Just singing to the kurai?

Over the centuries ozon-kyuy retained its purpose as the highest,
«elite» genre, accessible only to true masters. A full-fledged performance of Bashkir lingering songs implies not only the presence of outstanding natural singing abilities, but also the spirituality of the inner, personal «aura» of the performer, his commitment to national melos
and traditional forms of song-making.

Among the singers who perform lingering songs high male and
female voices predominate. There are many reasons for this, one of which is the range. At all times only high talented singers were capable to perform ozon-kyuy. Their vocal range was supposed to be from two octaves and higher. In addition, the formation of Bashkir ozon-kyuy was influenced by kurai, which was expressed in the harmonious scale of the songs' structure, in sweeping, sharp intonation jumps, in «melismatic runs» of an instrumental nature. The performer also was supposed to have an incredible talent for storytelling, because each song had to be preceded by a story. Strictly speaking, the story was the basis for the presentation of the work, and ozon-kyuy became a kind of pearl
intended to convey the emotional component of the story.

Bashkir folk song of ozon-kyuy «Uyil». Performed by Ramazan Yanbekov

Moreover, the art of ozon-kyuy was formed
as a result of the development of the style of professional
mourners. But, certainly, the meaning of these songs was
much deeper. The analysis of the ozon-kyuy content provides
a rich material for historical and sociological study of the past of the Bashkir people. Ozon-kyuy played an important role in the spiritual consolidation of the Bashkir tribes, expressing the feelings of
the entire people. A wide selection of songs allowed to sing
them according to one's mood, on the occasion.

It is the melodiousness that shows a huge historical path
of development, which a lingering song ozon-kyuy passed from
everyday ritual one to lyrical. Despite close family ties with peoples of
Central Asia and the Volga Region the Bashkir ozon-kyuy has
no even approximate analogues in their culture.

The first sprouts of lyrical songs apparently go back to the period in
the development of the communal-clan system, when art was dominated
by its applied purpose – labor and production-ritual. At a certain historical
stage with a change in the text while maintaining the usual turns
of the chant the release of the song from the ritual shell begins.

Having lost the connection with the rite, the song loses
its applied meaning and to some extent becomes an end in itself,
a certain expression of a lyrical feeling.

There is a version that the author of the song was a famous sesen (singer-storyteller) – Aidar Bayik sesen. There is a version of this song attributed to him, which gives reason to say that by the 18th century
the song was known not only in the southeast, but also in the northeast of Bashkortostan.

There are quite strict requirements for the contestants.
Each of them must not only have at least 20 required lingering
songs – ozon-kyuy – in their repertoire, but also know the history
of each song. The required songs usually include: «Ural», «Buranbai», «Eskadron» («Squadron»), «Taftilyau», «Handugas» («Nightingale»), «Ashkadar», «Zulkhiza», «Gilmiyaza», «Tashtugai», «Kului-canton», «Azamat-canton», «Gaisa», «Salavat», «Yeren kashka» («Red horse
with a star on its forehead»), «Kahym-turya», «Sibai», «Karavan-sarai» («Сaravansary»), «Biish», «Salimakai», «Shaura», «Zalifakai», «Kamelik», «Madinakai», «Zulkhabira», «Erme» («Army»), «Khyr»,
«Agidel – agym hiu» («Agidel river – flowing water»),
«Tuman» («Fog»), «Bayas», «Ilyas», «Shafik».