MUSIC OF JAPAN

Traditional and Folk Music of Japan

There are two forms of music recognized to be the oldest forms of traditional Japanese music. They are shmy or Buddhist chanting, and gagaku or orchestral court music, both of which date to the Nara and Heian periods.Gagaku is a type of classical music that has been performed at the Imperial court since the Heian period .Kagura-uta Azuma-asobi and Yamato-uta are indigenous repertories. Tgaku and komagaku originated from the Chinese Tang dynasty via the Korean peninsula. In addition, gagaku is divided into kangen (instrumental music) and bugaku (dance accompanied by gagaku).

Instrumental Music of Japan

Traditional

Japanese music is basically meditative in character. Its performance is highly ritualized, as much in the music itself, as in the composure of the musicians when performing it. Japanese chamber and solo music have a slow meditative pace.

The performance of Japanese music has traditionally been of a spiritual character, similarly to martial arts and other forms of art such as the tea ceremony and calligraphy. It is usually about religious festivals, work, dance, love, and regional songs. Audiences are looking for this self-mastery in musicians. This is the reason why music has become highly ritualized. Musicians must show this spiritual self-mastery in their performance and composure. They work on an inner strength in mastering his or her instrument, more than simply perfecting a technique of some sort and providing entertainment.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF JAPAN

Percussion Instruments (Membranophone)

Odaiko

(big drum). The physical energy and sheer excitement of an Odaiko performance is an integral part of many Japanese matsuri (festivals).

Tsuzumi (hourglass-shape)

There are two varieties, the smaller kotsuzumi and the larger otsuzumi. They are used in both noh and kabuki performances. The kotsuzumi is held on the right shoulder and the player alters the tone by squeezing the laces. The otsuzumi is placed on the left thigh. Like all other traditional arts in Japan, there are several schools of tsuzumimatsuri (festivals).

Tsuridaiko

a large hanging
barrel

Drum.

Taiko
a Japanese drum that comes in various sizes and is used to play a variety of musical genres. It has become particularly popular in recent years as the central instrument of percussion ensembles whose repertory is based on a variety of folk and festival music of the past.

String Instruments (Chordophone)

Koto
is a 13-string zither, about two meters long and made of Paulownia wood. It is plucked using picks on the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand, while the left hand can be used to modify pitch and tone. Koto is used in an ensemble in gagaku or as a solo instrument.

Shamisen

is a plucked stringed instrument. Its construction follows a model similar to that of a guitar or a banjo, employing a neck, and strings stretched across a resonating body. The neck of the shamisen is fretless, and is slimmer than that of a guitar or a banjo.

Biwa

is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, the goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in Japanese Shinto.

Wind Instruments (Aerophone)

Shakuhachi

the most famous flute made from bamboo. It has 4 or 5 finger holes on the front face and a thumbhole on the rear face. As with other instruments above, it was imported from China for gagaku.

Nokan

a parallel, bamboo flute (fue) is the only melodic instrument used in noh. The melody of the flute has no specific pitch relationship with the melody of the chanting.

Hichiriki
is

a double reed Japanese fue (flute) used as one of two main melodic instruments in Japanese gagaku music, the other being the ryteki.

Sho

is a Japanese free reed musical instrument that was introduced from China during the Nara period.

Shinobue

also called takebue in the context of Japanese traditional arts) is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a highpitched sound.

Ryteki

literally "dragon flute" is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku.

KABUKI

-is a classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. -The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing (), dance (), and skill (). Kabuki is therefore sometimes translated as "the art of singing and dancing".

-is believed to derive from the verb kabuk, meaning "to lean" or "to be out of the ordinary",

Gagaku

-is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial Court in Kyoto for several centuries.