Alpaca Lecture Mrs Cramp 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 strings Played with a plectrum biwa

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?