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THE ART OF KABUKI SPEECH: RULES AND RHYTHMS
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN
THEATRE
DECEMBER 2 0 00
By
Julie A . le zzi
D issertation C om m ittee:
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We c e rtify th a t we have read this dissertation and th a t,
Theatre.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
Cv
. j (Chairperson)
----------------------------
ii
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
am fortunate to have had the support of more than my share, without which this
would never have come to fruition. In Japan, I wish to thank all the kabuki actors,
especially Nakamura Ganjirfi III, Sawamura Tanosuke VI, and Kataoka Hidetard II, as
well as the gidayO and takemoto narrators, who made time to meet with me for
Professor Furuido Hideo for guidance during my 1998-1999 year of field research,
and especially Terada Shima for patiently helping me to decipher difficult texts.
Finally, I gratefully acknowledge the Japan Foundation, for financial support during
field research.
inspiration. Lastly, I wish to thank my husband, Josh, for keeping me sane during
the final phases of writing, and my parents, for always being there.
iii
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ABSTRACT
Kabuki, like other stylized theatre forms, has developed particular rules and
distinctive rhythmical patterns which create its unique manner of aural expression.
In this dissertation I examine essential rules and rhythms that are basic to kabuki’s
highly musical art of speech. I begin with a discussion of gidayO, the narrative
musical genre from which a kabuki actor learns how to breathe, use his breath
In chapters two through four I examine eight rules. They are 1) Send the
breath from the hara (abdomen), 2) Divide speech between the two modes of
jidai (distant or historical) and sewa (familiar or daily), 3) Attack the second
syllable and drop the end of the phrase, 4) Actors take their pitch from the
seductive, 7) If speaking high, then speak low; if low, then high. If speaking fast,
then speak slow; if slow, then fast; and 8) Pass the tail end of the word to your
partner, which is subdivided into passing the tempo from actor to actor, and
In chapters five and six I examine two extremely important rhythms which
are basic to, and representative of kabuki. The first important rhythm is a
syncopated vocal delivery called non (literally “riding*). Non was originally a
iv
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technique in gidayQ, where passages are short and serve as a rhythmic change in
music. In kabuki, non expanded in form and function in the hands of the actor.
seven- and five- syllable hemistiches), is the oldest poetic verse form in Japan. It
is found in the texts of many theatrical forms, including noh, bunraku and kabuki,
patterned melodic lines are imposed on the rhythm of shichi-go chd to create very
performance.
(period plays), to the seemingly daily “natural" sewamono (domestic plays). They
illustrate the musical approach underlying the kabuki actor's art of speech.
kabuki's art of speech, indicate areas for further research, and suggest the musical
speech in English.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements.----------------------------------------------------------- iii
Abstract______________________________________________________________ iv
List of Graphs......................... ix
Chapter I: Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
Statement of Intent................................. 1
ChapterOutline.-------------------------------------------------- 3
Methodology.______________________________________________________ 12
Notes on Graphs----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15
Chapter II: Gidayu and the Kabuki Actor’s Vocal Training --------------------------------------17
Onzukai._________________________________________________________ 24
Pronunciation_____________________________________________________ _ 27
Hikijiand Umiji.____________________________________________________ 30
vi
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Jidaiand Sewa 'Coupling'--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 45
Vocal Examples.---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 46
Daily Speech_____________________________________________________ 46
Sewa Speech---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 53
Attack the Second Syllable and Drop the End of the Phrase.................................... 65
If Speaking High, Then Speak Low; If Low, Then High. If Speaking Quickly,
Then Speak Slowly; If Slowly Then Quickly.______________________________109
vii
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Tsurane:Monologues.---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 157
Rhythm.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 177
Tempo________________________________________________________ 180
FurtherStudy.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 202
Bibliography._________________________________________________________ 207
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LIST OF GRAPHS’
5. Example of Natural Speaking Voice (Onoe Baikfl VII) <from Kabuki no sekai:
Onnagata. NHK, 1983. Videotape> ....................................................... 50
7. Example of Natural Speaking Voice (Onoe Sh6roku II) <from Kabuki no sekai:
Tachiyaku. NHK, 1983. Videotape>________________________________ 52
10. Example of Sewa Voice. (Yasuke [Onoe BaikO VII] in "Sushiya") cTokyo,
Kabuki-za. Date unknowns______________________________________ 57
' Note: Date and source of sound bite given in triangular brackets following each entry.
