Topshuur

Topshur ( Mong. Topshuur ) - a plucked musical instrument with 2 hair strings (tuned in a quart ). Length about 780 mm. The way to play is to rattle. Distributed in Northwestern Mongolia ^[1] and Altai ^{[2] [3]} .

Topshuur
Kaiichi Oirot Otukov
Related tools	Moorin Huur

The name of the instrument apparently comes from “top” - punch, rattle and “khur” - the generalized name of musical instruments in the Turkic languages ​​of the Shor group.

In fact, the strings are tuned slightly wider than a quart (that is, not diatonically ). And it’s hard to call it a method of playing on it otherwise ... Because the traditional top-notch accompaniment does not allow syncopation and busting - only a rattling up and down with a brush in an even 4/4 rhythm. It is such a system and this type of game that gives the characteristic Altai flavor to top-notch music.

Usually topshur use kaichi (folk storytellers) to perform epics . Here is what researcher A.V. Anokhin (1874-1931) writes about topshur:

The Altai’s string instrument is called “topshur” and has the shape of a balalaika , but far from sonorous, since the strings on it are used from horsehair twisted into a thin rope ... They play on it the same way as on the balalaika ... Asians have such quarts (sharp , slightly expanded - FG) are understood as consonance , because they begin and end singing as a harmonious chord ... it can be classified as dominant intervals. In addition to a quart, top accompaniment provides a pure fifth , large or small sexta . Here are all the intervals that we heard at the top in the form of simultaneous harmonies.

Now the fields of application of topshur are growing: they are actively used in ensembles, playing not only the traditional epic. Tuvinians always had a song, but not an epos.

As for the shape of the deck, it can be varied - from round or spoon-like to square, triangular (like a balalaika), or close to a longitudinal cut of a tree (if the master was too lazy to grind). The upper deck is made from raw skin (then the sound is more dull, drum-like) or from a thin layer of wood, then the sound is like a semi-acoustic guitar.

From the point of view of a classical musician , topshur is too primitive. However, this is not so: its shortcomings turn into advantages. The presence of only two strings allows you to use the original tricks of the game, and the fretless topshur , having a long neck, makes it possible to play very interesting non-diatonic improvisations.