For
a lot of singers, maintaining adequate pitch on one note or tone is challenging
enough. Each one of the Tuvan throat singers in Huun-Huur-Tu emits three distinct tones — not including incidental harmonics — and they
sound like human bagpipes or caribou in heat. During its
sold out Tuesday night Kilbourn Hall show, the
quartet accompanied itself on indigenous instruments that looked like fragile
little weapons.
But
man, those voices.
The
lowest of the pitches seems to originate in the stomach — or lower. As the
singer summons and it becomes more distinct, it splits into an almost metallic
whistle-like pitch. With the force behind that growing and swirling, the
singer’s uvula begins to vibrate. These tones are nothing short of otherworldly
and amazing.
Apparently
throat singing isn’t taught throughout Tuvan culture
but is cultivated in children who imitate throat singers before adulthood tells
them it’s impossible. As an adult walking back to my car, I attempted the low
tone but emitted nothing more than gagging noises. The sensation made me retch.
The parking attendant thought I was throwing up. I didn’t bother to explain.
So
now back to those who sing one note at a time — with gale force. It was a
night at the opera Friday with Mercury Opera’s presentation of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at a packed Eastman Theatre. I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to opera, but I
love its bombast, spectacle, pageantry, and color. But nobody told me this was
a tragedy, dammit. By the time I was fully drawn into
the story (following along with the subtitles broadcast overhead helped
immensely) homegirl pulled a hara-kiri.
Despite my dismay, the singing was big and powerful, the orchestra sweet,
supple, and strong, and the sets were beautiful.
Everyone
in attendance seemed to agree; they peppered the cheers with “bravo.” Something
I decided to shout at The Hi-Risers during their set at The Dinosaur later that night. These guys are better than
The Beatles. And guitarist Greg Townson knows allthe words to Ritchie Valens’ “Donna” — even the bridge.
—
Frank De Blase
This article appears in Feb 1-7, 2006.
