Dombra: soul, spirit, history of the great steppe
“The sacred dombra has always been passed down from generation to generation. Kazakhs consider this musical instrument to be a talisman that captures the chronicle of centuries. In modern terms, this is our national brand.”
K.-J. Tokaev
The National Dombra Day was established on June 13, 2018. The holiday of the oldest musical instrument in Kazakhstan is celebrated on the first Sunday of July. This date was established in order to consolidate Kazakh society around the values and creative ideas of cultural heritage.
By decision of UNESCO, Dombra and Cui are included in the list of intangible heritage of mankind. Respect for the sacred dombra has never gone away
The dombra is not just a musical instrument. This is a whole world, a universe for a Kazakh, his whole life. Akyns and writers have always expressed their admiration and special reverence for dombra. Lines full of love for dombra were left by Abai, Ilyas Dzhansugurov, Saken Seifullin, and many other pen masters.
“I touched a long–necked dombra, and now
Two strings rang, dombra sings.
Have fun, play, young friends, –
The flight is unnoticeable, but fast nowadays!“
Ibrai Sandybaev. The song “Balkurai”.
Аманов, Б. Ж.
Казахская традиционная музыка и XX век : сборник / Б. Ж. Аманов, А. И. Мухамбетова ; СОРОС — Қазақстан қоры = Фонд СОРОС — Казахстан. — Алматы : Дайк-Пресс, 2002. — 542 с. — ISBN 5-7667-0045-8.
A collection of cultural and musicological articles of a scientific, popular science and journalistic nature. The articles reflect the approach to traditional oral professional music as the highest manifestation of the spiritual culture of the Kazakhs, which has an inexhaustible creative potential for further development. Music research has been carried out using data from history, ethnography, religious studies, aesthetics, cultural studies, pedagogy, demography, etc.
The book is intended for musicologists, performing musicians, cultural scientists, teachers, students, as well as for a wide range of readers.
Культура Казахстана : энциклопедический справочник / М-во связи и информации РК, Комитет информации и архивов. — Алматы : Аруна, 2010. — 655 с. : ил. — (Мәдени мұра) (Культурное наследие). — ISBN 9965-26-327-2. — Текст : непосредственный.
The encyclopedic reference book “Culture of Kazakhstan” displays in alphabetical order the events and phenomena of the cultural life of our country, provides information about fine and applied arts, reference material on theater and cinema, architectural art, which dates back to ancient times, archaeological sites, as well as art terms and biographical information of personalities who They have made a great contribution to the development of Kazakh culture: architects, artists, sculptors, actors, film critics, composers, singers, songwriters, art historians. The articles are supplemented with colorful illustrations.
Ахмет Жұбанов / құрастырған Н.С Кетегенова, А.Қ Омарова. — Алматы: «Өнер» баспасы, 2006. – 200 бет. – (Әйгілі адамдар).
The creative life of Akhmet Zhubanov is closely connected with the origin, formation and development of new forms of musical culture in Kazakhstan.
At the Music and Drama College, Zhubanov created a student ensemble of dombrists, which demonstrated its art at the First Kazakhstani Gathering of folk talents in 1934. The Presidium of the KazCIC adopted a resolution on the creation of an orchestra of Kazakh national instruments based on the ensemble of dombrists. That’s how the world famous was born The Kazakh State Orchestra of Folk Instruments named after Kurmangazy, whose conductor and artistic director was appointed Akhmet Zhubanov.
Латиф Хамиди / құрастырған А.Қ. Омарова. – Алматы: «Өнер» баспасы, 2006. – 200 бет. – (Әйгілі адамдар).
Latife Hamidi is a composer, choirmaster, conductor, teacher, musical ethnographer, publicist and public figure. He was one of the first to record the best samples of Abai’s songs, over 200 folk songs and instrumental pieces, and processed more than 100 Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Uzbek, and Turkmen songs.
Latifa Hamidi is the author of a concert for domra prima with an orchestra of Kazakh folk instruments.
On the recommendation of Mukhtar Auezov, he was made the head of the Kazakh orchestra of folk instruments. Latif Abdulkhaevich taught Kazakh musicians musical notation and wrote the first textbook in the republic, The Dombra School, elevating the folk instrument to the rank of virtuoso.
Затаевич А. 500 казахских песен и кюев. – Алматы: Дайк-Пресс, 2002. – 378 с.
The republication of the book “500 Kazakh songs and kuys” is a tribute to the memory of the outstanding collector of folk music and all his co–authors – great steppe musicians and simple performers of songs and kuys. The book testifies to the whole historical period of the musical art of the Kazakh people.
The works of A.V. Zataevich still lead us to an understanding of Kazakh music; as before, the musical notes, observations and thoughts of the author bring back to us the ancestral heritage of the people.
Қазақ әндері және халық композиторларының әндері / ред. А.Т. Смайлова. – Алматы: ИД «Кочевники», 2002. – 336 бет. – (Асыл мұра).
The book contains vivid examples of modern Kazakh folk song art.Kazakh music is closely connected with poetry and the word. Joyful or sad, big or small, they left an indelible mark on a person’s soul, they were imprinted in memory. The kuys and songs reflect all the diversity of life. Zhyrshi and Akyns often turned to historical events and became chroniclers of their time. Legends, poems, and music have been passed down from generation to generation.
Бейсенбеқұлы, О. Сазды аспаптар сыры: (ұлттық музыкалық аспаптар жайында) = О казахских народных инструментах / О. Бейсенбеқұлы. — АЛМАТЫ : Ана тілі, 1994. — 128 с. — ISBN 5-630-00041-1.
The book tells about the history of Kazakh national musical instruments, ways of their creation.It describes the necessary materials for individual parts of various musical instruments, ways to store them.
Казахские музыкальные инструменты : альбом / Мин-во образования, культуры и здравоохранения РК ; Сост. А. Мухамбетова. — Алматы : DIDAR, 1998. — 80 с. : цв.ил. — (Памятники культуры Казахстана). — ISBN 9965-04-004-4.
The soul of a nomad is reflected in the word and music, and Kazakh national musical instruments sound like steppe voices: only a dombra can convey the pounding of horse hooves, only a kobyz can cry with the voice of a lost camel, only a syrnai saz can convey the howling of the wind in the sand dunes.
The proposed photo album is a magnificent presentation of Kazakh musical instruments, not forgotten by the people and caressing the ear with their extraordinary sound in modern concert halls.
Ахметова, М. М. Традиции казахской песенной культуры : музыкальное произведение, вокальное / М.М. Ахметова. — Алма-Ата : Наука, 1984. — 118 с. : ил.
The work explores the traditions and aesthetic features of the song culture of the Kazakh people. Based on the analysis of folk songs and works by Kazakh composers, the origins and specifics of the development of song and choral creativity, the modern influence of Soviet multinational music on it are revealed.
The work is intended for musicologists, composers, teachers and students of music schools, institutes and schools of culture and art, as well as for anyone interested in national song and choral art.
Москау, З. Душа казаха / З. Москау. — (Рухани жаңғыру). — Текст : электронный // Казахстанская правда. — 2021. — 02 июля. — С. 8.
http://lib2.kstu.kz/fulltext/temat/2021/Kazahstanskayapravda_02.07.21_8.pdf
Шулембаева, Р. Звонкая история кочевников / Р. Шулембаева. — (Рухани жаңғыру). — Текст : электронный // Казахстанская правда. — 2020. — 3 июля. — С. 7
http://lib2.kstu.kz/Fulltext/temat/2020/Kazahstanskaya%20pravda_03.07.20_Dombra.pdf