Various Artists专辑介绍：位于亚洲腹地的图瓦共和国是古代蒙古部落的一个分支，1944年被苏联并入成为其加盟共和国。在国际地理史上，图瓦曾被标识为“亚洲的中心”。除此以外，似乎再无起眼之处。然而近年来，一种称为“呼麦”的喉音演唱逐渐在西方引起强烈反响。“呼麦”是蒙古草原独有的声乐形式，是以高度的喉音技巧发出泛音音色的演唱，即一人可以唱出两个声部的混合音。本来，“呼麦”在蒙古早已濒临失传，然而却在图瓦族那里广泛存在。对西方来说，这就宛如一个神话传说得到了验证。1991年苏联解体，图瓦共和国独立。“呼麦”音乐也由此被更广泛的介绍给西方。 本专辑录制于图瓦当地，录音室是WDR特地建立的。呼麦之声和马头琴交相辉映，展现了一幅蒙古草原的雄浑图景。呼麦以其绝无仅有、不可思议的方式，让西方乐评家激动万分，称其“简直就是超现实主义的音乐”。 本专辑获德国留声机评审大奖。 They're not likely to be found singing "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," even though that plant hails from their country, but the Tuvans are having an impact on the rest of the world when it comes to their music. Tuvan throat-singing, a fascinating style in which a single vocalist can produce a haunting four-part harmony, has turned up on Ry Cooder's film soundtracks and as part of the style of bluesman Paul "Earthquake" Pena, while concerts by groups such as Huun-Huur-Tu continue to be extremely popular. This compilation, produced and annotated by Ralph Leighton, brings together traditional and contemporary Tuvan music, opening with a demonstrative medley from Kongar-Ool Ondar and closing with a duet between Ondar and Pena. The text, meanwhile, provides a glimpse into the history and culture of Tannu Tuva, with translations of Tuvan stories and poetry as an added bonus. To cap things off, this is all presented as a miniature hardcover book with attractive coffee-table design -- a typically excellent Ellipsis Arts presentation. ~ Steven McDonaldDown Beat (3/97, p.58) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...begins with pure throat singing by masters like Oleg Kuular and Oorzhak Khanashtaarool, whose whistling harmonics resound eerily over grinding bass tones, then moves on to folkloric instrumentals, collaborations with Russian and Bulgarian women's choirs and finally to the blues stylings of...Paul "Earthquake" Pena..." JazzTimes (12/96, p.109) - "...the music of Tuva is truly remarkable, particularly the throat-singing tradition of hme (pronounced hoo MAY), in which multiphonics are coaxed out of well-flexed voice boxes....Tuva's main focus is on the strange and beautiful things achieved with the world's oldest instrument..."