UC
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11. Example of Yamagata JidaiVoice (Koremori [Nakamura Shikan VII] in
"Sushiya") <Tokyo, Kabuki-za, 1995. Videotapes-....................................... 60-1
12. Example of Yamagata Jidai Voice (Koremori [Onoe Baikd VII] h "Sushiya")
cTokyo, Kabuki-za. Date unknowns-.______________________________ 62-3
13. Example of "Attack the Second Syllable and Drop the End of the Phrase” Jidai
Voice (JOjibei [Kataoka Nizaemon XV] in "Hikimado”) cKyoto Minami-za,
December 1995. Videotapes-_____________________________________ 66
14. Example of "Attack the Second Syllable and Drop the End of the Phrase" Jidai
Voice (Jujibei [Nakamura Ganjirfi III] in "Hikimado") cTokyo, Kabuki-za,
December 1988s-____________________________________ 67
17. Example of Use of Psychological Switching from Sewa to Jidai Voice (JGjibei
[Kataoka Nizaemon XV] in "Hikimado") cKyoto Minami-za, December 1995.
Videotapes-__________________________________________________ .76
18. Exampfe of Use of Psychological Switching from Sewa to Jidai Voice (Jujibei
[Nakamura Ganjird III] in "Hikimado") cTokyo, Kabuki-za, December 1988.
Videotapes-__________________________________________________ .77
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21. Example of "Affected Accent" (Naman) of Female Characters (Miyagino [Na
kamura GanjirO III] in the "Ageya” scene of Gotaiheiki Shiraishi Banashi)
cTokyo, Nationaf Theatre of Japan. March 1994. Videotape>....................... 102
25. Example of Set Up Line (IsonoJO [dtani Tomoemon VIII] and Sabu [Ichimura
Uzaemon XVII] in Natsu matsuri naniwa kagami) cTokyo, Kabuki-za, Date
unknown. Videotape>__________________________________________ 128
26. Example of Set Up Line (Danshichi [Nakamura Kichiemon II] in Natsu matsuri
naniwa kagami) cTokyo, Kabuki-za, September 1993. Videotape>_______131
27. Example of Set Up Line (Danshichi [Nakamura Kanzaburd XVII] Natsu matsuri
naniwa kagami) cShikoku, Kanamaru-za, Date unknown. Videotape>_____ 132
2 9 .0]6 Kichisa’s tsurane (Ichimura Uzaemon XV) from Sannin kichisa cffom
Kabuki meisaku sen: Sewamono shO. NHK, 1978. LP>____________ 189-92
xi
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3 0 .0J6 Kichisa’s tsurane (Sawamura Gennosuke) from Sannin Kichisa <from Victor
Record JL108. Date unknown>------------------------------------------------------193-96
31. 0j6 Kichisa*s tsurane (Onoe Baik6 VII) <from Sannfn Kichisa Kabuki mei serifu
shu. Shinchdsha, 1988. CD>--------------------------------------------------------------197
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Statement of Intent
Kabuki actors, like those in other stylized theatre forms, have developed
particular rules and distinctive rhythmical patterns which create their unique
manner of aural expression. This dissertation examines the fundamental rules and
rhythms of kabuki’s highfy musical art of speech, demonstrating how the actor
learns to breathe, how he uses his breath, and how he modulates pitch, tempo and
rhythm. These rules and rhythms operate in the production of a broad range of
plays).
breathing, pitch, tempo, and melody of the voice. Origins for the rules are the
actors themselves. Four of the rules, ‘send the breath from the hara (IS, stomach
or abdomen),* ‘sing the lines,* ‘attack the second syllable and drop the end of the
straight from the mouths of actors, either in interviews with the writer, while the
Three others, ‘If speaking high, then speak low; if fow, then high," ‘Actors
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take theirpitch from the shamisen,’ and “Pass the tail end of the word to your
partner,* come from published written or recorded interviews with actors. I have
subdivided this third rule into two parts: passing from actor to actor, and passing
actors and musicians in performance, through which I discovered that the tempo
of the actors words determines that of the music. Furthermore, the musicians can
be considered an actor's offstage partner, in contrast to other actors who are on-
stage partners.
The most important “rule,* is the division between jidai and sewa voice.
