JAPAN

• A series of islands running north to south in E. Asia
• Isolated geographically and politically throughout most of its history. Isolation reached heights in Tokugawa or Edo, period of 1615 to 1868. “Traditionally Japanese” layer of ideas developed. Moved country to a new center called Edo, known today as Tokyo.
• Infiltration of Western ideas into Japanese culture and life, beginning in the late 19 th century.
• A unique culture developing indigenously and through imaginative adaptation of foreign ideas

 Characteristics of Japanese Traditional Music

• A diversity of scale tuning systems with pentatonic at the root
• 12 tones make up octave (as in western music) but not equal tempered (may vary). Emphasis on interval of fourth (from Buddhist chant). Oldest system of modes or system of pitches used (of ancient court music, gagaku) from China, then later Japanese.
• Broad range of timbres (eg. “breathy” sound of shakuhachi, hard twang of shamisen lute)
• Use sounds of both definite and indefinite pitch
• Monophonic and heterophonic textures (melody varied by each performer simultaneously). Homophonic textures (based on chord progressions) heard in Western-influenced music.
• Both metrical and “free” rhythm
• Wide variety of tempos
• Jo-ha-kyu musical form - slow intro, then builds tempo, rushing while “breaking apart”, followed by slowing at end. Like the movement of a stream or river.

 Three MAIN characteristics in Japanese music:

 l) variety of timbres, including unpitched sounds,

2) heterophony

3) flexibility of pulse (including “free rhythm”)

 Ex. l, Disc 4 “Tsuru no sugomori” (Nesting Cranes---describes winter scene during which cranes make nests—fast trills are fluttering wings)

Shakuhachi (bamboo flute); shamisen (lute)

(Version of your recording from kabuki theatre; it includes shamisen)

--melody moves slowly. Listen for changes in timbre

The SHAKUHACHI and Zen Buddhism

--Prototype of shakuhachi came to Japan from China early during cultural exchange era (as with 13-string zither/koto)

 --Shakuhachi is linked to social turbulence of early Tokugawa era. Spiritual and meditative music. Popularity of instrument a result of samurai warriors who became Buddhist priests during the Tokugawa period (1615-1868). Then after fighting ended they became unemployed “masterless” samurai (ronin), but could not easily change honored class status; some wandered about or became priests playing shakuhachi (They were called “komuso”).

The Fuke sect of priests or “komuso” propagated a Zen philosophy and aesthetics for playing the shakuhachi with their own repertoire (honkyoku).

Zen Buddhism is a philosophy:

--It spread throughout music of Asia and the world in various forms, but is based on the idea that intellect is not needed in the pursuit of truth. Rely on “heightened awareness and intuition about life”.

In Zen, Meditation and playing the shakuhachi help one to attain “enlightenment”.

 Zen – a Spiritual Approach to Music:

• concept of “enlightenment in a single note”—“blowing Zen”.
• concept of “breath rhythm” (each phrase the length of a full breath)
• concept of “ma” (“space”) refers to the relationship between sound and silence (as heard in ‘timing’) Silence relates to the concept of “emptiness”; it enhances sound. Notions of “good ma” or “bad ma” are used in terms of proportion.

 
Shakuhachi flute techniques of performance –

--flutter tonguing, finger tremolos, vibrato, an explosion of the breath into the instrument (muraiki)

--increases and decreases in volume, playing thin and fuller sounds

--partial covering of soundholes

--versatility in pitch and tone

 
Ex.2 – "Hakusen no” – voice, shamisen, drums (kotsuzumi and otsuzumi) and flute

--extremely slow

--elaborate vocal ornamentation, short motifs

--dynamics important

--large leaps (intervals of fourth)

--heterophonic relationships in which shamisen and voice have same melody but do not perform simultaneously. Voice precedes sometimes, or vice versa

--flexibility of pulse (not “fixed rhythm”)

--buzzy timbre of shamisen (sawari)

 
Ex. 4 – “Yatai” Festival music –

Matsuri-bayashi music – gong, flute and drums (daikos)

 
Ex. 5 – Nonki-bushi (“Song of the Lazy Man”)

Enka, an older popular song genre with vocalist and string instrument

 
Skip: Disc 4: # 3 and #6 !

Other Japanese instruments:

Koto – 13-stringed zither

Taiko drums

Biwa – pear-shaped plucked lute (similar to Chinese pi’pa)

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