Morin Khuur: A Musical Trip to Mongolia

    The Netflix series Marco Polo is a spectacular period drama that first premiered on December 12, 2014. It follows the protagonist's adventures at the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century and was loosely based on Marco Polo's memoirs. Much like other historically based series, it presents historically inspired events and personalities, but in a very dramatically heightened way. What a shame that despite the plans to release five seasons, the giant network couldn't justify the massive production costs, ending the show with only 2 seasons. Who doesn't love a good historical drama? It's probably just me, but I love everything about it, even if most of it is historically inaccurate. I really wish it had never ended. I'm still waiting for season three to commence!

    The said drama had inspired my pipe dream to visit Mongolia one day and participate in the longest horse race in the world, the Mongol Derby. Remember, the keyword/phrase here is pipe dream. But before we get pulled in deeper into this topic, I'd like to let you know that this blog is definitely not about me riding horses or winning a derby. This is about another form of horse that is used to play music in Mongolia, and none other than the Morin Khuur, or plainly called the Mongolian horse-head fiddle. It is a two-stringed bowed instrument with a distinctive horse head carved into the neck, and is considered the national instrument of Mongolia. Wouldn't it be nice to learn how to play an instrument where you only have to worry about two strings?

    My memory is rusty, so I had to go back and rewatch some scenes as a refresher. I had to give it to Batzorig Vaanchig for creating this incredible masterpiece titled "The Beautiful Steppe."This song, along with the other soundtrack for the drama, was dissected and tweaked as needed. The video below is an example of how the song was used in the show. Vaanchig can be seen playing his fiddle while in a military camp with other soldiers and the main characters of the period drama. You can listen to "The Beautiful Steppe" in its entirety here. The album was officially released the following year after the premiere of the series.

 The Beautiful Steppe, Batzorig Vaanchig, May 22, 2015, Mongolia

Lyrics

    The song is written in the Mongolian language. The first stanza of the song talks about a herder out in the wild, enveloped by the overwhelming vastness of the treeless and flat grassland. He introduces himself as a nomad riding a horse on his way back to his humble yurt made of felt. The second stanza mentioned a far-reaching sound of a long song. This is called "Urtiin Duu", a traditional chant characterized by a slow-flowing tempo, extensive ornamentation, a wide vocal range, and falsetto. He then goes back to mention the herder being in tune with nature, a mother camel who was moved by the melody to tears. But was comforted by the sound of the Morin Khuur. The third and last stanza is a tribute to his motherland, Mongolia. He praises how wonderful and exciting it is, which keeps him in awe and always draws him back.

Vocals and Timbre

     

    Throat singing is a significant part of Mongolia's culture. Even if it isn't unique to this country, it is still an impressive skill as far as I am concerned; it sets the Mongolian artists apart from the rest of the world. Vaanchig is a highly classified performer, showcasing his singing abilities by switching from normal singing to throat singing, also known as khoomei, in the music video. The song does sound like a chant because of the effect of the khoomei, producing two or more notes at the same time. This simultaneous production of a low, droning sound with a high, whistling overtone creates a hypnotic chanting effect. Throat singing can add depth and a unique timbre to a composition. I can honestly go to sleep if this is playing in the background, not too loud, just enough to hear it buzzing in my ears.

Instrumentation

    As mentioned earlier, Vaanchig accompanied this piece with the horse-head fiddle. He is a solo performer, from song-writing to singing and playing the Moorin Khuur, he amazingly accomplished it all by himself. Though he has since collaborated with other artists in playing this song, as seen on YouTube, the original piece was all performed by him. Legend has it that Moorin Khuur came about after the demise of a favored horse. In real life, it is made out of wood for the body and neck, with horse-hair for the strings and bow. Modern ones now also use nylon for the strings.

Tempo and Rhythm

    This song is played in the key of D major. Unlike the traditional "Urtiin duu", the Beautiful Steppe is a more contemporary composition with a clearer, more defined rhythm. The rhythm is fluid and free, reflective of nature and nomadic life. The phrases are stretched out and unhurried to create a feeling of expansiveness and a connection to the vastness of the Mongolian steppe as described in the song lyrics. The tempo is slow and rubato. It involves subtly speeding up and slowing down the music to add emotion. The idea to "steal" time from one passage and "give it back" to another can be observed in this masterpiece, allowing the overall length of the song to be maintained. 

Examples of Urtiin Duu (Mongolian long song)

Urtiin Duu 

    I have decided to touch base on the Urtiin Duu (long song) as it is a foundational element and one of the two major forms of traditional Mongolian music,  which heavily influenced and inspired modern lyrical and melodic styles. These are performed during celebrations such as the birth of a child, weddings, horse-racing events, and other social gatherings.  It can be accompanied by a Morin Khuur to provide a deep and resonant sound, with a Limbe, a type of Mongolian flute, and an Igil, a type of two-stringed fiddle used by Western Mongol Oriat groups. It was proclaimed in 2005 and included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. It is considered to be a lyrical chant with consistent ornamentation, falsetto, a wide vocal range, and a free compositional form. 

    It is said to have originated 2,000 years ago and has been recorded in literary works since the 13th century. It definitely falls into the timeline of the Mongolian empire's expansion. Which is why I have chosen Vaanchig's work as an example of a Mongolian song; despite its contemporary composition, it still highlights the Mongol's nomadic lifestyle and uses traditional musical instruments coupled with throat singing. The same reason why Marco Polo's creators have added his work to their official soundtrack. It evokes that way of life in the 13th century. The modernization of the song composition corresponds with the urgency of the looming war in the drama, while giving it a Mongolian touch.

A photo of a man with a Morin Khuur by Aagii Aagii

Conclusion

    Though it's hard to imagine that at one point, the most powerful nation in that era expanded its empire, which encompassed over 17% of the world's landmass, it would meet its downfall just as epic as when it rose, such is the reality of life. It follows Sir Isaac Newton's law of gravity: whatever goes up must come down. This teaches us to keep greed at bay. To know when enough is enough. And learn to practice contentment that nomadic people do. The songs of the Mongols, in the form of Urtiin Duu or the modern ones, teach us exactly that. Just owning what they can carry, not because they can't afford to accumulate more, but because they value legacy more than positions. A simple guide on how life should be lived. Sadly, there aren't many people in Mongolia or around the world who carve their paths in such a way due to global modernization.

Works Cited

"Traditional music of the Morin Khuur." UNESCO, 11 Oct. 2025. https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/traditional-music-of-the-morin-khuur-00068

Ufum, Ima. "If You Miss 'Game of Thrones,' Watch This Dark, Gripping Drama With the Same Amount of Courtly Suspense." Collider. 26 Jun 2025. https://collider.com/marco-polo-netflix-game-of-thrones/

"Urtiin Duu: Mongolian Traditional Folk Long Song." UNESCO, 11 Oct. 2025. https://www.unesco.org/archives/multimedia/document-3755

Wikipedia contributors. "Batzorig Vaanchig." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Sep. 2025. Web. 11 Oct. 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batzorig_Vaanchig

Wikipedia contributors. "Morin khuur." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The 

 

Free Encyclopedia, 5 Oct. 2025. Web. 11 Oct.  

2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morin_khuur