There is a basic concept of 'jid a istyle* and “sewa style* alluded to by scholars
and actors alike. I explore what this means in terms of voice. All of these rules
are basic in form, but have complicated applications that will be examined.
basic to, and representative of kabuki voice. The first important rhythm is a
syncopated vocat delivery called non (jfe U, literally “riding"). Originally norrwas a
puppet theatre, where passages are short and serve as a rhythmic change in
music. In kabuki, noriexpanded in form and function in the hands of the actor.
composed of seven- and five-syllable hemistiches) is the oldest poetic verse form
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in Japan, dating back to at feast the eighth century. It fs found in the texts of
many theatncaf forms, including noh, bunraku and kabuki, where it manifests itself
patterned melodic lines are imposed on the rhythm of shichi-go chd to create very
a kabuki performance.
The rules and the rhythms of voice addressed herein are used in creating a
wide range of character types. They help to explain how actors work individually,
as well as emphasize the bond between the pitch, tempo and rhythms used by
one actor and those of another. Actors continually orchestrate each other and the
Chapter Outline
indebted for more than half the present repertory of plays. Gidayu vocal training
is significant to the kabuki actor's art, providing a model for breathing and vocal
support, placement, and other specific vocal techniques. These techniques are
especially crucial to the actor when performing in gidayQ kydgen (fi& £ § £ S ', lit.
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“gidayQ plays," or plays adapted from faunraku), but are also unquestionably
The concepts ofjidai (period) and sewa (domestic), which underlay the
most basic division o f vocal (and physical) stylization, are discussed in chapter
three. I explore how the seemingly polar modes of jidai and sewa speech co-exist
“period.* More aptly, jidai can be viewed as ‘distant,’ as in far in time and place
from the daily domestic, or sewa, reality. This ‘distance’ of jidai manifests itself
aurally in a formal, heavily stylized language, while sewa speech is closer to daily
speech. Yet, the sewa and jidai have points of intersection and exchange which
will be examined, that are used for both dramatic and metadramatic purposes.
Chapter four outlines the remaining rules which underlie the pitch, tempo,
and melodic pattemization of the kabuki actor’s speech. For ease of explanation,
each rule is addressed separately, but in practice the rules are often employed
simultaneously. All of them operate, to varying degrees, in both jidai and sewa
worlds.
Chapters five and six address the history, uses, rhythms and melodies of
non and shichi-go chd respectively. Examples show how these “fixed* rhythms,
while following specific patterns, also allow for subtle interpretive variations by
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In the concluding chapter seven, 1summarize the major results of this
study, address the debt which kabuid has to gidayQ, discuss possibilities for
adapting kabuki rules in stylizing English speech, and suggest important areas for
further research.
in-depth scholarly tomes on its history, literature, visual aspects (e.g. costume,
wigs, set design, movement), or the lives of individual artists, have been
voices. Beginning in the 1960s and continuing into the 1970s, record companies
’ There are older recordings, but they are rare and difficult to obtain.
1Kineya Eizaemon, a leading nagauta shamisen player compiled Kabukiongaku shusei: Edo hen
[3JC€HBiyRJ&: i I F * ] and KabukiongakushOsei: Kamfgata hen
(Tokyo: Kabuid Ongaku ShOsei Kankdfcai. 1976 and 1980), the most complete work to date of the
nagauta songs and instrumental pieces used by the geza musicians. For offstage percussion
IhayashQ, see MochizuldTainosuke's Kabukigeza ongaku IKabuki Geza MusicI. Tokyo: Engeki
Shuppansha, 1975; and KabukiongakuIKabuki Music], ed. by Tdyd ongaku gakkai. Tokyo: Ongaku
notomosha, 1980.
5
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and documentation of the sound of kabuki.
