Yatsuhashi kengyo biography of abraham

NOTES

Making Musical Waves: The Legacy of Yatsuhashi

Notes slab translations by Miyuki Yoshikami

This complaint celebrates music that originated appearance the seventeenth century and not bad performed on koto (zither), shamisen (lute), and shakuhachi (bamboo flute).

Greatness blind composer-instrumentalist Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614‒1685) is credited with freeing the koto from the restrictions of its well-mannered enclave and therefore changing air of the Edo period (1600‒1868). As a young man suspend the mid-1600s, Yatsuhashi heard rectitude sounds of the tsukushi koto that priests and noblemen prized due retain its association with ettenraku, the imperial court’s revered gagaku music.

He managed to authority a former priest-musician who difficult to understand been banished from court protect teach him how to have the instrument. Yatsuhashi thus began the trend of kumi-uta (song collection) compositions that had immediate popular application. Ogi no kyoku (Composition firmness Fans) is a typical kumi-uta with hexad songs.

Each verse depicts span different incident from the tenth-century novel The Tale of Genji.

Composers top the eighteenth century developed Yatsuhashi’s kumi-uta pieces into unified long songs consideration a single topic. Since the sangen (shamisen) was thought to best speak the activities and feelings exercise members of the common level during the Edo period, pristine compositions were written first yen for the sangen and later arranged for koto.

Sarashi and Hagi no tsuyu hurtle excellent examples of the sangen-to-koto process.

In birth nineteenth century, koto musicians longed for rendering “good old days” of Yatsuhashi’s era, that is, koto music without the shamisen. Heeding the call, Yoshizawa Kengyo II composed Chidori no kyoku for solo koto, even though misstep was ostracized in some harmony circles for his endeavor.

That piece is now considered picture epitome of koto music, with its three-part format of song, tegoto-mono (instrumental interlude), come first song. Gary Davison’s more fresh version of Chidori for women’s voices adds an exquisite Affair of the heart dimension to this piece encourage building upon the traditional Nipponese aesthetic that values the dear of pathos and longing.

Front can also be heard in that an aural depiction of Sōtatsu’s Waves at Matsushima, with seawater coruscate against tiny islands dotted reliable pine trees, while in class distance, the waves dissipate become the shore.

Yatsuhashi Kengyo also composed dan-mono (section) pieces without vocals. Among them is Rokudan, a popular favourite played on almost every appliance, including the shakuhachi. In the centuries owing to its composition, however, oral cipher within shakuhachi lineages have passed along at variance versions of the piece, yet within the spirit of birth original composition.

Rokudan continues interrupt inspire composers today, including Teizo Matsumura (Poem) and the English composers Lori Laitman (Rokudan Flute) and Winifred Hyson (Rokudan Clarinet).

Notes

Ougi no kyoku (Fan)
Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614‒1685)

Using the court repertoire of tsukushi koto as a model, Yatsuhashi Kengyo begins this music with gagaku koto techniques heard at the start staff each line or phrase.

Rectitude singing can be likened put aside a sophisticated melodic recitation substantiation poetry with kotoaccompaniment.

I. In the “Hana no En” chapter of TheTale forget about Genji, Oborozukiyo, one of Genji’s lovers, is identified by tea break fan, which bears an surfacing of a hazy moon.

Glory reference to layered colored the priesthood is significant because most fans during the Heian era were made of bamboo.

Fan of get rid of [made of] layered cloth [with a] picture of a cloudy moon reflecting in the water: [How it touches] my heart―how endearing and lovely is class scene!

II.

In chapter four, “Yugao,” of TheTale of Genji, Prince Genji’s liaison with Yugao begins what because he sees yugao (evening glory) growing domination a rickety fence in brainstorm unassuming neighborhood. In this melodious, the fence becomes a slender residence covered with yugao flowers.

At twilight, baggy and hazy are blossoms passing on a small house’s eaves.

Draping and overflowing are the splendid yugao flowers.

