The music of Xinjiang depends on a family of instruments that are made here rather than imported: long-necked lutes, bowed fiddles, dulcimers, flutes and frame drums. Most are built by hand in small workshops, and several of the instruments have no exact equivalent elsewhere.
The instruments
The rawap is a long-necked, bowed or plucked instrument with a small bowl body covered in animal skin, producing a sharp, resonant tone; it is the signature sound of Uyghur classical music. The dutar and the satar are long-necked lutes strung with metal, the satar with a set of sympathetic strings that add a buzzing resonance. The tambur has a longer neck and a deeper body again. Alongside these are the chang, a hammered dulcimer played with two light beaters, the dap, a frame drum, and the nay, a flute. Together they carry the muqam, the large-scale cycles of song, instrumental music and dance that are central to Uyghur culture.
The workshops
Workshops are found in the old quarters of Kashgar, in the craft streets of Urumqi, and in Hotan, which is known for its woodwork. The work is done in plain rooms opening onto the street, and the craftsman will usually be happy to let you watch. Bodies are carved from mulberry, apricot or walnut, ribs are bent, necks are joined, and the soundboard is stretched from sheepskin or goatskin, sometimes with a pattern cut into it. Decorative work uses bone and horn inlay, and the pegs and bridges are cut by hand. A single instrument may take weeks.
Buying and playing
Instruments are sold from the workshops themselves and from shops in the bazaars, at prices that range from cheap tourist pieces to serious professional instruments. A well-made rawap or dutar is a beautiful object and an unusual thing to take home. Bear in mind that animal-skin soundboards may be restricted by customs in some countries, and check the rules before buying. If you play, ask the maker to demonstrate - the response is usually generous.
Hearing the music
Live performances are common in Xinjiang: restaurants and cultural centres stage song and dance shows, and the muqam is also performed more informally at weddings and family gatherings. A performance gives the instruments their context, and it is worth hearing one before you buy. Sessions last an hour or more, with singing, ensemble playing and dance, and the audience is usually invited to join in at the end.