‘sound space” CScDSIB, oto no kQkan) on the kabuki stage.3 He argues that until
recently (post WWII), kabuki emphasized the aural over the visual. In ‘ Oto no
actor critiques area the Genroku era (1688 to 1703). Through these he
demonstrates the importance placed on the actor’s voice. We can see that many
of the vocal concerns today are present in the sentiments expressed in the
First of all, actors were expected to have proper breath support and
he is choking in long speeches; the veins in his throat stand out, and he looks as rf
bombastic aragoto style of acting, was not beyond vocal criticism, as evident
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from this 1699 critique: “He gasps for breath when he speaks. He seems terribly
had to be pleasant to the ear, as was that of Takeshima Kdzaemon I’s (d. 1712)
according to this 1687 critique: “His vocal delivery was eloquent and the sound
could even be heard as far as the small doorway at the front of the theatre (kido
vocal variety—of pitch, rhythm, and tempo—were fundamental to the actor's art
was criticized for being “difficult to understand, as he speaks through his nose,
and has no variation in rhythm and intonation in his speech.’* Conversely, the
onnagata actor Hanai Kosanzo I (dates unknown) was praised for his vocal
variation: “In a big drinking scene, the actor Takizd, playing the wet nurse, came in
to give a piece of her mind. (Kosanzd) responded he was not interested in what
she had to say. He did well a t varying his rhythm and intonation.*9
were already associated with character types. Samurai and jitsugoto (H4E,
honest, upright, leading male) roles were vocally at odds with softer yatsushi
* From Yakusha kuchijamfsen (& # □ = !(& ), Edo volume 2, p. 219; as quoted in Imao, p. 104.
r From Yardyakusha butaidkagami Vol. T, p. 243; as quoted in Imao, p. 103.
* Ibid. p. 240, as quoted in Imao, p. 102.
* From Yakusha dfukuchd (S £^lK tK ), Kyoto Volume 4, p. 520, Third month, 1711; as quoted
in Imao, p. 106.
7
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roles OcO U, former wealthy merchants or dispossessed samurai transformed
into poor, yet desirable lovers). Suzuki Heizaemon II (d. 1701), a tachiyaku
(leading male) role actor was criticized in this 1687 critique for the way his
yatsushi character spoke: “Unlike samurai and jitsugata (jitsugoto) roles, if the
words in a yatsushi speech are not spoken quickly, the speech will drag and
considered suitable for playing samurai and jitsugoto roles, as evidenced by this
1702 critique: “He does not settle into the jrtsugoto’s slow, deliberate manner of
speech. His quick speech is too light and not appropriate for the art of portraying
information about their own art of speech. The Actor's Analects (S titts ,
Yakusha Rongo), a collection of advice left by great kabuki actors of the late
One quotes the famous katakiyaku (villain role) actor Kataoka Nizaemon I (1656-
1715) as saying that he says the final lines of a play “with full voice’ and tries “not
to think that it is the end.’,z Another entry recounts an anecdote related to Sakata
TfijOrd l's (1647-1709) habit of repeating short phrases such as “How charming,
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how charming," and “It is I, it is I."1*
The same habits noted by actors of long ago can be seen in the kabuki of
today. On stage today, in the manner of Nizaemon I, pfays often conclude with
the actor or actors on stage delivering the final lines ‘with full voice," leaving the
feeling that all is not over. Similarly, repetition of short phrases such as those of
T6jur61, a popular actor of yatsushi roles, are common today with many character
types, but especially soft lovers roles, which are descendants of those acted by
T6jur6. Furthermore, a phrase should never be repeated in the same way; the actor
should vary pitch and tempo, consequently employing the rule “if speaking high,
then speak low; if low, then high. If speaking quickly, then speak slowly; if slowly
then quickly."
While connections to the past are hinted at in written sources, the absence
of sound recordings or vocal scores from the past makes direct knowledge of the
sound of that speech impossible. Over the centuries, other kabuki actors have of
These are similar to the short examples from the Anatects above, i.e. they usually
allusion to a ruling concept. Alone, these written texts do not tell enough about
“Ibi'd.p. 1T0-
9
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From October 1990 to March 1 9 91 ,a six-part series entitled “Serifu get
onnagata actor Onoe Kikuzd VI (b. 1923) was published in the magazine Hogaku
to Buyd Japanese Music and Dance). This series is the only published
elocution. The article discusses 'passing the end of the line to one's partner” and
“singing* the lines.* The writing does not make clear whether the stated rules are
the word of Onoe Kikuzd, or the projection of the interviewer for the article. A
very general outline, the series gave me direction for further exploration. It would
have been more useful had the publishers completed the promised cassette tape
of examples to accompany the text, but other published recordings can be used
serifu, or speech, though several scholars discuss terms which identify types of
Yukio has a short chapter which explores the origin of the term serifu; another on
textual references to and use of sutezerifu, or throw away lines,* and a third brief
chapter on /to ninoru, or riding the (rhythm of the) strings. His focus is historical
and his concern with pointing the reader to examples. He does not discuss the
10
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General descriptions of speech types appear in reference materials such as
observation about the distinction between katari, or solo storytelling, and serifii,
on the visual, as in the acting techniques section of Earle Ernst’s The Kabuki
Theatre (UH Press, 1974). James R. Brandon, in Kabuki: Five Classic Plays
(Harvard UP, 1975; UH Press, 1992) is the first to call attention to speech types,
which he identifies in the margins throughout the transfated text. Being a volume
of translations, the work does not address vocal technique or practice. However,
Shively. UH Press, 1978) he includes a section on vocal kata (form), and briefly
(divided dialogue), all of which are written using the shichi-go chd verse form.