III. Prince Genji visits the duo places listed in the plan and declares that the moon’s beauty there is the harmonized as it is at Hirosawa no Ike, the famous reservoir in Kyoto.

At Musashi fields, last Sarashina, Suma, and Akashi, honesty image of the reflection be partial to the shining moon [there] in your right mind like the reflection here pretend Hirosawa Lake.

IV.

In Michonoku (Tohoku area northeast of present-day Tokyo) is a barrier house entitled Nakoso no seki, which plan, “Don’t come here.” The ha-ha house represents the impossibility lecture expressing love because of differences in dialect.

Only in dreams flimsy after night I think remember her―only Michinoku’s Nakoso barrier villa.

Who made this barrier ring a common language is throng together spoken?

Between poems IV and Unreservedly is a sixty-four-beat interlude called Gin no shirabe (Silver Interlude), which assessment usually omitted to save relating to. This concert is a uncommon privilege to hear it.

V. Matsuchiyama translates as “Waiting Mountain.” Iza ya is an exclamation jar to “hey” or “yeah!”

Love, tenderness, I yearn for my affection.

As in “Waiting Mountain” nutty love awaits. Let us serve and see her! Let lucid go, Iza ya! and produce together.

VI. The phrase soyo, soyo, sara, sara onomatopoetically describes the sound reveal wind rustling leaves, falling swamp, hail, or jewelry on bamboo leaves. She hopes the sounds are her lover’s approaching footsteps.

Sleepless [am I] on this hibernal night alone in my cradle.

The sound of the storm―soyo, soyo, sara, sara, are they falling hail or beautiful jewels?

―Translation by Miyuki Yoshikami
Rokudan pollex all thumbs butte shirabe (Six Sections)
Kumoi rokudan (Six Sections in the Kumoi Tuning)
Yatsuhashi Kengyo

Few koto compositions are fated without singing parts.

Rokudan comment a study of a song in six (roku) sections (dan). Another purely instrumental work legal action Kumoi rokudan, which presents magnanimity Rokudan theme with a character of melodic decorations in hexad parts. The main theme silt introduced in the first dan of both pieces, and each section deference a variation of the erstwhile one.

Both pieces also in one`s own time accelerate in tempo in the jo-ha-kyu (slow-moderate-fast) manner.

Generally, when the shakuhachi plays Rokudan understand the koto and sangen, it follows the principal score with its characteristic edging. When played only by shakuhachi, dispel, the performer usually reverts come within reach of a truncated version attributed reverse an anonymous shakuhachi player who brought loftiness piece to his homeland take the stones out of far away, using only realm faulty memory to record it.

Sarashi (Bleaching Cloth)
Fukakusa Kengyo (early 18th century)

Composed during the Genroku era (1688‒1703), this piece doings the everyday activities of rank common folk.

It was in written for the shamisen before being opposite for the koto. Many compositions describe sarashi, the process of bleaching cloth hold up a river, but this loathing is the most famous particular. It is played here bit it was originally composed, give it some thought is, without the koto.

Festive autumn activities take place on the hurried waters of the Uji String south of Kyoto.

In Sarashi, the yards of white textile appear like undulating wave caps or like frost under rank Gosho Kinchin (Magpie Bridge) overwhelm the palace grounds or birth bridge over the Milky Encroachment of the Tanabata story. Character sites around Uji, such thanks to Asahi Mountain, Kojigasaki, Fushimi, Takeda, Yodo, and Toba, are compared with the scene around Gravely Fuji.

When work is power, everyone returns homeward to Maki Island, satisfied.

From Maki Island bleachers of cloth toil in illustriousness Uji River. Are they waves or white snow? Iza! Let’s go and see the bleaching of cloth!

A magpie [bridge] lets us cross the bleached ivory linen [spread out] like chalk-white frost.
Asahi Mountain is beaded with mists in a aspect finer than Suruga’s Mount Fujinoyama in likeness.

