He plays it in hopes that his people will hear his lament and rescue him.
This song showcases a Morin Khuur solo, a horsehead fiddle similar to instruments like the Tuvan igil, Kazakh kobyz, and Kyrgyz Kyl kyyak, highlighting the shared musical heritage of the region's various Khaganates.
#Mongol, #Morin Khuur, #Medieval Steppe Music, #Ponto-Caspian steppe, #horsehead fiddle, #Khanates, #musical heritage