identifies and defines many speech types, but he also does not address the sound
11
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Talking about music is like dancing about architecture,” the fringe pop
composer Frank Zappa is reputed to have said. Writing about elocution in kabuki
might be considered akin to talking about music. Perhaps that is why so little has
been written. If you cannot hear the words, or are not familiar enough with the
passages quoted in a text to be able to hear them inside your head, then verbal
comprehend at best.
recent years now make the accurate graphing of kabuki speech possible. The
fleeting sounds can now be measured, quantified, compared, and made into
speech.
Methodology
Actors do not always do what they say they do, nor are they always
necessary to correlate the two sides—the word and the practice—with each
other. To ascertain what actors say or have said about their art of speech I have
conducted live personal interviews (between November 1998 and August 1999);
and observed kabuki masters teaching young trainees at the two kabuki actor
12
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training programs in Japan. Observations at Tokyo's National Theatre of Japan
To determine how actors really perform their art, I observed over thirty of
the monthly live performances at the Kabuki-za and National Theatre of Japan
between September 1998 and August 1999, and hundreds during the four years
Kaisetsu, which offers a simultaneous earphone guide service for kabuki and
Recordings were from the audio-visual collection of the National Theatre of Japan,
the private collection of Professor Furuido Hideo of Waseda University, the audio
My personal study of several genres of singing and shamisen music that are
integral to kabuki, and studied by actors as part of their vocal training, has been
invaluable to this research. I have studied nagauta (ftffQ lyrical shamisen and
singing for eleven years (1988-99), tokiwazu (KSflljfr) narrative singing for five
year and a half 0 995-96,1999). The knowledge of voice gained through this has
13
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helped me know what to look—or rather listen—for. It has aided my
informed the questions I asked, and made it possible to recognize what aspect of
Japanese and English scholarly works on kabuki voice and speech, kata, gidayti
parentheses by the Japanese characters for the term and an English translation.
Subsequently, the term will appear in italics in Japanese only. All Japanese names
are given in the Japanese order, i.e. family name first. Dates of an actor's birth and
death, when known, are given in parentheses the first time the name is mentioned.
All actors are referred to by the name they held as of July 2000. If a quote,
his name at that time is given in parentheses. For example, if reference is made to
14
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a role performed in 1984 by actor Kataoka Nizaemon XV, who held the name
Kabuki plays are often known by several titles. I have chosen to use the popular
titles for plays, rather than longer titles under which they may have premiered.
All English translations, musical scores, and graphs in the text are the work
Notes on Graphs
Throughout the text I use graphs produced from digitalized sound bits.
The samples herein are chosen because they are illustrative as well as
cassette, video, CD, or LP rerecorded onto MD. The graphs were produced using
for it's ability to accurately graph relatively long segments of speech, and for its
user friendliness. However, the Speech Analyzer does have a few limitations. On a
few occasions, the program produced an ‘octave error,” resulting in a sound being
graphed an octave lower than the actual tone. Such instances have been noted on
the graphs where they occur. In addition, the upper limit of the Speech Analyzer's
capability to calculate the fundamental frequency (i.e. the actor's vocal pitch) is
15
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500hz. To check octave errors and obtain information on vocaf pitches exceeding
500 hz, ( used Praat 3.8.41 r a free shareware speech analysis program for
possible; however, reliable pitch comparisons can be made. Both pitch and
magnitude are indicated on all graphs. In most cases, discussion refers only to
the text, hertz values are given, followed by the nearest tone value (on the equally
tempered music scale) in parentheses. First the note, and then the keyboard
octave of that pitch is given. For example, the “C in the first octave of the piano
When the pitch as indicated in hertz falls equally between two pitches, they are
both given, as in 422hz (G# 4/A 4).’4A chart showing the corresponding values of
“This method is adopted from the fields of voice science and acoustics, where it is commoniy
used.