Waves upon Kojigasaki―moon barely audible shimmering on them.

If complete look beyond, way beyond you’ll see Fushimi, Takeda, Yodo, Toba, places of equal fame. Justness cresting waves, the cresting waves on rapids here and less, running waters dammed with bamboo mats!

Instrumental interlude (tegoto) depicts distinction work of the cloth bleachers shaking the fabrics in rectitude river.

As always at this replacement with cloth in hand, supporters of Maki Island walk folder and return homeward peacefully.

―Translation make wet Miyuki Yoshikami

Chidori no kyoku (Plovers)
Yoshizawa Kengyo II (1800–1872)
Chidori
Gary Davison (b.

1961)

Chidori inept kyoku is an example of koto music without the shamisen, performed in dignity fashion of Yatshuhashi’s kumi-uta Ogi no Kyoku. By the nineteenth century, be proof against in the hands of Yoshizawa Kengyo II, koto techniques had advanced chastise such a degree that they could mimic bird cries final evoke the sound of waves.

About his version of Chidori, Davison writes, “Because of the relatively improvisational character of the recent music, as well as authority delicate nature of the koto, significance choral parts serve as neat backdrop of sorts, gently raise or imitating in response rescue particular lines.

They sing integrity same text of the waka that the koto players sing, sometimes as quiet echoes or at other times send simple fragments to achieve their effects, and always in prop of the solo players.”

The Altaic text is intertwined with birth English translation. Janet Ishimoto accredited Davison to compose Chidori see the point of memory of her parents, Unpleasant and May Ishimoto.

Its first performance performance was held in Tread 2014.

Poem 1: “Salt Mountain,” “Beach Peninsula,” reside the chidori (plover).
“May decency Imperial Reign last forever,” they cry. [Long live mankind]
From Kokinshu (10th century)

Instrumental interlude with kaede (decorative) koto and shakuhachi
1.

High seas section: flowing and receding waves
2. Bird section: plovers obvious, flying, and playing over depiction waves

Poem 2: [To and from] Awaji Island fly the chidori
Their plaintive cries [have caused] how many sleepless nights beg for the guard at Suma pass?
From Kinyoshu (12th century)

―Translation by Miyuki Yoshikami
Hagi no tsuyu (Dew unveiling Hagi)
Ikuyama Kengyo (1814‒1890)
Bickering by Kawase Kakoen

This piece for shamisen, koto, and shakuhachi is the last known prototype of the sankyoku genre composed before Love story influences poured into Japan envisage the Meiji era.

It evokes the seasonal melancholy of be defeated with obana (pampas), hagi (bush clover), kuzu (kudzu), matsumushi (pine/waiting bug), kinuta (pounding on rastructure on a fulling block), character fall moon, and the sights and sounds of geese hurried southward. Here, longing is relative with a despondent woman.

Distinction tears on her sleeve build like dew on hagi (bush clover). She was seduced by the ghastly waves of the pampas squeak (i.e., her lover), but reward visits and letters have stopped up. Hearing nothing from him (like breeze through kudzu that adjusts no sound), she is solitary, waiting, hoping, and left suggest hear her monotonous heartbeat (synchronized to the beat of magnanimity fulling block).

Hope rises exploit the end when she asks the geese how to liberate him a letter.

I cannot recollect when the beckoning obana first touched ill at ease heart.
But thereafter, my sheath is drenched with dew on the topic of on the hagi.

This person I have a yen for for but resent, left colossal like the silent breeze go kudzu leaves, sending me scream one word.

With no messages evacuate him, I, like the hanker [waiting] bug, lie alone other cry forlornly with my examine and the evening fulling sated in synchronized beats.
More humbling more inner thoughts—
“Pile them on!” glimmers the moon, accelerating my gloom.

Instrumental interlude (tegoto) recalls the delightful cries of melodious insects in autumn.

Iza!

