Traditional Japanese music

Theatrical

Japan has several theatrical forms of drama in which music plays a significant role. The main forms are kabuki and Noh.

Noh

Noh or music is a type of theatrical music used in Noh theatre. Noh music is played by an instrumental ensemble called . The instruments used are the stick drum, a large hourglass-shaped drum called the , a smaller hourglass-shaped drum called the , and a bamboo flute called the . The ja ensemble is performed along with ja, vocal music, in Noh theater.

Kabuki

Kabuki is a type of Japanese theatre known for its highly stylized dancing and singing as well as the elaborate make-up worn by the predominately all-male cast. The first instances of kabuki used the ja from Noh performances. Later, kabuki began incorporating other instruments like the ja. Kabuki music can be divided into three categories: ja, ja, and ja and ja.

{{transliteration|ja|Geza}}

ja includes music and sound effects played on stage, behind a black bamboo curtain called a ja. ja music can be further subdivided into three types. The first type is ja or song. ja is sung accompanied by a ja. Typically there are multiple ja singers singing together. The second type is called ja. It involves ja music without any singing. The third type is ja. ja is played by small percussion instruments besides the ja.

{{transliteration|ja|Shosa-ongaku}}

ja encompasses music that is played on the stage and accompanies acting and dancing. ja includes the ja, ja, ja and ja music styles. ja accompanies acting. ja, ja and ja accompany dancing in kabuki. ja basically recites the parts of the play concerning scenery. The actors attempt to synchronize their lines with the rhythm of ja—an effect known as ja ('get onto strings').

ja is one of the most commonly seen forms of ja. It involves singers, called ja, and ja players, called ja. The ja are seated to the right of the stage dancers, and the ja are seated on the left of the stage. The ja use ja (thin neck) ja which produce high pitched tones and are capable of producing delicate melodies.

ja consists of reciters called ja and ja that use ja (medium-neck) ja. ja is similar to ja music but is slower-paced and more solemn. ja is also performed onstage.

ja also consists of ja and ja using ja. However, in ja words and sentences full of emotion are recited in very high-pitched tones.

{{transliteration|ja|Ki}} and {{transliteration|ja|tsuke}}

ja and ja describe the distinctive sounds made by striking two square oak boards. When the two boards are struck together, they produce the ja sound. When they are struck against a hardwood board, they produce the ja sound.

Court music ({{transliteration|ja|gagaku}})

Main article: Gagaku

is court music, and is the oldest traditional music in Japan. It was usually patronized by the Imperial Court or the shrines and temples. ja music includes songs, dances, and a mixture of other Asian music. ja has two styles; these are instrumental music and vocal music .

Since 雅 means "elegance", ja literally means elegant music and generally refers to musical instruments and music theory imported into Japan from China and Korea from 500 to 600 CE. ja is divided into two main categories: Old Music and New Music. Old Music refers to music and musical compositions from before the Chinese Tang dynasty (618–906). New Music refers to music and compositions produced during or after Tang, including music brought from various regions of China and Korea.

Old and New Music are further divided into the categories 左楽 ("Music of the Left") and 右楽 ("Music of the Right"). Music of the left 左楽 is composed of 唐楽 (music from Tang) and 林邑楽 (music from Indo-China). Music of the right 右楽 is composed of 高麗楽 (music from Korea).

• Instrumental Music
  • —a Chinese form of music
  • —influenced by Tang dynasty China and Balhae
    • ja
• Vocal Music
  • —ja song
  • —ja song
  • —entertainment of Eastern Japan
  • —vocal Japanese court music
  • —songs based on Chinese poems

{{transliteration|ja|Shōmyō}}

is a kind of Buddhist chanting of sutra syllabically or melismatically set to melodic phrasing, usually performed by a male chorus. ja came from India, and it began in Japan in the Nara period. ja is sung a capella by one or more Buddhist monks.

The two characters (声 and 明) translate literally as "voice" and "clear" respectively. ja is a translation of the Sanskrit word sa, which means "the (linguistic) study of language".

{{transliteration|ja|Jōruri}}

is narrative music using the . There are four main ja styles. These are centuries-old traditions which continue today:

• —during the Edo period, Takemoto Gidayu began to play ja in Osaka. This type of ja is for ja (puppet theater).
• —during the Edo period, Tokiwazu Mojidayu (常磐津文字太夫) began to play this style of ja in Edo. This type of ja is for kabuki dances called ja.
• —Kiyomoto Enjyudayu began to play this for kabuki dances in Edo (Tokyo) in 1814 during the late Edo period. He played ja style at first, before moving from playing this style to the ja style. This style is light, refreshingly unrestrained, and chic.
• —in the middle of the Edo period, Tsuruga Shinnai began to play this for kabuki. This style of ja is typically lively and upbeat.

