What kind of music is koto?
What kind of music is koto?
Koto music is known in general as sōkyoku. In the koto solo instrumental music (shirabemono), the most important type is the danmono, a variation piece in several sections (dan), each normally of 104-beat length. The term for koto chamber music, sankyoku, means music for three.
What instruments are used in koto?
Japanese board zither
koto, also called kin, long Japanese board zither having 13 silk strings and movable bridges. The body of the instrument is made of paulownia wood and is about 190 cm (74 inches) long.
What are the two patterns of koto?
Traditional performance practices. The koto has two types of patterns: metrical and non-metrical patterns.
What is koto music used for?
The modern koto originates from the gakusō used in Japanese court music. It was a popular instrument among the wealthy; the instrument koto was considered a romantic one.
Is koto and Guzheng the same?
Unlike Guzheng strings, koto strings are all the same thickness on a typical instrument, ranging in weight classes from 16-19 momme (匁, a measurement for silk fabric.) Every string is set to the same tension; the pitch is controlled by the placement of the bridges. Strings were originally silk, then tetron or nylon.
What are koto strings made of?
silk
Originally, koto strings were made of silk, but silk breaks easily, and most performers today use synthetic strings. A few professional koto players still use silk strings, particularly when they perform the traditional (pre-20th century) repertoire.
What is the history of the koto?
Historians think the koto was born around the fifth to third century B.C. in China. Originally it had only 5 strings but increased to 12 strings and then to 13. It was the 13-string koto that was carried to Japan during the Nara period (710-794).
Why is the koto important to Japanese culture?
The Koto is a traditional Japanese musical instrument. It originated from the Chinese Guzheng but developed its own tradition in Japan since the 8th century. It was traditionally played as a form of entertainment in the imperial courts.
What classification of instrument is Tsuridaiko?
hanging drum
The tsuri-daiko (kanji: 釣り太鼓; also called gaku-daiko (kanji: 楽太鼓)) is a large Japanese hanging drum. It is played with two mallets on one side only. It is used primarily in bugaku orchestra.
What is the meaning of Haegeum?
The haegeum (Korean: 해금) is a traditional Korean string instrument, resembling a vertical fiddle with two strings; derived from the ancient Chinese xiqin. It has a rodlike neck, a hollow wooden soundbox, and two silk strings, and is held vertically on the knee of the performer and played with a bow.
What is the history of koto music?
The solo Koto music was established and flourished as a Japanese court music. Professional Koto players were usually blind people, but eventually it spread to the general public. One of the most important Koto players in history is Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614-1685), known as “Father of Modern Koto”.
What scales are used in Koto Music?
The grace and precision of the instrument are such that, often times, there are scale changes within the same piece requiring the koto musician to move the bridges throughout the performance. The traditional koto uses a pentatonic modal scale system. Some of the popular minor pentatonic scales include kumoijoshi, nakazorajoshi, and hirajoshi.
What is a koto used for?
When the koto was first imported to Japan, it was used only by the Japanese court music called “gagaku” (雅楽). The koto used in gagaku is called “gakuso” (楽箏). Over time, it came to be used not only as an ensemble instrument but also as an accompaniment instrument for the singer.
What kind of music does Yamada Koto use?
Yamada’s school incorporated the music of “joruri” (浄瑠璃), a type of sung narrative or storytelling accompanied by a shamisen. Influenced by the joruri music, Yamada Kengyo embarked upon composing koto music which was focused on singing.