Traditional Japanese Music and Musical Instruments (Yamaguchi Kan Series)

When William Malm published his wide-ranging study of traditional Japanese music in 1959, it was the first time in the twentieth century that such a work had been brought out in a Western language. Malm's book has still not been replaced as the single most interesting and authoritative text on the subject. But until now it was never revised or updated, nor were its illustrations ever changed. With the present publication, however, an extensively improved edition that includes a CD of sample music has been made available. Professor Malm's aim has always been to attract the layman reader as well as the musicologist, which has given this book its strength and durability. The writing is clear, lively, and informed, the scope of his study being broadened by frequent comparisons with other traditions, East and West. Accompanying it all is a generous number of drawings and photographs of the players and their various instruments. The book opens with a brisk and eloquent history of Japan's musical life, then moves on to its religious music, Shinto, Buddhist, and Christian; its court music; the music of the noh drama; and the music of specific instruments: biwa, shakuhachi, koto, and shamisen. After examining the components of kabuki music, it closes with a chapter on folk music, popular musical arts, and the music of other ethnic groups in Japan. For the more technically inclined, there is a detailed appendix on notation systems. Lastly, to put all this in a practical context, a CD is provided, giving nineteen examples of these different genres. Whether your interest is in a particular form of Japanese music-the marvelous sonority of the bamboo flute, the sharp but wistful sound of the shamisen-or just in music in general, Malm's book will more than satisfy your curiosity. List of Plates 11 List of Figures 14 List of CD Contents 15 Preface 17 FOREWORD 19 Prologue: Omatsuri 25 One: The Present and Past of Japanese Music 1. Japan’s Musical Life (1957) 29 2. Music and Japanese History 31 Two: Religious Music 1. Shinto Music 47 Introduction 47 Kagura in the Palace 48 Shinto Instruments and Tone Systems 51 Kagura in Large Shrines 54 Local Kagura and Festival Music 56 A Snow Festival in Nagano 61 Modern Shinto 65 2. Buddhist Music 66 Theory and Practice 66 A Buddhist Ceremony and Its Musical Instruments 70 Buddhist Folk Music and Festivals 75 3. Christian Music 78 4. Summary 80 Three: Gagaku, the Court Music of Japan 1. The History of Court Music 97 2. The Instruments 102 Percussion 103 Strings 105 Winds 106 3. Theory and Practice 113 Tone Systems 113 Rhythm 115 The Jo-Ha-Kyŭ Concept 115 Form 116 Four: Nōgaku, the Music of Noh Drama 1. Introduction 119 2. The History of Noh Music 120 3. The Structure of a Noh Play 123 4. Musical Conventions of a Noh Play 126 5. Aesthetics 128 6. Vocal Music 129 Singing Styles 129 Tone Systems 130 Rhythm 131 7. Instruments of the Hayashi 133 The Nŏkan 133 The Kotsuzumi 137 The Ŏtsuzumi 139 The Taiko 140 8. Drum Music 141 9. Performance Practices 145 5. Summary 146 Five: Biwa Music 1. Introduction 149 2. The History of Biwa Music 150 3. The Instrument and the Music 156 Six: The Shakuhachi 1. The History of the Shakuhachi 165 2. The Instrument and the Music 171 Seven: Koto Music 1. Introduction 193 2. The History of the Koto 193 3. Music Lessons 200 4. Instruments of the Koto Ensemble 204 5. Koto Music 207 Eight: The Shamisen and Its Music 1. The Instrument and Its Background 213 2. The History and Form of Shamisen Music 217 Katarimono—Narrative Shamisen Music 217 Gidayubushi—The Music of Bunrahu 224 Utamono—Lyrical Shamisen Music 229 Nagauta—The Heart of Kabuli Music 231 Twentieth-Century Shamisen Genres 237 Nine: Kabuki Music 1. The Components of Kabuki Music 239 2. The Music of One Kabuki Scene 250 Ten: Folk and Popular Musical Arts 1. Introduction 261 2. Folk Songs 262 3. Characteristics and Performance Practices 263 Tone System 264 Form 265 Rhythm 265 Performance Practices 265 4. Other Ethnic Groups in Japan 266 5. Folk Theatricals 268 6. Urban Music 271 7. Summary 273 Epilogue 275 Appendix I. Japanese Music Notation Systems 279 Appendix II. CD Contents and Text Translations 301 Appendix III. Audio-Visual Materials 313 A Selective Annotated Bibliography 317 Glossary/Index 333 This book covers in a lucidly written text and a wealth of fascinating photographs and drawings the main forms of musical expression. Many readers will find the useful hints on purchasing instruments, records, and books especially valuable, and for those who wish to pursue the matter further there is a selected bibliography and a guide to Tokyo's somewhat hidden world of Japanese music. It will be found an invaluable aid to the understanding and appreciation of an important, but little-known, and fascinating aspect of Japanese culture Japan is presently attempting to support two musical cultures at one time: Western music and traditional music.