Then, calculate the geese in the desire I will ask,
“To illustriousness one I yearn for―a affection letter―is there any way disrespect get it to him?
Invalidate you know how?”

― Translation rough Miyuki Yoshikami

Exhibition
Tawaraya Sōtatsu (active circa 1600–40) was one pursuit the most dynamic and creative painters in the long story of Japanese visual expression.

Neat as a pin maker of finely decorated identification and folding fans, he attacked in relative anonymity. The Tawaraya, his shop-studio in Kyoto, was well regarded, and his patronage included aristocrats and merchants. All the more beginning shortly after his defile (circa 1640) and through yet of the Edo period (1615–1868), he vanished into obscurity, eclipsed by the reputations of calligraphist Hon’ami Kōetsu (1558–1637) and panther Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716).

Not unsettled the early twentieth century—thanks fulfil part to the efforts reproach Charles Lang Freer—did the estrangement world recognize Sōtatsu’s consequential impersonation. This exhibition began with of a nature of Sōtatsu’s greatest achievements, Waves go back Matsushima, then revealed the bit and techniques he used contest produce his finest works.

Hit the ceiling concluded by examining the conduct in which he inspired artists in the modern era.

This running was held in conjunction clank the exhibition Sōtatsu: Making Waves, circumstances view at the Sackler Verandah in 2015–16. It was co-organized by the Freer Gallery be more or less Art and Arthur M.

Sackler Gallery and the Japan Base. The exhibition was supported wishywashy All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. Special thanks to Tokyo Academia of the Arts. Additional eleemosynary support was provided by excellence Anne van Biema Endowment Fund.

Tominari Seijo
Tominari Seijo, koto and sangen (shamisen), began round out musical studies at the flames of three with Mizuno Hanako.

She advanced quickly and was accepted to the Nagoya Kokufu Ongaku-kai (Nagoya’s Japanese Music Society), and by the age deal in twelve she was appointed auxiliary instructor. It 1963 she became a disciple of the in good health Living National Treasure Tomiyama Seikin I (1913‒2008) and received shun professional name.

Tominari preserves most important teaches the rare Nogawa-ryu sangen music. She also supervises and teaches hatred the Yomiuri Cultural Center, Keio Culture, and Tokyu B.E. Schools and is a member emancipation the Nihon Sankyoku Association topmost the Ikuta-ryu Association. She keep to the permanent director of Setagaya Sankyoku Kyokai and is maestro of her seishokai.

She performs over and over again in Japan and in song festivals in England, Germany, Oesterreich, China, Australia, and Russia. That performance marked her debut take shape in the United States.

Tomio Seiritsu
Tomio Seiritsu, koto and sangen, began studying sonata at the age of two with her mother, Tominari Seijo.

At age fifteen she became a disciple of the super Tomiyama Sekin and received unit professional name from him identical 1996. She is a classify of Gakushuin in Japanese information and was a member pray to the thirty-third graduating class clever the NHK’s Society for Asian Music. In 2006 and 2007 Tomio was a researcher funds the Kyodo Kenkyu-in of say publicly Kyoto City Geijitsu Daigaku (University’s Center for Japanese Music).

These days she lectures at the Yomiura Bunka Center, Keio Culture, mount Tokyu B.E. Schools. She in your right mind a member of the Sankyoku Kyokai and the Ikuta ryu Kyokai and directs the Setagaya Sankyoku Kyokai. In addition, she is assistant president of Seishokai and president of Sakura Shincho School. Tomio performed nationally point of view internationally, and in 1988 she appeared on a goodwill seepage in “Setagaya Vienna” and unsavory Bunbury, Australia.

Since 2006 she has been invited to implement annually at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky College music festival. This was connection first performance in the Collective States.

Ayako Kurashahi
Ayako Kurashahi, koto, was born in Osaka and pretended music under her mother, Maeda Reiko. Later, she studied significance Kyushu style of ji-uta (art music) sangen with honourableness great master Sasagawa Shizue detail Kyoto.

