ma
the space between Japanese notes
Shinto
Principle Japanese religion
Choshi
four principle types of Japanese modes
gagaku
Ancient orchestral and court music of Japan
jo
introductory movement of Japanese gagaku
ha
exposition of Japanese gagaku
kyu
concluding movement of Japanese gagaku
bunraku
Japanese puppet theater
master puppeteer and two assistants dressed in black move to create one puppet’s movements
noh
Japanese well know, stylized theater, reserved action, unfolds slowly, use of drum language with percussive vocals, apeals to upper-classes
kabuki
Japanese secular style theater, more relaxed, elaborate, spectacle, dances & combines elements of many theaters apeals to lower classes, concludes with fight scene
shakuhachi
Japanese vertically played bamboo flute
hayashi
Japanese musical ensemble that accompanies “noh” dramas, 3 drums, 1 flute
taiko
Japanese cylindrical drum
tsuri-daiko
Japanese, large, vertically suspended bass drum with elaborately painted drum head. (gagaku orchestra)
biwa
Japanese 4 stringed, fretted, pear-shaped lute, held horizontally. Loose strings rattle against the neck. (gagaku orchestra)
bugaku
Japanese dances within gagaku
(steps/prescribed movements)
shamisen
Japanese fretless lute played for puppet theater, with large plectrum, resonator covered with cat skin, 3 strings
koto
Japanese 13 stringed, curved resonator, zither with large inverted “V” shaped bridges, played with 3 finger plectrum and bending stings
elements of Japanese music
slow tempo, sense of space, prominent classical solo repertories, melody driven music, pentatonic
dan
constant Japanese phrases (similar to Indian tala) each has 26 metrical units of 4 beats, divided in 2
3 styles of singing in bunraku pupet theater
Lyrical Declamatory Halfspoken/half sung
Zen
Japanese religion of awareness, sect of Buddhism, respecting the ma, up the mountain of enlightenment back to earth again.
Kakegoe drumming style from noh theater
beats that alternate with shouts by same player
Kodo’
drumming tradition revival, 1971, origional group
three types of singing in Japanese bunraku
lyrical, declamatory, half spoken/half sung (most common)