Lesson 1: Japanese Music - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Lesson 1: Japanese Music

Through

this lesson, you will discover the traditional music of Japan through their vocal (folk songs) and instrumental music. Japanese vocal music is quite different from the Western vocal music, and is based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical timing, and how Japanese musicians show their spiritual self-mastery in mastering his or her instrument more than simply perfecting a technique of some sort and how they give value to their performance and composure.

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

Percussion Instruments (Membranophone

):

1

.

Odaiko

-

(big drum). The physical energy and sheer excitement of an

Odaiko

performance is an integral part of many Japanese

matsuri

(festivals).

2

.

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).

3

.

Tsuridaiko

–

a large hanging barrel

drum.

4. Taiko

-

is 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)

1

. 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.

2

.

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.

3

. 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)

1

.

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

.

2

.

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.

3

.

Hichiriki

- is a double reed Japanese

fue

(flute) used as one of two main melodic instruments in Japanese

gagaku

music, the other being the

ryūteki

.

4.

Sho

-

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

5

.

Shinobue

–

also called

takebue

in the context of Japanese traditional arts) is a Japanese transverse flute or

fue

that has a high-pitched sound.

6

.

Ryūteki

- literally "dragon flute" is a Japanese transverse

fue

made of bamboo. It is used in

gagaku

.