Musical Trip to... Japan!

 Let's take a trip to Japan...

Japanese music is rarely listened to by the majority of Americans, but this does not mean that the music is not worth listening to! The history and consistency of Japanese music is rich and varied. Traditional Japanese music, also called "hogaku" consists of three different 'types' of music: theatrical, court, and instrumental. Due to the density of each style of music, in this post I will only be discussing the theatrical and court style music. 

Noh music - Theatrical music

This style of music, is one of several types that make up the 'theatrical' style of Japanese music. It consists of a variety of instruments such as: taiko, otsuzumi, kotsuzumi, and a nohkan which all make up the instrumental ensemble for this musical category. These are all different styles of drums that come in varying sizes and shapes, and also includes a small bamboo flute. Accompanying the instrumental ensemble, hayashi, is the vocal aspect of music, also known as yokyoku. This form of music can also be recognized as a form of theatre because it includes dancing and drama. Attached below is a video that combines this style of theatrical music, as well as another style called Kabuki. 

Sonica Instruments 

Gagaku music - Imperial court music

This style of music has the earliest date on the record for traditional Japanese music. It includes dances and songs, as well as a variety of other Asian music. Gagaku can be translated to "elegance" and can be divided into two styles: instrumental and vocal. Attached below is a video example of this style of music, and it gives you the chance to observe a style of dance that can be accompanied by the instruments. 

Athens Music Hall: December 2014

Instrumental Music

         Timbre

The main elements of the instrumental style of Gagaku are string, wind, and percussion. Each of these instruments are used to portray different timbres for each style of setting that they are played in. The wind and percussion instruments can be used to create a soft and calming timbre for the song, while the string instruments are used to create a harsh and dramatic timbre. 

Vocal Music

Within the vocal style of Gagaku music, there are three different styles: Saibara, Roei, and Kagura-uta. 

Melody

 Like any other form of music, there are melodic patterns that are common for each style of this vocal genre. A common melodic pattern for the Kagura-uta and Roei styles is called Tsuki. This pattern consists of a long note which is then followed by a short glissando ("a continuous slide upward/downward between two separate notes") to the note above it, and then it immediately goes back to its initial pitch. The opposite melodic style is the oshi, which would be the playing of a long note which is then followed by a glissando to the closest lower tone and then rapidly going back to the initial pitch. Neither of these patterns are ever repeated in a sequence, which allows for a variety of melodic tunes for the listener. 

Tempo

The tempo for Gagaku styled music is mainly moderate, but is overall a little more on the up-beat side with about 60-62 beats per minute. 

Personal Aesthetic

Personally, I enjoy the more calm and soft styles of music which has me gaining a deeper appreciation for the soft-toned gagaku styled music. Not only do I love the unique noises that the drums are able to produce, but the beauty of the designs are unbeatable. Here is a picture of one! This specific drum is called a "tsuri-daiko" and produces beautiful sounds.  

Sources

Voice, Rose/Kapuscinski, 2010, gagaku.stanford.edu/en/voice/.

http://gagaku.stanford.edu/en/voice/

“Traditional Japanese Music.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Feb. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Japanese_music.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Japanese_music

Alaouda, director. GAGAKU JAPANESE IMPERIAL COURT MUSIC. YouTube, YouTube, 14 Dec. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tyCVvyqKrw.

“KABUKI & NOH PERCUSSION.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Aug. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDD6jxO2CjE&t=66s.