Introduction to Japanese Music

Week 6 – Shamisen Jiuta

Origin of the Instrument

• From Asia, through China, through Ryukyu

Origin of the Instrument

• From Asia, through China, through Ryukyu

• San-shin (three-strings)

• Entered Japan c.1562

The Instrument

• Three strings (silk)

• Skin-covered body

• Biwa plectrum (bachi)

• Modified to have sawari

Tōdō

• Guild of blind musicians

• Biwa players adopted the shamisen

Styles of Music

• Three major fields:

• Jiuta - singing style, or uta-mono

• Katari-mono - narrative music

• Min’yo - folk music accompaniment

Jiuta

• Songs accompanied by shamisen

• Used by koto players, merging sokyoku and jiuta

• Basis of sankyoku (trio) and tegoto-mono

Kumiuta

• Oldest style of shamisen music

• ‘Classical’ pieces used within the Tōdō guild

• Shamisen and vocal, with short texts strung together

Nagauta

• Meaning ‘long song’ (as opposed to kumiuta, ‘short song’)

• The primary musical style of kabuki theatre

• More narrative than kumiuta, sometimes adapted from No texts

Hauta and Kouta

• ‘Occasional song’ – anything outside of kumiutaand nagauta

• Popular songs, geisha songs, theatre songs, re-appropriated by Tōdō musicians

• Usually short, lyric pieces

• Kouta developed from hauta – renditions of older popular songs

Tegoto-mono

• Jiuta compositions with a focus on lengthy tegoto, or instrumental interludes

• A synthesis of koto and shamisen composition

Joruri

• A narrative genre prior to the Edo period

• Accomapnied by shamisen from late 16thC

• Became different schools, known as bushi

• Gidayu-bushi, bungo-bushi…

Performance practice

• Shamisen melodies follow vocal melodies

• Added rhythmic emphasis

• Vocal line is often slightly ahead of the shamisen

Tunings

Tunings

• Three standard tunings used:

• Honchosi - the standard mood

• Niagari - brighter mood

• Sansagari - melancholic mood

• Uwajoshi, or ‘high tuning’

In the Meiji period…

• Jiuta fell from favour, due to associations with pleasure districts

• Kumiuta no longer played after the abolition of the Tōdō

• Kouta still played