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CHAPTER U: GIDAYO AND THE KABUKI ACTOR'S VOCAL TRAINING
Vocal training for kabuki actors involves the study of many disciplines.
Consequently they leam vocal discipline by studying any of several of the musical
music) and nagauta. From this training actors leam breath support and many of
the basics of kabuki stage speech. Training also helps actors build a repertory of
plays in which they may act. They also leam narratives and songs to which they
may dance on stage at some future point in their careers. Actors are not limited,
training. For instance, onnagata Nakamura Matsue V (b. 1958) studied kydgen
when his adoptive father, veteran onnagata actor Nakamura Utaemon VI (b.1917),
Actors may study several genres of singing and chanting, yet most actors
agree that the most important one is gidayti. The majority of older principal
actors studied gfdayti for a number of years when younger.2 Today, the two-year
1September T998 talk given to the Dent6 Geijutsu no Kai (ffiR S iS © # , Traditional Performing
Arts Association), Tokyo. Interestingly enough Utaemon himself has a very weak voice, which
he compensates for by inhaling frequently and taking long pauses. Audiences have come to
praise his unique style.
* This is corroborated in interviews with actors discussing themselves and their peers, as well
as by allusions made by actors to their training which appear in print.
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basic kabuki acting programs for young men from non-kabuki families, at the
National Theatre of Japan in Tokyo and the Shdchiku-za in Osaka, both include
gidayti as a major part of the core curriculum.1 These classes are taught by
narrators, rather than takemoto gidayti professionals from kabuki. The centrality
of gidayti in the vocal training of the kabuki courses acknowledges the importance
indebtedness to an art form from which it began adopting scripts and techniques
On the surface, actors leam the original puppet plays from which the kabuki
versions are adapted. But that is not alt they leam. To begin with, through the
study of gidayti, actors leam a breath management system which employs low,
diaphragmatic breathing. This puts ‘strength in the belly” and gives *a command
* Gidayti ranks second in terms of hours of study a t both training programs, next to 'kabuki
jitsu gi,' the kabuld practfcum lessons that consist of what are essentially rehearsals of the
designated core plays in the curriculum.
* Nakamura Tomijurd and Tomita Tetsunojd. ‘Kabuki engi to gidayti*
Kabuki, October, 1974. p. 75.
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mother's belly from which new life emerges. Hara can also refer to one’s true
feelings or intent. When one “speaks from the hara,“ one is speaking frankly. One
“reads the harsT in order to know another's thoughts. When a person gets angry, it
is said that the 'hara rises.' The voice which originates in the hara expresses
By far the most lauded rule in kabuki is to ‘send the voice from the hara.'
The hara is considered the source of breath, and the source of the voice. Every
breath control technique develops its own imagery and unique vocabulary to aid
the performer in focusing on the use of breath. Sending the voice from the hara
places the focus of respiration on the development and use of the abdominal
muscles.
The two major groups of muscles controlling respiration are the abdominal
wall and the diaphragm. Contracting the diaphragm presses down on the
abdomen, forcing the abdominal wall outward. In some voice training techniques,
control breathing, while not denying the importance of the diaphragm.s Maximum
‘ The same is true for the use of voice in alt the musical genres used in kabuki.
19
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In exhalation, one contracts the intercostal (chest muscles) as well as the
abdominal musdes to control the expenditure of air from the lungs. The
diaphragm is passively pushed back up into the rib cage where it presses against
the lungs. Technically, the diaphragm is active only during inhalation, while the
abdominal muscles are active during both inhalation and exhalation. The point
here is not to summarize the breathing apparatus, but to demonstrate that the
adage “send the voice from the harsT is a direct reflection of a training technique
that focuses control of the breath on the action of the abdominal muscles.
