Under Communism, the jealous Communist regimes, Soviet and Chinese, vilified Mongolia’s national hero, Genghis Khan, who was in fact quite progressive, even by contemporary standards. During the Cultural Revolution, all traditional music was banned, so a tune extolling the virtues of the great Khan’s steeds would be doubly anathema.
However, the song held tremendous meaning for Mongolian vocalist Urna Chachar Tugchi’s family, so she set out to reclaim their cultural heritage, verse by verse. Byambasuren Davaa chronicled her song-hunting odyssey in ”The Two Horses of Genghis Khan,” which releases today on DVD from Corinth Films.
Urna has a stirring voice and a warm, engaging presence.
