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The Musical Steppes of Mongolia

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Synopsis

Alain Desjacques, a well-known ethnomusicologist, takes us on a pilgrimmage to find and record the best traditional musicians and singers on the steppes of Mongolia. Desjacques had spent time in Mongolia before and had learned the language. Thus he was welcomed and given access to domestic life, with its closely knit families and intergenerational living. Set against stunning vistas of the rugged terrain, the film captures not only the music, but the richly textured details of daily life - hospitality customs, food preparation, games, caring for the herds. It is a portrait of a people who live almost entirely off their animals - horses, yaks, camels, and sheep - with little contact with the outside world.Travelling by horseback, truck and foot, Desjacques tracks down the most revered diphonic musicians. The diphonic sound combines a base drone with a melodic upper register. We hear part of an epic song which takes the singer seven days to perform, completely from memory.

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What is The Musical Steppes of Mongolia (1995) about?

Alain Desjacques, a well-known ethnomusicologist, takes us on a pilgrimmage to find and record the best traditional musicians and singers on the steppes of Mongolia. Desjacques had spent time in Mongolia before and had learned the language. Thus he was welcomed and given access to domestic life, with its closely knit families and intergenerational living. Set against stunning vistas of the rugged…

Who stars in The Musical Steppes of Mongolia?

The Musical Steppes of Mongolia stars Alain Desjacques (Himself), Paul Bandey (Narrator). The film was directed by Heidi Draper.

How long is The Musical Steppes of Mongolia?

The Musical Steppes of Mongolia has a runtime of 51 min and premiered in 1995.

Where can I watch The Musical Steppes of Mongolia?

Streaming availability for The Musical Steppes of Mongolia changes by country and service. TasteRay tracks where it is available across Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and 50+ other platforms — the current options for your country are shown on this page.