As is known, the category of self-sounding instruments (idiophones) includes all sound-producing devices in which the source of vibrations is the body itself or part of it, rather than a string, membrane, or column of air enclosed in a channel. In Kyrgyz musical culture, this includes the so-called mouth (lip) komuz of several types, as well as instruments like jingles, bells, rattles, etc.
In instruments of this group, perhaps more than in others, there is a natural essence. This foundation corresponds perfectly to the pantheistic views of a person whose life entirely depended on the surrounding environment. Therefore, these instruments were used not only as sources of musical images but also as amulets, talismans, decorations, and as attributes of equipment, gear, and costume. For the same reason, they were often attributed with magical properties and played an important role in the performance of customs and rituals.
The production of instruments, in which the most important parts were metallic, was carried out by temir usta — masters of ironwork, blacksmiths, whose main occupation was the manufacture of agricultural tools, household utensils, and horse harness.
Temir ooz komuz (shortened to temir komuz or ooz komuz, from "temir" — "iron" and "ooz" — "mouth") — is a metallic mouth (lip) plucked instrument. It has a curved shape, its length is 6—7 cm, elongated in the middle, and tapered at the end.
The material for it is iron, brass, bronze, or copper (jez komuz). The components of the instrument include a bowl (in Kyrgyz — chera), a two-pronged conical fork (jaak) adjacent to it, and a thin elastic steel tongue-plate (til), one end of which is soldered to the bottom of the bowl, while the other bends perpendicularly, at a right angle.
Performers on this instrument are called temir komuzchu or ooz komuzchu. Traditionally, women and children were the performers on the temir komuz, but since the 1930s, men have also started to play it.
The timbre of the instrument is soft, silvery, with an airy, flute-like shade.
Temir komuz is one of the oldest instruments. It is known in all regions of the republic. It has numerous "relatives" (about 800 names) in other regions of the world. Its Russian name is vargan, German — Maultrommel, Italian — scaccia-pensieri, French — Guimbarde, Spanish — birimbao, Ukrainian — дрымба, Moldovan — дромбуле, Kazakh — шан кобыз, Uzbek — чангкобуз, etc.
Playing the temir komuz involves the plucking of overtones in the spectrum excited by the finger of the tongue, regulated by changes in the shape and volume of the resonating cavity of the mouth, where the instrument is held between the teeth. Each sound corresponds to a specific position of the performing apparatus, which includes the lips, mouth, throat, and lungs. Therefore, it is often heard that the sounds of the temir komuz contain phonemes of the Kyrgyz language.
The pizzicato technique (plucking the tongue) is usually performed with the index finger of the right hand, less often with the middle or thumb. In this process, the performer can make impressive passes with the hand — figurative movements aimed at creating visual impressions for the listeners.
In the technology of sound production on the temir komuz, the resonant zones-formants change and move, regulated by the volume of the oral cavity. Thanks to this, individual components are sequentially extracted from a series of overtones, from a stationary spectral lattice. However intricate the melody may be, in the sound of the temir komuz, something primordial and fundamental is heard, as the drone sound and the entire subordinate series of overtones remain static. In this unusual distribution of roles between the generator of vibrations and the resonator, there is something more for perception — a special type of sound contemplation and worldview associated with ideas of the East, meditation, illusions of stopped time, and images of nature and eternity.
The fundamental tone of the instrument is determined by the thickness, length, and width of the steel tongue. The part for the temir komuz is notated an octave lower than its actual sound. The overall sound range is a duodecima, and the working range is an octave. In the diagram of the tuning of the temir komuz "sol," the fundamental tone is located in the great octave. The melody sounds in the second-third octaves, where, according to the laws of acoustics, the stepwise overtones of the natural sound series are found.
It should be noted that the provided diagram does not accurately reflect the actual sound series of temir komuz, which are governed not by equal temperament (which is typically associated with standard musical notation) but by the so-called natural sound series and widely understood pure tuning. Thus, all sounds that are a fourth away from the fundamental tone (do in the tuning "sol," re in the tuning "lya," etc.) sound higher than on tempered instruments; in other words, they correspond to the eighth and eleventh overtones. Therefore, this group of instruments allows for harmonies and intonations that are close to natural, organic sounds. Using common terminology, the modal tuning of the temir komuz (and zhyghach ooz komuz) can be called Lydian, and the sought interval — an augmented fourth.
Along with the melody, which arises from the alternation of overtones forming the timbral spectrum of the temir komuz, a low, unchanging fundamental tone constantly sounds. Therefore, the musical texture of pieces for this instrument necessarily includes two layers — melody and drone bass. The drone is somewhat set aside and is considered as a special background, purely colorful component, performing the function of the fundamental tone not only in an acoustic sense but also in a modal sense.
