Khorekteer as a melodic and lyric introduction of Tuvan khoomei

Abstract

This article discusses the notion of khorekteer in Tuvan throat-singing, khoomei, as a vocal method of performance in khoomei, executed with a constricted diaphragm or chest. The author regards khorekteer as an integral element of khoomei with semantic content. Khorekteer can precede musical composition in the form of melodic, introductory poetic strophes and be interlaced with “double-voiced episode”, or, conversely, can follow the double-voiced episode. Khorekteer as a performance method in khoomei was supposedly introduced by the outstanding Tuvan throat- singer Khunashtaar-ool Oorzhak, later described by Russian musicologist I. A. Bogdanov at the turn of the 1980s. Earlier, this method could have been called khoomei. The importance of khorekteer is evidenced by the examples of one’s chest (khorek in Tuvan) praising in khoomei texts provided in this article. The author also stresses that khorekteer is a key element distinguishing Tuvan throat-singing from solo double-voiced singing of other peoples. Researchers have described khorekteer as a musical piece, introduction with a psalmodic recitation of song words, melodic introductory recitative, one-voiced type of throat-singing in the low register with recitative melody, ditty with text, or just the initial part of musical composition. The article provides introductory poetic texts of Tuvan virtuosos of khoomei, differing by genre and melody diversity. The author agrees with Zoya Kyrgys, who was the one to put forward the theory of an exclusive role of khorekteer in Tuvan khoomei and suggested the term khorekteer instead of khoomei for the whole phenomenon of Tuvan throat-singing.