Traditional Music

1
Traditional Musicmaximum effect from minimal
materials

• YouTube - Shamisen, koto e shakuhachi
• YouTube - Japanese traditional music
• YouTube - Traditional Japanese Music on old
  Instruments
• YouTube - Chikutoukai Recital (1)
• YouTube - Chikutoukai Recital (2)
• YouTube - Koto Shamisen Performance Nov. 18,
  2007 AKP 07-08

2
Terms to Know

• Hogaku traditional Japanese music
• Sanyoku (Instruments)- Shamisen- Koto-
  Shakuhachi
• Pentatonic 5-note scale
• Heterophony nearly identical versions of the
  same melody at the same time (not monophonic and
  not quite polyphonic)

3
Koto
Ex. Japanese Koto "Tegoto" by Michio Miyagi
lt?????gt?????? - YouTube
4
Shamisen
EX. YouTube - shamisen - tsugaru yosare bushi
5
Shakuhachi
Ex. YouTube - Shakuhachi in Mamanji, Japan Ex.
YouTube - Tomoe Kaneko Shakuhachi Performance Ex.
YouTube - Tadashi Tajima, Shakuhachi Flute,
Osaka, Japan
6
Rokudan No Shirabe

• Roku six, dan columns(Music of the six
  steps)
• Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614-1685), composer
• Examples- Rokudan no Shirabe (????) YouTube
  (textbook example?)- Japanese Koto Concert -
  Fuyuki Enokido plays "Rokudan no Shirabe"
  YouTube (solo koto)- Rokudan No Shirabe
  YouTube (two shakuhachi)- Rokudan no Shirabe
  Music in Six Variations YouTube (multiple
  kotos)-ROKUDAN (koto piece) on shamisen fue
  YouTube (shamisen and fue flute)
• Textbook Listening Guide (p. 151)

7
Jiuta

• Hogaku song w/ instruments
• Instrumental interludes
• Examples- 2010.2.28 ???????????(2) ???????
  Yachiyo Jishi YouTube (koto, shamisen,
  voices)- Jiuta YouTube (voice, koto, w/ Kabuki
  dancer)- Jiuta au Châtelet YouTube (voice,
  koto, dancer)
• Textbook Listening Guide (p. 152) Chidori

8
Japanese Theater

• Kabuki Traditional Theater (popular)Exs.
  Kabuki YouTube (a good introduction)
  Centre Stage Kabuki YouTube (overview)
• Bunraku Puppet TheaterEx. YouTube - Bunraku
  theater in Osaka
• Noh Traditional Theater (elitist)Ex. Noh
  Theatre - YouTube

9
Kabuki

• Originates in late 16th century (1596)
• All female performers (immediately banned)
• Replaced by male performers- includes onnagata
  (female impersonator)
• Primarily dance theater w/ colorful costumes
• Audience traditionally middle-class
• Music includes three different ensembles

10
Kabuki Actors/Dancers
11
Kabuki Dancer(note Debayashi in background)
12
Kabuki Actor
13
Kabuki onnagata
14
Kabuki Music

• Geza (off-stage) sound effects (o-daiko, other
  percussion, shamisen, nohkan)
• Chobo (stage left) narrator (speaker and
  shamisen)
• Debayashi (stage rear) literally, the coming
  out orchestra (multiple singers, shamisens,
  drums, nohkan)

15
Nagauta (Kabuki ensemble)
16
Nagauta (Kabuki ensemble)
17
Shamisen
18
Nohkan
19
Kotsuzumi
20
Otsuzumi
21
Noh Drum (Taiko)