MUSIC DURING JAPANS

EDO PERIOD (1615-1868)

In Japan as in the West, the major

kinds of traditional music heard today
arose in the period from the
seventeenth through the nineteenth
centuries. This time is called the Edo
or Tokugawa period in japan because
the Tokugawa clan controlled the
country and moved the government to
a new center called Edo, known today
as Tokyo.

PUPET THEATRE (BUNRAKU)- Is one of the

first theatricals to flourish in the new society,
which found its greatest audience in the business
town of Osaka.

SAMISEN- It is the instrument of the japan that

has a three-stringed, plucked samisen in Tokyo
dialect Shamisen.

RYUKYUAN SANSHIN- It is Japanese singernarrator that was used accompany in the

sixteenth century. She called Gidayu-bushi after
its most famous singer, Idayu Takemoto.

GIDAYU- Is a musical style hat developed from

the previos BIWA LUTE narratives with
extensive use of strereotyped patterns and
interludes. It is include melodrama and pathos of
Italian opera, though a gidayu performer must be
as great an actor as he is a singer since he speaks
all the rules as well as narrates and comments on
the story.

KABUKI- Is the other basic Edo period theatrical

that is tradionally an all male-theatre.It has
pleased Japanese audience for over two hundred
years with a combination of melodrama and
colorful dancing.

THREE BASIC KINDS OF MUSIC

1. THE ON-STAGE ENSEMBLE
2. THE NARRATIVE MUSIC
3. THE OFF-STAGE GROUP

1.) The on stage (debayashi)-It is the first basic kinds of

music ensemble in KABUKI was the bayashi group of
three drums and flute mentioned earlier in connection
with the noh drama-long songs
CHIRI-KARA by THE TSUZUMI DRUMMERS- Called
the rhythmic patterns to the drums borrowed from the
noh developed rhythmic patterns directly related to the
rhythms of the shamisen part. However, the drummers
also noh-derived patterns which set up an even graeter
dynamic, forward progression when set against
shamisen-vocal lines.
-it is common for the TAIKO DRUM and the noh flute
to play in noh style which the tsuzumi drums support
the shamisen line with direct rhythmic imatations.

THREE DISTINCT MUSICAL UNITS

1. THE MELODIC- Held by the voice
2. SHAMISEN- the rhythmic
3. TSUZUMI- dynamic unit consisting of a flute
and taiko performing many of the functions
Western musicians normally associatewith
harmony.

2.) The narrative music or kabuki music- It is the

narrative ( joruri) as derived from the gidayu
shamisen- singer combination from the puppet
tradition.

3.) The off-stage (geza)- It is the third kind of

kabuki music that is provide mood, set scenes,
and give musical clues as to action or location.
- in the kabuki, the geza combines with the on
stage ensembles to provide a varicolored
accompaniment for one of the orients most
enjoyable threatricals.

THIRTEEN-STRINGED KOTO- The vocal

instrumental traditions, that developed to the
music of the Edo period that intimate shamisenvocal forms.

DANMONO- Is an important genre of variation

solos that are very popular.

SHAKUHACI- Is best heard when performing its

solo literature, for a good player can produce a
beautiful variety of the colors and ornaments on
this deceptively simple looking bamboo tube.

KIITE
KURETE
ARIGAT!!!
BY: ABELLA, JERSON P.