MUSIC DURING JAPANS EDO PERIOD (1615-1868)

MUSIC DURING JAPANS EDO PERIOD (1615-1868)

In Japan as in the West, the major kinds of traditional music heard today arose in the period from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. This time is called the Edo or Tokugawa period in japan because the Tokugawa clan controlled the country and moved the government to a new center called Edo, known today as Tokyo.

PUPET THEATRE (BUNRAKU)- Is one of the first theatricals to flourish in the new society, which found its greatest audience in the business town of Osaka.

SAMISEN- It is the instrument of the japan that has a three-stringed, plucked samisen in Tokyo dialect Shamisen.

RYUKYUAN SANSHIN- It is Japanese singer-narrator that was used accompany in the sixteenth century. She called Gidayu-bushi after its most famous singer, Idayu Takemoto.

GIDAYU- Is a musical style hat developed from the previos BIWA LUTE narratives with extensive use of strereotyped patterns and interludes. It is include melodrama and pathos of Italian opera, though a gidayu performer must be as great an actor as he is a singer since he speaks all the rules as well as narrates and comments on the story.

KABUKI- Is the other basic Edo period theatrical that is tradionally an all male-theatre.It has pleased Japanese audience for over two hundred years with a combination of melodrama and colorful dancing.

THREE BASIC KINDS OF MUSIC

1. THE ON-STAGE ENSEMBLE2. THE NARRATIVE MUSIC3. THE OFF-STAGE GROUP

1.) The on stage (debayashi)-It is the first basic kinds of music ensemble in KABUKI was the bayashi group of three drums and flute mentioned earlier in connection with the noh drama-long songsCHIRI-KARA by THE TSUZUMI DRUMMERS- Called the rhythmic patterns to the drums borrowed from the noh developed rhythmic patterns directly related to the rhythms of the shamisen part. However, the drummers also noh-derived patterns which set up an even graeter dynamic, forward progression when set against shamisen-vocal lines.-it is common for the TAIKO DRUM and the noh flute to play in noh style which the tsuzumi drums support the shamisen line with direct rhythmic imatations.

THREE DISTINCT MUSICAL UNITS1. THE MELODIC- Held by the voice2. SHAMISEN- the rhythmic3. TSUZUMI- dynamic unit consisting of a flute and taiko performing many of the functions Western musicians normally associatewith harmony.

2.) The narrative music or kabuki music- It is the narrative ( joruri) as derived from the gidayu shamisen- singer combination from the puppet tradition.3.) The off-stage (geza)- It is the third kind of kabuki music that is provide mood, set scenes, and give musical clues as to action or location.- in the kabuki, the geza combines with the on stage ensembles to provide a varicolored accompaniment for one of the orients most enjoyable threatricals.

THIRTEEN-STRINGED KOTO- The vocal instrumental traditions, that developed to the music of the Edo period that intimate shamisen-vocal forms.

DANMONO- Is an important genre of variation solos that are very popular.

SHAKUHACI- Is best heard when performing its solo literature, for a good player can produce a beautiful variety of the colors and ornaments on this deceptively simple looking bamboo tube.

Kiite kurete arigat!!!

BY: ABELLA, JERSON P.