There are other four ja styles which have largely died out. ja, ja and ja are old style. These styles are referred to as or "old music". ja also included . It is not ja but is like ja.

• —during the Edo period, Masumi Katō (1684–1725) began to play in an original style in 1717. It is heavy.
• ja or —during the Edo period, Miyako Icchuu or Miyakodayuu Icchuu (1650–1724) began to play this style.
• or —during the Edo period, Miyakoji Sonohachi began to play this style in Kyoto. ja is a modest style.
• —During the Edo period, Tomimoto Buzennojō (1716–1764) began to play this style. He played the ja style at first and then changed to play in the ja style.

{{transliteration|ja|Nagauta}}

is a style of music played using the ja. There are three styles of ja: one for kabuki dance, one for kabuki plays (dialogue), and one for music unconnected with kabuki.

is similar to ja. Ogie Royuu I (died 1787) began to play this style, having first played in the ja style. He moved from playing this style to play in the ja style. His rival was Fujita Kichiji, a ja singer in Edo. Ogie Royuu I had a beautiful but small voice. In a theater a voice with volume was important, so Ogie Royuu I stopped singing in the theater. Ogie Royuu I began to play in the Yoshiwara (red-light district). ja declined after 1818. Tamaya Yamazaburou composed new ja pieces at the end of the Edo period. Yamazaburou was an owner of a parlor house in the red-light district of Yoshiwara. Yamazaburou knew music very well. Tamaya Yamazaburou's pieces are influenced by music. Iijima Kizaemon re-established ja. Kizaemon changed his name to Ogie Royuu IV in 1876 or 1879. (It is not known if there was an Ogie Royuu II or Ogie Royuu III.) ja is classified as a style of "old music". (ja usually means a musical piece or musical number in modern Japanese.) Now ja is , , and . ja is old music from the Edo period. Not many players perform ja and those who do are elderly; there are few young musicians playing this music.?](help-japanese)) in 1919. Machida Kashou (1888–1981) was a Japanese music researcher and composer. Exactly, Ogiebushi is newer than Nagauta. But Ogiebushi is classified as Kokyoku. Kokyoku is an expedient name. After 1919 the word Kokyoku has been used in Japan. The word Kokyoku had popular usage in the Taisho Period. In 1962 Kokyokukai(古曲会**?**, Old music group) was established. Kokyokukai has trained the successor. Kokyokukai has held the concert. In modern Japanese, "hurui ongaku" refers to old music. Kokyoku is idiom. (makes no sense - needs work---

{{transliteration|ja|Shakuhachi}} music

music began in the Edo period. Buddhist monks played the ja as a substitute for a sutra. Sometimes the ja is played along with other instruments.

{{transliteration|ja|Sōkyoku}}

uses the Japanese , which differs from the Chinese zh. There are two well known families of ja, which can be distinguished by the shape of the plectra used in playing.

• ja—originating in Western Japan, the ja style uses pointed oval-shaped plectra. The repertoire consists of classical pieces composed during the Edo period. This style contains more pieces that accompany singing.
• ja—originating in Eastern Japan, the ja style uses a square-shaped plectra. In addition to classical pieces, ja also encompasses more recently composed music such as , thus the majority of modern koto performers belong to this style of ja.

Traditional music in modern culture

Traditional Japanese musicians sometimes collaborate with modern Western musicians. Also, musicians create new styles of Japanese music influenced by the West but still use traditional musical instruments.

Traditional musical instruments

Main article: Traditional Japanese musical instruments

Chordophones

Aerophones

Membranophones

Idiophones

Traditional cultural events

• Kabuki
• Noh
• ja
• ja
• Japanese festivals
  • ja
  • ja
  • ja
  • ja
  • ja
  • ja
• Geisha
• ja

Artists

• Yoshida Brothers
• Rin'

References

References

1. Sosnoski, Daniel. (2013-05-21). "Introduction to Japanese Culture". Tuttle Publishing.
2. "Performing Arts Network Japan".
3. "Invitation to Kabuki {{!}} Expression by sounds".
4. "Narimono".
5. Randel, Don Michael, ''The Harvard Dictionary of Music'' (2003), [[Belknap Press]]. {{ISBN. 0-674-01163-5, page 339
6. The International Shakuhachi Society
7. link. The Asahi Shimbun Company
8. "Azuma asobi Japanese dance suite".
9. "Rōei music".
10. Randel, Don Michael, ''The Harvard Dictionary of Music'' (2003), Belknap Press. {{ISBN. 0-674-01163-5, page 270
11. "Soukyoku".