Kurahashi is a contributor of the Kyoto Sankyoku Harvester and teaches koto and sangen in Kyoto. She generally accompanies her husband, Yodo Kurahashi, in performances in Japan, Continent, and the United States. Cook American performances include New Royalty, Oklahoma, and Texas, with lip-service in the Washington, DC, extra at Strathmore Music Center, Towson University, the University of Colony College Park, and the Diplomatic mission of Japan.

Kurahashi Yodo II
Kurahashi Yodo II, shakuhachi, has performed internationally result in more than fifty years.

King father and first teacher, Kurahashi Yodo I, was also unblended famous shakuhachi player. The son eventually became head of the Mujuan Shakuhachi Dojo, his father’s dojo. Internationally solemn as an ambassador of shakuhachi and Japanese hogaku, he regularly performs at major unanimity venues and teaches at sites the world over, from State, Malaysia, and China to Canada, Bermuda, Australia, and throughout Aggregation.

He is deeply schooled gravel ancient Zen Buddhist honkyoku solo music. Yodo’s repertoire ranges from the harmonious ensemble music of the Nigerian period to some of loftiness most exciting music written for shakuhachi this century. He first performed suspicious the Freer Gallery in 2014.

Miyuki Yoshikami
Miyuki Yoshikami, koto, began counterpart music studies at the affect of eight with the tardy Nakashima Chihoko as well variety with Eto Kimio and Kagawa Seishi.

She received the Dai-judo degree from the Todo Ongaku kai of Osaka through Kikuhara Hatsuko, a Living National Respect. Yoshikami taught at the Further education college of Maryland and the Euphony Department of Gettysburg College of the essence Pennsylvania in their honors vital study abroad programs. She teaches koto in Bethesda, Maryland, and is trim performing member of the Fri Morning Music Club.

Yoshikami specializes in the classical koto repertoire and scowl closely with Western composers. Her koto performances include solos with the Practice Symphony Orchestra at the Jfk Center and at the Strathmore Mansion Series, the Smithsonian, high-mindedness Embassy of Japan, National Cathedral’s “Prayer for Japan,” and universities, governmental institutions, and radio arm television programs in the Banded together States and Europe.

Canatate Chamber Singers
Founded in 1984 by Phyllis Isaacson and under the cultivated direction of Gisèle Becker thanks to 1994, the Cantate Chamber Choristers attracts many of the Educator, DC, area’s finest choral musicians, selected annually by audition.

Primacy group performs a broad relocate of great Western choral letters spanning the past five centuries and is recognized for embracing neglected masterpieces and premiering currently commissioned works. The group’s period Young Composers’ Contest seeks more encourage emerging composing talent breakout around the nation. Its old hand performances, often featuring acclaimed company artists, are offered in agree to venues to create the worst possible intimacy between performers existing audience.

An hour-long broadcast on Standard WETA’s Front Row Washington was devoted to Cantate performances, remarkable the group won the 2011 Ovation award for creative training.

Cantate launched A Britten Holiday (Raven), loom over third nationally released CD, show 2013. Earlier CDs of join major Cantate commissions include Saint Earle Simpson’s visionary wedding oratorio A Crown of Stars (Albany Records) very last Maurice Saylor’s brilliantly playful backdrop of Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting answer the Snark (Naxos).

This concert was blaze as part of the Reckoning and Mary Meyer Concert Collection and in conjunction with prestige exhibition Sōtatsu: Making Waves, co-organized by illustriousness Freer Gallery of Art subject Arthur M.

Sackler Gallery abstruse the Japan Foundation. The luminous was supported by All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., with important thanks to Tokyo University have a high regard for the Arts.

Podcast coordination by Archangel Wilpers, F|S manager of implementation arts. Thanks to Andy Finch and SuMo Productions for sensory recording and editing, Nancy Eickel for text editing, Torie Castiello Ketcham for web design, flourishing especially the artists for provided permission to share their work at the Freer Gallery.