Year term 3 Intro

This term we are going to learn all about types of Japanese music which often uses only 5 particular notes called ‘Pentatonic’. You may have heard of this word before.

Pentatonic= 5 notes

Your task- Use the information below to help you to research and find out some of the detail and background to types of Japanese music.

What is Gagaku？

GAGAKU - TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF JAPAN(Ancient Court Music)

Gagaku, literally meaning “elegant music,” is the oldest surviving music in Japan. It was established in the court around 1,200 years ago, and has been preserved ever since at the Imperial court and in some shrines and temples. The Gagaku repertory today consists of the following four categories:

 Instrumental ensemble (Kangen)  Dance music (Bugaku)  Songs (Saibara and Roei)  Ritual music for Shinto ceremonies

History of Gagaku Music

Gagaku literally “elegant music” is a term originally used to describe classical Japanese music rather than popular music.

Gagaku in this sense existed also in China and Korea, but that music is totally different from Japanese Gagaku.

Japanese Gagaku is Japan’s most ancient classical music. As the sum-total of Japanese music, comprising native Japanese songs and dances handed down from ancient times, instrumental music and dances introduced to Japan from the Asian continent

Noh

Noh (能) is a form of theatre involving music, dance and drama, originating in the 14th century.

Movement is slow, language is poetic, and actors often wear character masks. Plots are usually drawn from legend, history, stories and current events. Themes often relate to dreams, supernatural worlds, ghosts and spirits.

Gagaku - Musical Instruments

Gagaku instruments are made up of three main families (each with their own timbre) Wind Strings Percussion Ryuteki Biwa Kakko drum Hichiriki Koto Shoko gong Shō Taiko drum

Wind

Ryuteki A transverse bamboo flute with seven finger holes, sounding D (closed),D♯,E,F♯,G,A,B, and D’.

Strings

Biwa A four-stringed lute with a flat rear side. The silk strings are plucked with a wooden plectrum in arpeggio fashion, producing chords instead of melody.

Koto A thirteen-stringed long zither, 189cm in length, with silk strings, tuned by thirteen wooden bridges in six ways, according to the tonality used. The strings are plucked with three picks, which are made of bamboo and fixed to the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger of the right hand by leather bands.

Percussion & Drums Kakko A barrel drum with two skin heads. It is placed horizontally to the player on a stand and played with two sticks by striking both heads.

San-no-tsuzumi (Japanese Gong)

A round, bronze gong, hung in a frame on a stand. The size of the gong varies according to the style of music being performed. In the case of Bugaku the instrument is used in pairs and is played with two mallets.

Taiko Drum A large flat drum with two skin heads, hung in a frame on a stand. For Kangen it is smaller and called Gakudaiko while for Bugaku it is gigantic in size, used in pairs and called Dadaiko. The gigantic drum for Bugaku has a loud, beautiful sound.