An instrument shaped like a horse
The morin khuur is a bowed, two-stringed instrument with a long neck topped by a carved horse head. The name is usually translated as “horse fiddle” or “horse head fiddle,” and the animal’s image is part of the instrument’s identity. It is regarded as one of the most important symbols of Mongolian musical culture, and you will see it depicted on posters, in logos, on souvenirs and in cultural performances.
Its connection to the horse is not just decoration. The horse is central to Mongolian life, a point that comes up again and again in our article on the horse in Mongolian culture. An instrument that carries the horse’s head and is strung with horse hair makes that connection very direct.
How it is built
A traditional morin khuur has a few distinctive parts:
- Body. A trapezoid-shaped sound box, historically covered on the face with animal skin. Many modern instruments use thin wooden tops instead, and construction details vary by maker and by regional style.
- Neck. A long, fretless neck, often of hardwood, ending in a scroll.
- Scroll. A carved horse head, sometimes plain and sometimes elaborately decorated, sometimes with a mane and ears carved in detail.
- Strings. Two strings made of horsehair, traditionally a thicker one and a thinner one, which are bunched strands rather than single fibers. In modern instruments, nylon strings are used by many players, though horsehair remains the traditional choice.
- Bow. A wooden bow strung with horsehair, which the player rubs with rosin in some traditions.
The maker usually chooses wood, shapes the box and carves the scroll by hand. Some instrument makers work in small workshops in Ulaanbaatar and other towns, while others are skilled artisans in the countryside. Tuning pegs sit at the top of the neck, and the strings run down over a small bridge on the soundbox.
How it is played
The player sits and rests the sound box on the lap or between the legs, with the neck held upright. The bow moves between the two strings, which lie close together. The left hand does not press the strings down to a fingerboard as on a violin. Instead, the fingers touch the strings from the side, usually with the nails or the backs of the fingers, to stop them at different pitches. This gives the morin khuur its soft, breathy, voice-like character.
The sound is warm and slightly husky, with a range that suits imitation of the human voice and of nature. Players are known for evoking the gallop of a horse, wind, birdcall and other steppe sounds. A well-known piece style imitates a horse’s trot or canter, using rhythmic bowing. If you hear a morin khuur concert, try to listen for these effects.
The legend of its origin
A widely told story explains where the instrument came from. In one familiar version, a young herder had a beloved horse that was killed, perhaps by a jealous ruler or in some other unhappy event. The herder was grief-stricken and made an instrument from the horse’s remains, using its hair for strings and its head as the scroll, so that the horse could be heard singing again. Details differ greatly, including names, the cause of the horse’s death and the tone of the ending. It is best understood as a folk legend rather than a historical record.
What the story captures is the emotional bond between rider and horse, and the idea that the instrument can express feeling. Some versions are tied to well-known figures from folk tradition, though the many retellings make it risky to give a single authoritative account.
Music and occasions
The morin khuur plays several roles:
- Solo and ensemble music. Players perform instrumental pieces, from older folk tunes to compositions written for the instrument. Modern ensembles may include many morin khuur players in the manner of a string section.
- Accompaniment. It is often paired with singing. The slow, ornamented phrases of long song match the sustained, bowed tone, which is why they are frequently performed together. Throat singing is also often accompanied by the instrument in modern concerts, as described in the article on throat singing and Mongolian music.
- Storytelling and epic. In some regions the instrument supports the telling of tales.
- Ceremony and festivity. It can feature at weddings, family gatherings, the lunar new year and the Naadam festival.
- Contemporary music. Rock, folk-fusion and pop groups sometimes include the instrument, so it is not limited to the traditional repertoire.
The instrument has been recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. As with long song, recognition draws attention but does not guarantee the tradition’s future, which depends on teachers, students and audiences.
Customs and courtesies
Because the instrument carries cultural weight, some etiquette is common:
- Treat it with respect. Do not place it carelessly on the floor or step over it, and avoid touching one without asking.
- A morin khuur is often hung in a place of honor in a home, and some families keep one as a treasured object.
- Do not talk through a live performance, and ask before filming.
- If you are offered a chance to try, expect it to be harder than it looks. Intonation and bowing take years to develop.
Buying one
Shops and workshops sell instruments in a wide range of quality. Small souvenir versions are decorative and not made for playing, while a proper instrument for a serious student costs considerably more and is better bought from a maker or music shop where someone can explain the differences. Ask whether the top is skin or wood, what the strings are made of, and whether the instrument has been tuned and tested. Before traveling home with it, check the airline’s rules for carrying fragile instruments and any import restrictions on animal materials, since both change. Our introduction to traditional crafts shows how the instrument sits alongside Mongolia’s other handmade traditions.