Japanese string instrument shamisen1/1/2024 The koto is considered to be Japan’s national instrument. It is also referred to as the bass koto, given its deep sounds. The junanagen is a seventeen-stringed zither that was created by Michio Miyagi in 1921. The instrument is played using a tubular plectrum and ivory device which are respectively used by the right hand to pluck the string and by the left hand to depress the string. The ichigenkin, or sumagoto, is a zither that features a single silk string stretched across its slender body made from kiri wood. It is often used for folk songs with a cheerful and light repertoire. The gottan, which is also known as hako, is a three-stringed instrument which makes use of solid Japanese cedar wood for all its parts. In Shinto, the instrument is closely associated with Benten, the goddess of education, poetry, eloquence, and music. The biwa is a pear-shaped, short-necked, and fretted lute that is often used for telling stories, specifically narratives. ![]() Unsurprisingly, Japan has different kinds of strings, most of which date back centuries ago. When a person is asked about Japanese or Asian music, stringed instruments are probably among the first thoughts that would pop into his head. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee, via Wikimedia Commons Japanese String Instruments – Biwa, Koto, and Moreīy U.S. Kangen features string, wind, and percussion instruments, while bugaku does not make use of any stringed instruments. Togaku – which refers to an early form of music and dance based on the Tang Dynasty music from ChinaĪt present, court music remains alive in modern Japan either as kangen (concert music) or bugaku (dance music). ![]() Komagaku – which refers to music that was developed during the Heian Period and is based on traditional Korean music Kuniburi no utamai – which refers to folk songs and dance music associated with Shinto, the native religion of Japan For centuries, it has been played at the Imperial Court and has been developed to form three main repertoires: This type of music was brought to Japan by China during the same time Buddhism was introduced. Gagaku literally means “elegant music” in English. Dances, songs, and various Asian music are incorporated into gagaku, which mainly consists of two distinct styles known as kigaku (instrumental music) and seigaku (vocal music). Court MusicĬourt music, or known as gagaku in Japan, is considered to be the country’s oldest form of traditional music. The ki sound is produced when both oak boards are struck against each other, while the tsuke sound is produced when they are struck against a board made from hardwood. During the performance, the actors read/recite their lines to the beat of the takemoto music.ĭistinct sounds known as ki and tsuke are done in kabuki theater using two square oak boards. The first three styles are used for the dancing portions of kabuki theater, while Takemoto is used for the acting performances. Several music styles are included in this form of kabuki music such as kiyomoto, tokiwazu, nagauta, and takemoto. The main acting and dancing performances of kabuki theater are accompanied by shosa-ongaku music, which is played by an ensemble right on the stage. This type of kabuki music has three subcategories known as uta (features stringed instruments and vocals), aikata (features stringed instruments), and narimono (features several kinds of musical instruments). Geza refers to the sound effects and music played by an ensemble situated on the right side of the stage/theater house and hidden behind the kuromisu, a black bamboo curtain. Initially, kabuki made use of the same instrumental ensemble used in noh theater but soon started including other kinds of instruments, particularly stringed ones.Īt present, three different categories make up kabuki music: Some of the highlights of kabuki theater include the singing, dancing, and elaborate makeup of its male cast. Some instruments used in noh music include stick drums, hourglass-shaped drums, and bamboo flutes. This ensemble performs alongside the yokyoku, which is responsible for creating vocal music. Noh, also known as nogaki, features an instrumental ensemble referred to as hayashi-kata. ![]() ![]() The main types of Japanese theatrical music are appropriately named after the kinds of performances they are used in and are referred to as noh and kabuki. Given that Japan has more than one form of theatrical drama, the country also has several kinds of music to complement all these plays. In general, traditional Japanese music refers to Japan’s folk music, which can be categorized to fall either in theatrical or court music: Theatrical Music By Myself (Musee Guimet, personal photograph), via Wikimedia Commons
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