UNIT IV: TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF JAPAN Lesson 16: Traditional Japanese Musical Instruments and the Gagaku Ensemble

Established Goal: Students show appreciation to the Japanese for their traditional musical instruments and their Gagaku ensemble.

Enduring Understanding Understand that

Theatrical performances are never without accompaniment to create a musical ensemble.

Essential Questions 1. How do Japanese musical instruments make a difference in theatrical performances which the Japanese are noted for or excel in also? 2. Why is the Gagaku ensemble representative of Japanese culture?

Objectives Know that 1. The Japanese musical instruments play an important role in theatrical performances. 2. The Gagaku ensemble is the oldest Japanese musical tradition that performs dances and songs with the appropriate accompaniment.

Chinese music had a very significant influence in Japanese music and one of its evidence is the adaptation and modification of musical instruments.

Sho

Hichiricki

Shakuhachi

Shamisen

Biwa

Koto

Da-daiko

Kakko

Shoko

Tsuri-daiko

The Gagaku Ensemble Japan has two important traditional music namely:

I. Gagaku (court music) II. Shomyo (Buddhist chant)

Gagaku has three musical styles:

1. Togaku the highest musical style and is used in court music. This forms the largest part of the repertoire that has Chinese, Indian and Central Asian elements of music.

Togaku royal court music ensemble

2. Komagaku (with Korean music origin), is performed at the courts by nobles and professional musicians. It is also a composition associated with rituals of Shinto religion.

3. Utamono is the third group of gagaku which includes various gagaku music like Entenraku, the most famous gagaku instrumental piece with no dance accompaniment. Entenraku means music of divinity. It is imported from Tang Dynasty in China.

Each instrument in the gagaku ensemble plays a distinct melodic line. No two instruments play exactly the same part. There are eight instruments in the gagaku ensemble. It is composed of three wind instruments (ryuteki, hichiricki, sho) that often play the melodic part of the composition and are considered as the most important section in the

It is also composed of two common string instruments (biwa and koto) which play the repeated melodic line of the composition; and three percussion instruments (taiko, shoko, kakko) that outline the strong and weak beats of the melody. These instruments also stabilize the rhythm.

The Gagaku repertory today consists of the four categories: 1. Ritual Music for Shinto ceremonies. The style of playing is solemn. It uses simple flute and zither, hichiricki and wooden clappers for religious purposes. 2. Songs. Songs of gagaku, roei and saibara have simple melodies derived from ancient folk songs. It is accompanied by the kangen ensemble.

3. Bugaku. A dance music accompanied by the entire gagaku ensemble or sometimes, by a smaller group. The dancers perform with very colorful and expensive costumes and props. 4. Kangen. This ensemble includes hichiricki (double reed vertical flute), ryuteki (transverse flute), sho (bamboo mouth organ), gakusou (koto zither), gakubiwa (biwa lute) and percussion instruments (kakko, shoko, and taiko). Kangen is an ensemble for instrumental music.