Huun-Huur-Tu is a throat singing group from the semi-autonomous Tuva Republ… Read Full Bio ↴Huun-Huur-Tu is a throat singing group from the semi-autonomous Tuva Republic, Russian Federation, which is situated north of Chinese Turkestan, to the west of the Mongolian border. The Tuvan throat singing technique creates multiple notes at the same time. This is done by manipulating the harmonics to amplify different overtones within their mouth, throat, and belly when they are singing, and is referred to as Khoomei in its native Tuva.

In 1992 Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Alexander Bapa, his brother Sayan Bapa, and Albert Kuvezin founded the quartet Kungurtuk, as a means of concentrating on the presentation of traditional songs of their homeland. The musicians later decided to rename the ensemble Huun-Huur-Tu. After the first album 60 Horses in my Herd (1993), Kuvezin left the band to form the more rock-oriented Yat-Kha. Kuvezin was replaced by Anatoli Kuular, who had previously worked with Khovalyg and Kongar-ool Ondar as part of the Tuva Ensemble. In 1995, Alexander Bapa, who had produced the first two albums, departed the band to pursue production as a full-time career. He was replaced by Alexei Saryglar. In 2003 Kuular quit the band and was replaced by Andrey Mongush.

The name Huun-Huur-Tu (sometimes spelled without hyphens) translates literally to "Sun Propeller," a Tuvan term referring to the special kind of light you can see streaming down through the clouds at dawn or down through densely leaved trees at noon.

The most distinctive characteristic of Huun Huur Tu's music is throat singing, in which the singers sing both the note (drone) and the drone's overtone(s), thus producing two or three notes simultaneously. The overtone may sound like a flute, whistle or bird, but is solely a product of the human voice.

The group primarily uses native Tuvan instruments such as the igil, khomus (Tuvan jaw harp), doshpuluur, and dünggür (shaman drum). However, in recent years, the group has begun to selectively incorporate western instruments, such as the guitar. While the thrust of Huun Huur Tu's music is fundamentally indigenous Tuvan folk music, they also experiment with incorporating not only Western instruments, but electronic music as well.

Their website is http://www.hhtmusic.com

Eerbek Aksy
Huun-Huur-Tu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr Aksyn
Een kurug kagbaan na men
Erge kara kulugurnu
Eeledip kaggan na men
Oorargan Saiyr Aksyn Saiyr Aksy
Okta kurug kagbaan na men
Ortun kara kulugurnu
Olurtup la kagan na men

Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr, my home,
I haven’t left empty.
My lovely beautiful wife,
I’ve left at home.
Oorargan Saiyr Aksyn,
my mountain ridge,
I haven’t left empty.
My lovely beautiful wife,
I’ve left at home.
Eerbek Aksyn Saïyr, mon foyer,
n’est pas désolé.
J’ai laissé au foyer
ma femme, ma belle, ma bien-aimée.
Oorargan Saïyr Aksyn,
ma montagne,
n’est pas désolée.

J’ai laissé chez moi
ma belle, mon épouse.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Huun-Huur-Tu's "Eerbek Aksy" describe a sense of longing and separation between the singer and their home, specifically their wife and the mountain ridge of Eerbek Aksy. Despite leaving, the singer's heart remains tied to these places, as they have not left empty-handed. The use of repetition in the lyrics, particularly in the phrases "Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr Aksyn" and "Oorargan Saiyr Aksyn Saiyr Aksy," emphasizes the singer's connection to these places and the emotions that come with leaving them.

The song is sung in Tuvan, a language spoken in the Republic of Tuva in Russia, and features traditional Tuvan throat singing. This style of singing involves creating a deep, guttural sound and a higher-pitched whistle-like tone at the same time, resulting in a unique sound that has been used in Tuvan music for centuries. The use of throat singing in "Eerbek Aksy" adds to the emotional weight of the lyrics, as the music itself evokes a sense of longing and nostalgia.

Overall, the lyrics of "Eerbek Aksy" capture the bittersweet feeling of leaving home and the longing that comes with separation. Through the use of repetition and traditional Tuvan throat singing, the song creates a powerful emotional connection with its listeners.

Line by Line Meaning

Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr Aksyn
Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr Aksyn

Een kurug kagbaan na men
Je n'ai pas quitté mon foyer à vide

Erge kara kulugurnu
Ma belle bien-aimée

Eeledip kaggan na men
Je l'ai laissée à la maison

Oorargan Saiyr Aksyn Saiyr Aksy
Oorargan Saiyr Aksyn Saiyr Aksy

Okta kurug kagbaan na men
Je n'ai pas quitté ma montagne à vide

Ortun kara kulugurnu
Ma belle bien-aimée

Olurtup la kagan na men
Je l'ai laissée à la maison

Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr, my home,
Eerbek Aksyn Saiyr, mon foyer,

I haven’t left empty.
n'est pas désolé.

My lovely beautiful wife,
ma femme, ma belle, ma bien-aimée.