Additionally, it should be noted that while playing, two to three barely audible overtones, adjacent below (in relation to the melody), are added to the melody and drone-organ point. In total, this creates a peculiar diatonic three-voicing that is difficult to capture in full sound volume in musical notation. Folklorists use a one- or two-line system for this purpose.
The well-known master of folk instruments O. Kenchinbaev has constructed seven different types of temir komuz (from "do" to "si"). The large temir komuz with the fundamental tone "do" and "re" has lengths of 7.5 and 7 cm, respectively. The temir komuz "fa" (6.5 cm) is used rarely. The small temir komuz "sal" (6.2 cm) and "lya" (5.8 cm) are the most common in performance practice. Finally, the smallest temir komuz "si" (5.6 cm) is a rare instrument. The type of instrument usually corresponds to the type of play — kuu. For example, on the large temir komuz in the tuning "re," predominantly slow pieces are performed.
In recent years, there have been noticeable shifts in the evolution of temir komuz performance and repertoire. Firstly, alongside folk (unnotated) performance, a notated methodology has emerged for playing this instrument.
Secondly, with the help of two to three instruments with different tunings that fit in one hand, a chromatic system is introduced.
Thirdly, monoinstrumental unison ensembles of temir komuz players, widespread in the republic, have been supplemented by ensembles with multi-voiced playing practice. Thanks to the introduction of new temir komuz with different tunings, it has become possible to perform melodies with four to five different parts. The introduction of non-tempered polyphony into performance practice opens up many new possibilities.
Zhyghach ooz komuz (wooden mouth or lip komuz) — is the closest variety of temir ooz komuz, mainly distributed in southern Kyrgyzstan. The zhyghach ooz komuz consists of a wooden plate with a tapered end. The length of the instrument in its varieties ranges from 13 to 20 cm. The width of the narrow part is about 1 cm, and the wide part is within 2 cm. The tongue is a vibrating thin plate cut from the body of the instrument itself. The wood used for making zhyghach ooz komuz includes barberry, Abelias, and honeysuckle.
Before playing, the zhyghach ooz komuz is pressed with its narrow end against the mouth with the left hand. The instrument is positioned between the lips, the movements of which regulate the resonating cavity of the mouth according to the pitch parameters of the melody. The right hand sharply and clearly plucks the tongue using a strong thread up to 30 cm long, tied to its right end. The tongue, set into vibration in this way, produces a sound that is amplified by the air resonance of the oral cavity.
This instrument is typically played by women. In modern times, male performers have also appeared.
The timbre of this variety is less ringing compared to that of the temir komuz but is deep. Its sound creates a percussive impression due to the accentuated initial part (attack) of the sound, which does not allow for achieving legato effects on the instrument. Since the sound quickly fades (wood is less elastic than the steel tongue of the temir komuz), the melodies played on the zhyghach ooz komuz are characterized by a relatively lively tempo. The tessitura is quite low, and the tuning is natural. The melodies sound in the range of a decima, which includes the fifth to twelfth overtones of the natural sound series, but the range of a sixth is more acceptable. The physical characteristics of the fundamental tone depend on the thickness and length of the tongue of the instrument.
In the practice of modern Kyrgyz folk instrumental creativity, there are four types of zhyghach ooz komuz — tuned to "sol," "lya," "si," and "do." Accordingly, their fundamental tones are: sol, la, si in the controctave (the melody sounds in the first octave) and do in the great octave (the melody — in the second octave).
When playing the instrument, as with the temir komuz, a drone organ point and additional overtones arise, which are difficult to classify with ordinary hearing.
Currently, the scope of application of the zhyghach ooz komuz has expanded. It is not only used for solo music but also for participation in ensembles, both homogeneous and mixed.
Zhylaazhyn — is one of the rare Kyrgyz instruments today — an idiophone, representing a small rattle (single or paired) that is shaken during play, with a freely moving ball inside. The diameter of the rattle is 2—3 cm.
Zhylaazhyn was mainly used in everyday life: on one hand, as a musical-sound decoration, and on the other — as a signaling instrument, alerting the hunter to the location of his hunting falcon with prey. The sounds of the zhylaazhyn, attached to the bird's leg, helped orient in the search for the falcon in the mountainous forest or among the bushes. Sometimes zhylaazhyn was used to decorate women's headwear or braids. The instrument was widely spread due to its high silvery, attractive sound, which, however, fades quickly.
To make zhylaazhyn, Kyrgyz masters used iron, copper, bronze, and silver, considering the latter the best material. With changing social conditions and the evolution of everyday life, the traditional zhylaazhyn has become an extremely rare instrument. A pair of bells made by a hereditary master of metal products from the Janı-Jol district, A. Jamankulov, is in the personal collection of musical instruments of S. Subanaliev.
