Introduction to Japanese Music - Week 4

Introduction to Japanese Music

Week 4 – Nō drama

• J Thomas Rimer, ‘What More do we Need to Know About the Noh?’ Asian Theatre Journal 9/2 (Autumn 1992): 215-223.

• Noh Plays Database (www.the-noh.com/en/)

• John Wesley Harris, The Traditional Theatre of Japan: Kyogen, Noh, Kabuki and Puppetry (The Edwin Mellen Press, 2006).

Origins of Nō drama

• Sarugaku – theatre from earlier periods

• The Ashikage shogun patronized sarugaku in the 14thC

• Zeami (1364-1443)

Description of Nō theatre

• Main stage

Description of Nō theatre

• Main stage

• Side stage for chorus

Description of Nō theatre

• Main stage

• Side stage for chorus

• Back stage for musicians

Description of Nō theatre

• Main stage

• Side stage for chorus

• Back stage for musicians

• Long passageway for entry and exit

Description of Nō theatre

Status of Nō

• From 16thC, Nō was transmitted as an amateur pastime

• Developed into a refined pursuit

• Formalized, upper-class art

• Serious, solemn, high-art feel

Music in Nō

• Music has a secondary role, behind the text

• Shite – principal actor

• Utai – sung text

• Hayashi – instrumental music, played by musicians also called hayashi

• Usually two acts, with an interlude; may last between one and two hours

Kyōgen

• Comic Nō scenes

• Often used as interludes, or performed separately

Utai (structure)

• Nō plays are built from dan, or scenes

• Each dan often has an introductory song; a speech, or sung narrative; then a song in one or two parts.

• The utai is divided further into shōdan, small structural units

• Jo-Ha-Kyu

Utai

• Kotoba – speech mode (stylized intonation)

• Yowagin – uses three tones, in tetrachords –female, emotional, beautiful

• Tsuyogin – centered on one tone, within range of min 3rd – male, martial, congratulatory

Jiutai

Melodic and Rhythmic Patterns

• Five- and seven-syllable text, in eight-beat metre

• Utai uses standard rhythmic and melodic patterns

• Hiranori – chunori – onori

Fue

• Seven finger holes

• Wide mouth-hole for embrouchure changes

• No absolute pitch – unmatched to the vocal

Kō-tsuzumi

• Shoulder drum

• Binding ropes used to control pitch

Ō-tsuzumi

• Second drum, held on the knee

Hayashi patterns

• Each instrument has its own patterns, repeated during a shōdan or dance

• Drummers match pauses to the correct utaisyllables – enabling them to follow the singer

Current day…

• Nō (and kyōgen) are still performed, though now a high classical art

• Little public interest?

• Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Around 200 extant plays

• Kagekiyo / Shidohogaku – Noh and KyogenPlays Live (Asch Records, 1969)

• Kyoto Nohgaku Kai, Japanese Noh Music(Lyrichord World, 1993)