History of Japanese Music

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History of Japanese Music

• Jomon (13,000 BC 300 BC)Ritual figures of
  musicians.
• Yayoi (300 BC 300 AD)Building immense tombs,
  more ritual figures of musicians.
• Nara and Heian (645 -1185)- Imperial
  anthologies Manyoshu and Kokinshu.- Gagaku
  imperial court dance- Buddhist chant Shomyo
  (Tendai/Shingon), Bonsan, Kansan, Wasan- Imayo
  modern 4 lines units of 7 5 syllables
• SAIBARA - origins in folk musicRoei accomp. by
  Gagaku orchestraKagura Mi-Kagura preserved in
  Imperial Court Azuma Asobi East. Japan folk
  songsFuzoku ancient province folk songs

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History of Japanese Music

• Kamakura period (1185 - 1392)- Japanese and
  Chinese mixed- Zen meditation- Heike Biwa
  narrative music by blind musicians disguised as
  priests.
• Muromachi period (1392 - 1568)- Kabuki Odori
  (dance)- Tea ceremonies- Foreign culture

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Types of Japanese Music

• Gagaku (Bugaku)
• Performed in Imperial Court and ceremonies at
  Shinto shrines.
• Dances portraying ordinary people, warriors, and
  children.
• Dances of the Left (Karagaku)
• Reddish-orange elaborate costumes
• Enter from left side
• 3 perc., 3 reeds
• Originated from China India
• Dances of the Right (Komagaku)
• Green elaborate costumes
• Enter from right side
• San-no-tsuzumi drum, komabue (flute with 6 holes)
• Originated from Korea Japan

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Types of Japanese Music

• Roei
• Recited Chinese poetry (Chinese readings)
• Only 14 pieces remaining today
• Created into a style of music

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Types of Japanese Music

• Saibara
• Originated in folk songs
• Presented to Emperor during accession ceremonies
• Disappeared after Muromachi period, but revived
  in Edo Period.

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Types of Japanese Music

• Tendai Shomyo
• Adds melodic patterns to shingon chanted
  Buddhist words in Sanskrit (ancient Indian
  language)
• Played at dedication of the Great Buddha in Nara
  in 752.
• Founded by Ennin who studied Tang Dynasty China
  for 10 years knowledge of Buddhism.

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Types of Japanese Music

• Wasan Shomyo
• Chanting of poems in praise of Buddhas and
  Bodhisattvas
• Many composed of 12 syllables divided into a
  group of 7 and 5
• Used simple Japanese so not only elite could
  participate
• Used in funeral ceremonies

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Types of Japanese Music

• Biwa
• Gaku biwa used in Gagaku
• Kojin biwa used by blind musicians. Developed
  into
• Chikuzen biwa
• 4 strings, 5 frets
• Shamisen patterns, delicate style of singing
• Satsuma biwa
• 3 strings, 6 frets
• Currently 3 schools that teach Satsuma
• Nishiki biwa 5-string biwa developed by Suido
  Kinjo

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Types of Japanese Music

• Sokuyoku
• Founded by Kenjun (a priest) at the Zendoji
  Temple in Kurume in Kyushu.
• 1695 Ikuta Kengyo founded the Ikuta School of
  koto music.
• Modernized by combining koto with shamisen.

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Types of Japanese Music

• UTAIMONO
• Jiuta
• Songs of the country
• Accompanied by shamisen
• From pleasure quarters of Kyoto and Osaka
• Nagauta
• Long song, several short ones strung together
• Kokyoku
• Old pieces old styles of Edo period music

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Types of Japanese Music

• INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
• Shamisen
• Played with Nagauta singers and percussion
  players
• Hogaku Bayashi
• Hayashi flute and percussion ensemble
• Kotsuzumi
• Shoulder drum 2 skins with lacquered wooden
  core variety of sounds.
• Taiko
• Small drum in Noh and Kabuki and large stick
  drum.
• Fue
• Flute and bamboo flute.

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Instruments

• Koto
• Used in Gagaku
• Broad range of modern music
• Usually a solo instrument
• Sankyoku with koto, shamisen, shakuhachi or kokyu
• Symbol of music in Chinese Confucian tradition.

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Instruments

• Biwa
• Transmitted from China
• Modern biwa comes from island of Kyushu
• Satsuma biwa developed to encourage the martial
  spirit

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Instruments

• Shamisen
• Remodeled version of snake-skin covered sanshin.
• Developed around 1390 in China
• 1562 introduced to Japan by trade ships.
• First shamisen was covered by dog or cat skin.

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Instruments

• Fue (flute)
• Transverse flute (on the side) and vertical flute
• Kagurabue
• 45.5 cm long, longest flute
• 6 finger holes
• Komabue
• 36.8 cm long
• 6 finger holes, thinner
• Ryuteki
• 40.2 cm, diameter 2 cm.
• 7 finger holes
• Noh kan
• 39.1 cm, diameter 1.7 cm
• 7 finger holes, higher pitch
• Shinobue
• Bamboo flute, 7 finger holes

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Instruments

• Shakuhachi
• Zen priest Kakushin learned shakuhachi piece
  Kyurei.
• Taught shakuhachi
• Shogunate made shakuhachi official instrument of
  the sect
• Others prohibited from playing it.
• Name
• Length isshyaku hassun (one shaku, eight sun)
  54.5 cm
• ? Shakuhachi

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Instruments

• Hichiriki
• Nasal tone in Gagaku
• Said to express voice of people living close to
  the earth.
• Range is only one octave
• Technique enbai varying the pressure on the
  double reed.

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Instruments

• Sho
• Used in Gagaku
• Harmonica-like sound
• Provides a cloudy sound, said to express feeling
  of light shining from heavens
• Shape of instrument meant to suggest Phoenix bird
• Harmony aitake (combined bamboo) technique
• Saibara and Roei melodies ichichiku (single
  bamboo) technique

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Instruments

• Shimedaiko
• Original name is Sarugaku taiko
• Used in Noh, Nagauta, and Kagura
• Came from Korea in Asuka period.
• Widely used in Noh ensemble.

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Instruments

• Okawa
• Used in Noh, hayashi flute, and percussion
  ensemble of Nagauta
• Two skins (d. 22.7 cm) tied with cords
  (shirabe) to wooden core (28.2 cm).
• 3 types of sound, depending on strength of
  stroke
• Chon
• Tsu
• Don

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Instruments

• Kotsuzumi
• Used in Noh, percussion ensemble of Nagauta, and
  background music of Kabuki
• Shoulder hand drum