Japanese Court Music

Alpaca Lecture Mrs Cramp

gagaku performance

Styles, traditions and influences• Tends to depend on words like most East Asian music

cultures.• Instrumental music is usually very descriptive and

reflects the title.• No chordal harmony.• Melodies start at different times and only come

together at cadences.• Through-composed rather than structured.• Structure can be labelled as jo, ha and kyu.

“Introduction”, “breaking away” and “hurried”.

Shochikubai – Mitzuhashi • Music of pine, bamboo and plum blossom. • Instruments: Koto Shamisen Kokyu

• Western influence has had a greater impact in Japan than any other oriental country.

• Traditional Japanese music is still highly respected.

Gagaku Music• China and Asian mainland influenced

Japanese culture a lot 1000 years ago. • Japanese traditions lasted longer

because of its islands. • Court music – Gagaku Music• Two tipes:- Komagaku – from Korea and

Manchuria. Reached Japan in the 5th Century

- Togaku – from China and India. Reached Japan in the 7th Century

Nagare – Kazuko Tsukushi

• The stream• Has this piece been influenced by

Western music?• Instruments: Shakuhachi Koto

• Heterophonic: Many melodies played at the same time but each instrument interprets it in its own way.

• Whole ensemble concentrates on the melody which is memorised.

• Pulse remains broadly the same throughout.• Usually describes scenes, stories or individuals.

No improvisation. • Court music is performed as dance music today

(bugaku) or as instrumental music (kangen).

Gagaku scales

Ryo mode

Ritsu mode

• Each mode has 3 scales based on it.• Ryo has:- Ichikotsu – keynote is D- Sojo – keynote is G- Taishiki – keynote is E• Ritsu has:- Hyojo – keynote is E- Oshiki – keynote is A- Banshiki – keynote is B

Biwa

Usually plays the melody. Four stringsPlayed with a plectrumbiwa

Koto

• 13 strings• Plays the melody• Koto

Shamisen

• Small, three strings• Plucked• Plays the accompaniment• shamisen

Wind instruments

• Always made of bamboo• Ryeteki

• Komabue

Hichiriki

• Oboe-like instrument

Sho

• Mouth organ with 17 bamboo pipes• sho

Percussion instruments

• Outline the strong points of each phrase and also adds rhythm.

• kakko taiko

Manzairaku

How many Gagaku instruments can you identify?