Mongolian Film Music: Tradition, Revolution and Propaganda

by Lucy M. Rees

Overview

In 1936 the Mongolian socialist government decreed the establishment of a film industry with the principal aim of disseminating propaganda to the largely nomadic population. The government sent promising young rural Mongolian musicians to Soviet conservatoires to be trained formally as composers. On their return they utilised their traditional Mongolian musical backgrounds and the musical skills learned during their studies to compose scores to the 167 propaganda films produced by the state film studio between 1938 and 1990. Lucy M. Rees provides an overview of the rich mosaic of music genres that appeared in these film soundtracks, including symphonic music influenced by Western art music, modified forms of Mongolian traditional music, and a new genre known as ’professional music’ that combined both symphonic and Mongolian traditional characteristics. Case studies of key composers and film scores are presented, demonstrating the influence of cultural policy on film music and showing how film scores complemented the ideological message of the films. There are discussions of films that celebrate the 1921 Revolution that led to Mongolia becoming a socialist nation, those that foreshadowed the 1990 Democratic Revolution that drew the socialist era to a close, and the diverse range of films and scores produced after 1990 in the aftermath of the socialist regime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367597894
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/30/2020
Pages:	210
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Lucy M. Rees has a PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Leeds. She has presented lectures and conference papers on Mongolian music in the UK, Mongolia and Hong Kong. She currently works as a researcher in the field of equality and diversity.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables vii

List of Music Examples ix

Acknowledgements xi

List of Abbreviations xiii

A Note on Mongolian Transliteration xv

A Note on Mongolian Names xvii

1 Tradition, Politics and Film Music 1

2 Tradition and Transition in Mongolian Music 13

3 New Beginnings: Patriotism, Propaganda and Professional Music 33

4 Socialist Cinema from Conception to Dissemination 55

5 A Standard of Socialist Cinema: The Clear River Tamir (Tungalag Tamir, 1970-1973) 75

6 Perestroika, a Wise Queen and a Delinquent Rock Star 95

7 New Directions: The Democratic Revolution and the Aftermath of the Socialist Era 115

8 Tradition, Revolution, Propaganda and Consolidation: A Brief Conclusion 139

Appendix A Feature Films Produced by the State Film Studio, 1938-1990 149

Appendix B Glossary of Mongolian Words 159

Appendix C Glossary of Film and Film Music Terminology 163

Appendix D Timeline 165

Bibliography 169

Interviews 175

Filmography 179

Index 183