Musicians German and Klavdia Khatylaev performed a concert of indigenous Siberian folk music last Wednesday evening at the World Music Hall. The Khatylaevs, who hail from the Republic of Sakha in Russia’s Siberian region, specialize in a unique brand of deeply spiritual folk music that express a profound connection to nature. This quality made the event ideal for “Feet to the Fire,” the 18-month project that explores climate change through the double-lens of science and art, and who co-sponsored the event with the Music Department.
The Khatylaevs opened their performance by congratulating President-elect Barack Obama, whom they dedicated their first song to. An explanation of the song and musical instruments involved preceded each song, as well as the song’s importance to their culture. A translator explained these details, as the couple does not speak English.
Employing long-forgotten techniques from the Sakha musical tradition, the Khatylaevs’ music pays deep respect to its ancient heritage, which spans back into the annals of Siberia’s nomadic and pagan history. The couple drew the audience in immediately with powerful melodies that did not feel forced or packaged. These were intertwined with sounds that were unmistakably and compellingly reminiscent of the natural world—birds chirping, horses’ hooves on frozen lands and the movement of the wind.
They employed a variety of instruments, including several string and percussion instruments, which reflected the Khatylaevs’ reverence for the natural world. The Sakha violin, an instrument with two strings and a wooden frame covered by the hide of a cow, emitted a beautifully distinct high-pitched hum. The vocals relied on a nasal technique that, to foreign ears, may have seemed initially unappealing, but eventually produced a surprisingly comforting, harmonious and melodic effect.
German Khatylaev describes their music as ’echo music’ because of its original qualities and intrinsic connection to nature. Their technique combines innovation and tradition, with music that intertwines new forms of creative expression with a clear admiration for, and desire to preserve, the history of their people and culture. The music expressed qualities both ethereal and powerful, delicate and rich.
On this tour, the Khatylaevs have traveled throughout the US and Mexico on their international tour, making stops at Washington and Boston, eventually to finish in New York City.