Tourist-wedding-Japanese-music---Copyright---Pixabay Culture & Arts

Japanese traditional music, part II

  • 3 Comments

Gagaku is the oldest traditional court music of Japan. It consists of songs, dances, and a mixture of other Asian music. There are two waves: instrumental (kigaku) – Kangen and Bugaku, and vocal (Seigaku) – Kumeuta, Kagurauta, Azumaasobi, Saibara, and Roei. Shomyo is a Buddhist song which is an added melody for a sutra. It originated from India, and […]

Tourist-Wedding---Japanese-Kabuki--Bigstockphoto---Copyright---kobby_dagan Culture & Arts

Japanese traditional music, part one

  • 3 Comments

There are three types of traditional music in Japan: theatrical court music (gagaku) and instrumental Noh (nogaku) music is the type of theatrical music. It is performed by “hayashi-kata” – the instrumental ensemble, and usually accompanies yokyoku – the vocal music, in noh theater. The instruments used for performing Noh are the taiko, stick drum, a big hourglass shaped […]