The modernized zhylaazhyn has retained its previous form and sound production principle but is mounted on a new base in the form of a soft hoop worn on the arm or a decorative frame. The frame of the instrument belonging to the musical-ethnographic ensemble of the Kyrgyz State Philharmonic "Kambarqan" is made in the shape of an ancient Kyrgyz vessel "keokor."
Konguroo — is a small bell that, like zhylaazhyn, served primarily utilitarian purposes for nomads, and partly artistic. Konguroo sounded mainly during migrations. Attached to horse bridles, it created a specific, "festive" sound background. Konguroo was also hung around the neck of the lead goat, which guided the sheep flock in the right direction. It is clear that in the folk memory, the almost magical sound of konguroo is associated with the life of nomads.
To make konguroo, Kyrgyz masters used copper, bronze, iron, and brass, decorating them with artistic carvings and covering them with silver. The sizes of the instruments varied significantly, depending on their function. Each bell-konguroo had its own timbre.
In modern folk and concert practice, konguroo is used in ensembles.
In the epic, there is a description of a large bell — banduulu, which has fallen out of use by the present time. It was installed in the yurt of Manas. The alarm sound from striking it supposedly could be heard a whole day's journey away.
Shaldyrak — is a rattle consisting of a metal rod with a handle, three large iron rings of different diameters, and small iron rings strung on the large rings. The sound is produced by shaking it. This rhythmic-noise idiophone was widely used throughout Kyrgyzstan as a ritual instrument but is now rarely found. One of the few examples of shaldyrak is kept in the folklore cabinet of the Kyrgyz National Conservatory. Its rod length is 43 cm, diameter 1.5 cm, diameter of the large rings 8 cm, distance between them 4 cm, diameter of the small rings 2.8 cm.
Asa-tayak (asa-musa) — is a frame or staff idiophone. The source of sound is various pendants — self-sounding bodies that are set in motion by striking the instrument against the ground, floor, and shaking.
Traditional asa-tayak
Traditional asa-tayak — is a wooden stick of irregular shape about 50 cm long. Various self-sounding bodies and decorations are attached to its upper part — metal discs with a diameter of 3 cm, buttons, sheep bones (alchik), wooden blocks, scraps of fabric, horsehair. Asa-tayak belongs to a mixed type of idiophones.
For Kyrgyz shamans (bakshy) and dervishes (duvana), asa-tayak served as a tool with which they conducted their healing sessions — kamlanie. The magical effect of the sounds of the asa-tayak on the psyche of the sick person was apparently due not only to the sounds themselves but also to the entire complex of actions of the healer.
Modernized asa-tayak
Currently, both the functions and the design of the instrument have changed. In the workshop of O. Kenchinbaev, it has been improved and acquired a renewed form. It is used in modern folk-instrumental ensembles. The reconstructed asa-tayak is a decoratively decorated, artistically designed wooden pole over 1.5 m long. At its upper part, horsehair is attached, and bells, rattles (konguroo, shaldyrak), and other noise-making devices hang on the sides. The staff asa-tayak is used, for example, in the ensemble "Arashan" of the Alamudinsky District House of Culture, in the ensemble "Kambarqan" of the Kyrgyz State Philharmonic.
The modernized idiophone uzongu is in the collection of the folklore ensemble "Kambarqan." Externally, it resembles a horse collar but is smaller in size. It is richly decorated with carvings. Inside, various self-sounding instruments are attached, including zhylaazhyn and konguroo. The width of uzongu is about 30 cm, and the height is 50 cm.
Dildirek — is also a rare metal idiophone, consisting of two round plates with a diameter of 5—7 cm and a thickness of 1 mm. Dildirek was hung around the neck of a goat, sheep, or cow for signaling purposes. The plates, striking each other under the influence of air vibrations or the movement of the animal, produce a weak sound. The instrument was viewed not only as a musical and household decoration but also as an amulet protecting livestock from accidents and diseases.
Zhuuldak is more like a sound toy than a musical instrument. Previously, it was made from a reed stem; now, a wooden piece or button is used. It is spun on two loosened threads of 20—30 cm long in one direction, then on tightened ones in the other. The sound, lasting a few seconds, resembles hissing or buzzing.
The national musical instrumentarium is diverse both in structural features and artistic possibilities. Four types of instruments are distinguished, each possessing unique social, aesthetic, and practical functions. It is characteristic that in modern folk instrumental practice, there is a noticeable process of development of musical instruments, on one hand, preserving the fundamental principles of national tradition, and on the other, renewing the design of instruments and their expressiveness.
