1. JAPANESE FOLK MUSIC Sarah Poff

2. Several types of traditional Japanese Music (hogaku)

3. Gagaku Main style of music in the 17 th century, brought to Japan by Buddhist and Confucisit monks spreading spiritual and philosophical teachings. Gagaku= means elegant/refined music Entered japan 612 and became the priveledged music of the court. Gagaku had influences from Korean, Chinese and Indian music

4. Instruments Gagaku The instruments forming a Gagaku ensemble (7 th century were made of strings, percussion, and wind. These instruments were the first foreign musical instruments to reach Japan from China Percussion instruments Drums, da-daiko, gongs, cymbals Stringed instruments The wagon, 7 stringed zither, gaku-so, 13 stringed table zither, the ancestor of the koto, the gaku-biwa, 4-stringed lute Winds Hichiriki, short double-reed instrument, the sho, a mouth organ, three transverse flutes (the kagura-bue, koma-bue, ryuteki) Shakuhachi

5. Important Japanese traditional instruments 1) The Biwa A lute Ancestor: Arabic Ud Came to China during Nara period (553-794) from China \Pear shaped body Four/five strings Strings are plucked with a large wooden plectrum (bachi) Creates a buzzing resonance (called sawari or rattle) The strings are made of silk and are very elastic

6. Important Japanese instruments 2) The Koto Most praised instrument by Japanese court and commercial class Similar to the Piano in western countries A table zither, 2 meters long Originated from China- similar to China’s guzheng Japans national instrument In the 17 th century: it was used to accompany dances, and became a part of ensembles During the Nara period Gaku-so (12/13 strings) Wagon (6 strings)

7. Traditional Japanese Instruments 3) The Shamisen 3-stringed lute with a resonance box covered either with cat or dog skin Came to Japan around 1562 from Okinawa (edo period) Different sizes of Shamisen were created for different occasions Became the instrument of choice for the developing social life of Japan Produces buzzing sound Used for all types of occasions: theatres, geisha houses, festivals, folk music

8. Four forms of Minyo (Folk music) Japanese folk songs can be classified in four main categories 1. work songs 2. Religious songs (sato kagura) 3. Songs for gatherings such as weddings, funerals, festivals (matsuri) 4. Childrens songs (warabe uta) Many minyo are connected to forms of work or to specific trades and were orignally sun between work or for specific jobs. Other minyo function simply as entertainment, as dance accompaniment, or as a components of religious rituals. Distinct to different areas of Japan, each have different styles. Differing scale structure, language and textual forms.

9. Before westernization (1850) in Japan (there were no western influences) and the most popular form of music was min’yo, regional folk songs STRONGLY influenced by music from China Due to the use of Chinese instruments (koto, shakuhachi, wadaiko drums) Minyo was inspired and created by the lullabies of farmers planting their rice crops, fishermen catching fish in their nets. Nostalgic references to these ways of life Songs from different districts and areas in Japan are very different from other districts. Min'yō ( 民謡 )

10. Originally sung by non professionals, ordinary people Developed through the performance of professional female singers (geisha) with a shamisen accompaniment. Originally sung unaccompanied, solo, or vocal groups. Call and response chant Developed to become highly virtuosic in the 20 th century Later on, during Edo Period, instruments were added as accompaniment on shamisen, koto, biwa. These accompaniment parts later formed their own genre such as Tsugaru-jamisen.

11. Characteristics Sparse rhythm Regular chords are absent Impossible to beat time to the music Silence is an important part of all songs Structure: Scale Theory in Japanese Folk Focus is on creating music that flows in an attempt to mirror the behavior of nature Typical for songs to start off at a slow pace and pick up speed as they progress

12. Today The term shin min’yo refers to new songs that have been composed since this time to attract tourism and greater national awareness of a particular area in Japan. Radio has spread these songs to a much wider audience- spreading traditional values nationwide

13. Sakura http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chwADnoFDng Traditional Japanese folk song depicting spring, season of Cherry blossoms Popular urban melody of the Edo period Pentatonic scale

14. Works Cited http://www.farsidemusic.com/historyJa.html#folk http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/japan.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Sakura http://www.facts-about-japan.com/traditional-music.html