Two-string box or bowl spike fiddle played by Western Mongol groups, such as Baits, Torguts, Zakchins and Altai Urianghais. Use of this term by Western Mongols suggests connections with neighbouring Turkic groups: it may, for instance, be related to the Tuvan igil, Turkish iqliq, and Anatolean Turk iki kili (‘with two hairs’). It may also be that the Mongolian name sometimes used for two- and four-string fiddles hiil (kigili) was more widespread before standardization of the term huur during the communist era. In 1933 Berlinskiy noted that the instrument was called khil in Khalkha Mongolia.
The instrument has rear-inserted tuning-pegs and deeply arched bow, indicating that it is an archaic instrument (see illustration). Sagittal pegs are sometimes found. The ikil and two-string plucked lute Topshuur are closely related: unlike the huur, the bass string is on the left in frontal aspect on both ikil and topshuur and both instruments are tuned to an interval of a 4th. Similarly, Bachmann noted that the Altai ikili and topschur are identical in every respect, though the former is played with horsehair bow and the latter plucked.
Different groups have their own methods, measurements and rules of construction for the instrument. Among Baits and Dörbets, the peg box was often traditionally decorated with a representation of the wish-granting jewel of Buddhist mythology chandman’. Neck and pegs must be made from different woods, dried birch and willow, so that wear does not occur, and the neck should be made so that the root points downwards, as a sign of respect. The frame of the body is made from poplar. Frames of both ikil and topshuur are traditionally covered by the stomach, bladder and ventricles of ruminants, as well as mares' udders. Resonators of some ikil are now made completely from wood but, when trapezoidal in shape, are more elongated than huur. Players stop the string at the lower end of the fiddle's neck by wrapping over it the fingers of the left hand and pulling the string towards its palm, away from the body.
The ikil is used to lead or accompany biy-dances (see Mongol music, §3(i)), for which there is a special repertory of melodies (biyelgeenii tatlaga). A prelude to the dance is sometimes performed (ehledeg tatlaga) which, together with the biy-dance tune repertory, varies according to ethnic group. When the ikil is used to accompany satirical songs, ‘teaching’ songs, epics (tuul'), praise-songs (magtaal) and legends (domog tatlaga), melodies from a different repertory are selected. As with the huur, ikil melodies often imitate natural phenomena as in Eeviin Golyn Ursgal (‘Flow of the River Eev’), and the movements, vocalizations and sounds of birds and animals as in Morny Joroo (‘Ambler’), they are also used to attract birds in springtime (shuvuuny dallaga) and to ‘call’ deer (bugyn duudlaga).
Grove6 (‘Khuur’; A. Nixon)
P.M. Berlinskiy: Mongolskiy pevets-muzykant Ul'dzui-Lubsan-Khurchi [The Mongol singer-musician Uldzui-Luvsan-Hurchi] (Moscow, 1933)
W. Bachmann: The Origins of Bowing and the Development of Bowed Instruments up to the Thirteenth Century (Oxford, 1969)
J. Badraa: Mongol ardyn högjim [Mongolian folk music] (Ulaanbaatar, 1998)
C.A. Pegg: Mongolian Music, Dance and Oral Narrative: Performing Diverse Identities (Seattle and London, 2001) [with CD]
CAROLE PEGG