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V.A. : Japanese Traditional Music- Shamisen and Songs - Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai 1941

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Format: CD [2013]
Shipping Weight: 0.1lbs
Label: World Arbiter

1,950円

'This is the fourth volume in World Arbiter's Japanese Traditional Music series. The World Arbiter label presents 1941 recordings of the Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai -- masters of the shamisen. An extensive anthology of traditional Japanese music was created sometime around 1941-1942 by the Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai (KBS), International Organization for the Promotion of Culture. KBS was established under the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1934 for cultural exchange between Japan and foreign countries, representing genres such as gagaku (court music), shomyo (Buddhist chants), no (Noh medieval theater play), heikyoku (biwa-lute narratives of battles), shakuhachi (bamboo flute music), koto (long zither music), shamisen (three-stringed lute music), sairei bayashi (instrumental music for folk festivals), komori-uta (cradle songs, lullabies), warabe-uta (children songs), and riyou (min'you) (folk songs). Considering that 1941-1942 was a most daunting time for Japan's economy and international relationships with Asian and Western countries, it is remarkable that this excellent anthology of Japanese music was ever completed and published, as it contains judiciously selected pieces from various genres performed by top-level artists at that time. The KBS' recording project is of unique historical importance and culturally valuable as a document of musical practices in traditional Japanese genres during the wartime. Few copies of this collection exist in Japan. This CD restoration is taken from a set originally belonging to Donald Richie, a writer and scholar on Japanese culture (particularly on Japanese cinema), who had given it to Ms. Beate Sirota Gordon, known for her great contribution to the establishment of Japan's Constitution during the period of U.S. occupation after WWII. Gordon's father, Leo Sirota, a piano pupil of Busoni's, fostered many excellent Japanese pianists at the Tokyo Ongaku Gakko (Academy of Music, forerunner of present-day Music Department of Tokyo National University of The Arts) during 1928-1945. Shamisen, a three stringed lute, is said to have been imported from China through Okinawa into mainland Japan (Sakai, Osaka) in the latter half of the 16th century. It began to accompany popular songs and contributed in bringing about a variety of genres of shamisen music in the early 17th century. In the late Edo period (early 19th century), small-scale shamisen vocal genres such as ogie-bushi, hauta, utazawa, and kouta were performed by geisha in ozashiki chambers. This disc includes the shamisen music enjoyed in ozashiki. Jiuta music is mainly performed in houses or ozashiki chamber in the Kansai area and said to be the oldest shamisen music genre, born soon after the instrument's arrival in Japan. Kumiuta (combined pre-existent songs) music is also heard on this disc. Full descriptions are included in a 36-page booklet in English and Japanese.'

Tracklist
1 Jiuta: Yashima 3:32
Shamisen ? Tomizaki Shunsho
Vocals [Uta] ? Tomiyama Seikin
2 Ogie-Bushi 3:10
Shamisen ? Ogie Fusako, Ogie Shoko
Vocals [Uta] ? Ogie Suzuko
3 Utazawa-Bushi: Aki No Yo 3:22
Shamisen ? Utazawa Torakiyoko
Vocals [Uta] ? Utazawa Toraemon
4 Utazawa-Bushi: Washi Ga Kuni Sa 3:38
Shamisen ? Utazawa Shibasei
Vocals [Uta] ? Utazawa Shibakin
5 Kouta: Samidare, Kyara No Kaori 3:15
Shamisen ? Sahashi Shoko, Tamura Taiko
Vocals [Uta] ? Kaneko Chieko
6 Kouta: Yae Hitoe, Aki No Nanakusa 3:13
Shamisen ? Kasuga Toyo, Kasuga Toyoharu
Vocals [Uta] ? Kasuga Toyoki
7 Hauta: Harusame 3:11
Shamisen ? Kotomo, Toyokichi
Vocals [Uta] ? Mamechiyo
8 Hauta: Kyo No Shiki 2:49
Vocals [Uta] ? Gion Shinchi Renchu
9 Hauta: Ozatsuki Sansagari, Dodoitsu 3:41
Shamisen ? Hideha, Koshizu
Vocals [Uta] ? Fujimoto Fumikichi
10 Hauta: Yakkosan, Fukagawa 3:34
Shamisen ? Hideha, Koshizu
Vocals [Uta] ? Fujimoto Fumikichi
11 Washinomiya Jinja Juniza Kagura: Urayasu Yomo No Kuni Katame No Dan 3:21
Performer ? Parishioners Of Washinomiya Jinja Shrine
12 Haruna Jinja Kagura: Himi No Kiyome, Kamuogi, Mikusa No Harai 3:06
Performer ? Parishioners Of Washinomiya Jinja Shrine
13 Shishi-Odori: Oshidori Odori, Kanoko Odori 3:01
Performer ? Unknown Artist
14 Sairei Shishi-Mai: Nuno-Mai, Hei No Mai, Suzu No Mai, Naka-Otoshi 3:30
Performer ? Unknown Artist
15 Oyama-Bayashi: Roppo, Nihondake, Ken-Bayashi, Jinku 3:25
Performer ? Unknown Artist
16 Sairei Bayashi (Edo Bayashi): Kamakura, Okazi Byoshi, Nageai 3:25
Performer ? Unknown Artist
17 Komoriu-Uta From Nanbu, Sendai, Aizu 3:12
Vocals [Uta] ? Onishi Tamako
18 Komori-Uta From Kanto, Nagoya, Osaka 3:25
Vocals [Uta] ? Oka Michiko
19 Komori-Uta From Chugoku, Shikoku, Kita-Kyushu 3:05
Vocals [Uta] ? Yamamoto Yoshie
20 Komori-Uta From Amami, Ryukyu, Yayeyama 3:02
Performer ? Unknown Artist
21 Otsukisama Ikutsu, Usagi Usagi, Kagome, Hotaru Koi, Ondoradora 3:21
Performer ? Unknown Artist
22 Zuizui Zukkorobashi, Tenjin-Sama No Hosomichi, Hiraita Hiraita, Sanno No Osaru-San, Yuyake Koyake, Kaeru Ga Naku Kara Kaero 3:15
Performer ? Unknown Artist
23 Hatoma-Bushi, Mami Ga Pana 3:22
Vocals [Uta] ? Yamauchi Reiko
24 Washi Nu Turi-Bushi (Song Of An Eagle); Asatoya-Bushi (Song Of Asatoya) 3:14
Performer ? Unknown Artist

Credits
Liner Notes ? Naoko Terauchi
Producer ? Allan Evans

Notes
Recordings made by the Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai (Society for International Cultural Relations) in 1941 and released as non-commercial 78rpm disks. Includes a 36 page booklet of notes in English and Japanese.