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Music and songs of Uzbekistan
Traditional Uzbek music is one of the means of understanding the peculiarity of the Uzbek nation. Because music and a song express a nation’s dreams, wishes, nature, mood, and intentions. As an example, we can mention the song “Sust Khotin” which has been sung throughout history to call rain during a drought period or a song “Oblo baraka” which has been sung by men in summer and autumn asking for a good harvest.
We can witness the deep history of traditional Uzbek music by seeing images of musicians, relating to the culture of the Kushan period, depicted on the frieze with a stringed instrument in the form of a harp in his hand, the other with a wind instrument similar to a flute, and the third with an oblong double-sided drum. From this, we can conclude that the Kushans and Sogdians knew the main types of instruments and used them both solo and in an ensemble.
Due to the numerous types of musical instruments, Uzbek national music is one of the most colorful not only among Central Asian countries but also in the whole world. Here are some main Uzbek musical instruments: Kayrok/Qayroq (stone castanets), doira/doyra (tambourine), Nay/Nai (flute), Rubab/Rubob (a lute-like instrument), Tanbur (a fretted string instrument), Dutor/Dutar (long-necked two-stringed lute), Sato (long-necked lute), Qobuz/Kobuz/Kobyz (Two-string fiddle), Karnai/Karnay (a long wind instrument), Surnai/Surnay (a wind instrument), Nogora/Nagara (drum with a rounded back and a hide head, usually played in pairs), Gijjaz/Ghijak (a group of related spike fiddles).
Many genres of traditional music have been formed and developed over the centuries. Traditional Uzbek music and songs have been accompanying all significant events in the life of the people for centuries. Uzbek folklore includes family rituals, labor, lullabies, holiday, and other songs. For example, at weddings they perform “Yor-Yor”, “Ulan”, “Kelin Salom”, etc., at funerals – “Sadr” and “Yigi”, there are also labor songs such as “Maida” and “Yozi”, lullabies – “Alla”, songs performed during such holidays as Navruz (the day of the vernal equinox), etc. Uzbekistan can boast with its following ancient genres passing from ancestors to generations: Shoshmaqom/Shashmaqam, Lapar (a dialogue song), Khalfa (Khorezmian genre), Katta ashula (two or more men sing by waving plates near their mount but without any other musical instruments), and Bakhshi genre (a folk narrator, creator, and promoters of epic traditions playing in single). UNESCO already included Shoshmaqom/Shashmaqam and Katta ashula into its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Soon Bakhshi genre is going to join the list.
Music not only keeps up spirits but also symbolizes the friendship and unity of nations. Thus, the Uzbek government has been hosting a well-known international music festival “Sharq Taronalari” (Eastern melodies) in Registan Square of Samarkand every second year at the end of August since 1997.