Welcome to Qazaqstan
Everything about Dimash Qudaibergen's Qazaqstan
MUSIC in QAZAQSTAN
Music in Qazaqstan
Music of Kazakhstan refers to a wide range of musical styles and genres deriving from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is home to the Qazaq State Kurmangazy Orchestra of Folk Instruments, the Qazaq State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Qazaq National Opera and the Qazaq State Chamber Orchestra.
The folk instrument orchestra was named after Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly, a well-known composer and dombra player from the 19th century.
QAZAQSTAN
Instrumental music
Instrumental music, with the pieces (“Küy”) being performed by soloists.
Text is often seen in the background (or “program”) for the music, as a lot of Küy titles refer to stories.
Vocal music
Vocal music, either as part of a ceremony such as a wedding (mainly performed by women), or as part of a feast. Here we might divide into subgenres: epic singing, containing not only historical facts, but as well the tribe’s genealogy, love songs, didactic verses; and as a special form the composition of two or more singers in public (Aitys), of dialogue character and usually unexpectedly frankly in content.
Traditional instruments
Dombra
A stringed instrument of the Turkic, which is widely spread among the Turks. Dombra is made of hollow wood, wooden parts and two strings. 19 (sometimes 22) keys are attached to the neck. Has variation as three-stringed dombra, double-sided, wide-body, hollow-necked.
Kobyz
A stringed-bowed instrument. Kobyz has a bucket-shaped body, an arcuate curved neck and a large flat head. The half of surface is covered with skin. Strings and bow are made of horse hair. It is made of solid wooden block. Often done with two strings, but also there are three-stringed, four-stringed kobyz and has variations like “nar kobyz”, “jez kobyz”.
Jew's harp
An ancient musical instrument of the Kazakh people that is made of silver or iron. It is not so big, with a body and arcuate tongue. The way you play on this instrument is directly related to the interaction with the oral cavity. When playing the instrument, use the right hand to pull the instrument by the tongue. In ancient times, the shankobyz was a child’s and a woman’s instrument. Shankobyz has many names in different nations: vargan, temir konuz, komys, aure, komus, vaniar, tumra, kousian
Jetigen
A polychord instrument. The form of instrument is oblong, with the shape of a box. 13 (or it can be 7) strings are attached to both ends of the box and there are special wooden parts on each string. All of the Turkic cultures have jetigen, but have different names of it: Tatars “etigan”, Tyvalks “shatkan”.
Dauylpaz
A percussion instrument which was a military instrument. In ancient times, it lifted the spirit of warriors and hunters. In structure it resembles an ordinary drum. The manufacturing process is very complicated: you need to make groove in wood, cover the top with skin, make a belt to carry it everywhere and a stick to beat it.
Kongyrau
A musical instrument that is made of gold or silver. The structure is close to the bell. Bells of different sizes are distributed on a wooden base and, when stressed, produces an enjoyable ringing. Some artists attach the kongyrau to the top of their instrument while playing.
Sherter
A stringed instrument. It is played like dombyra, but the bone is less than dombyra and it looks like a kobyz. It is made of wood, but the exterior is covered with skin. It is mostly played by shepherds, and often used for accompaniment of fables.
Asatayak
A percussion instrument, like a baton – a stick with the flat head decorated with ornament and metal rings, pendants. It had open and acute sound. In order to make the sound louder, baksy were using konyrau – small bells fixed to the head of asatayak.
Qazaq instruments are used not only by artists but also are an integral part of the life of almost every Qazaq.
With much love,
for Dimash