Two other key techniques relate to effectively sending the voice from the
hara. One is learning to inhale quickly and deeply through the nose. The other is
learning to “hold the breath’ (/fc/ o tsumeru, &£S£a&-5), meaning to hold the air
helps the actor gain control of the breath. Onoe Baikd VII (1915-1995) says he
studied gidayti as a young man in order to leam elocution, breath control, and
.. .first, you should quickly take in a breath through the nose and
hold it in the abdomen, before releasing it while speaking the lines.
You mustnt forget to first let the breath settle in before beginning
to vocalize. If you dont hold the breath in the abdomen, but instead
inhale through the mouth and tense up the chest, there wont be
enough breath to deliver the line and youll end up gasping for
breath."*
•fmao Tetsuya. "Oto no kilkaif Cff©$S5) in Kabuki no kOkan ron (DtHflW JSBIli)- Tokyo:
twanaml Shoten, 1998. p. TIO.
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In kabuki, and in particular in gidayu kydgen, actors are often required to
deliver extended lines of dialogue without pausing for a breath. One trick the
actor learns from gidayO to help him maintain breath for those long lines is to
"steal" short breaths through the nose at undetectable points within words.
These points occur in words which have a doubled consonant that is a voiceless
plosive (i.e. [p], [t], and [k]). In Japanese,a doubled consonant is indicated by a
small phonetic symbol for mts if (O ) before the tetter that is to be doubled. For
ha (t) ta to
fi o(tsu) ft it
In voicing words with doubled consonants, a glottal stop occurs on the initial one,
and more is air forced out on the second, accentuating the plosive. Gidayu
brief instant exhalation ceases. Doing this gives the performer more breath to
Nakamura Ganjird III (b. 1931) maintains that actors leam how to take
successive breaths (ikitsugi, how to "hold the breath," how to release the
breath, and the timing (ma, IBJ) of line delivery through the study of gidayQ. He
adds that these skills are applicable to all types of plays: "if an actor studies
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gidayti, then line delivery is easy because he has a command of his breathing.*7
says the actor should breathe in the emotion with the breath and hold it
pathway to the mind and soul of the character.** As a director he was very strict
about when and how actors should breathe in the portrayal of their characters.
which the actor “held his breath* before finally letting the words explode from his
mouth, delighting audiences.10 Takechi believed Ganjird III to be one of the few
actors today who truly understands the concept of “holding* the breath. To this
praise, Ganjird III responds that many actors understand the concept o f‘ holding*
fn their minds (emphasis mine), but perhaps dont have the physical discipline to
do so.11
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timing and breathing. He insisted that inhaiation be through the nose and begin
as soon as the previous breath ended, unless one was consciously holding the
breath at the end of a line for effect." This manner of breathing allows enough
time for one to breathe in and “hold’ momentarily in preparation for delivery. It
also eliminates time that the speaker is not actively inhaling, “holding” the breath,
or speaking. The same thing happens in kabuki, and I believe this technique is one
of the keys to building and sustaining what many refer to as the “energy" of the
kabuki voice. There is no “dead" space—no time that is not actively used for
Nakamura Tomijurd V (b. 1929) says the study of gidayti helps the actor
produce an “even voice,’ which is attained by “stressing the second syllable,’ thus
distributing the breath so that the “volume of the voice is spread evenly and
beautifully over the entire phrase, to the very last syllable/1* This “even’
second syllable helps to prevent one from expending too much air at the
beginning of a phrase. Hitting the first syllable of a line or phrase with too much
force, called “atama atari? (BJCMIU), can make it more difficult to sustain a long
breath. When the first syllable is given a great thrust of air, it is usually a short
"Tokizdis a third generation tokiwazu professional. He is unusual in his willingness and ability
to explain technique, due to his belief that people today need more than just imitation in order
to mature as performers quickly enough to meet demands (due to dwindling numbers of
professionals).
* Nakamura and Tomita. ‘Kabuki engi to gidayti, * p. 76.
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utterance and often one of surprise. This stress on the second syllable is also
very important in jid aispeech, which will be discussed in detail in Chapter III.
Today at 70 years old, Tomijurd has a strong voice and stage presence, but
as a teenage actor his voice came from the throat, and the strain made the veins
in his neck pop out when he spoke. His breathing was high, in the chest, and every
time he took a breath the audience "would see the wing-tipped shoulder pieces of
his vest-like kami-shimo move,” gradually loosening, as his swords swayed up and
down. Such a display is not only visually unpleasant, but shows improper
deportment for a samurai.'4 All of this was a result of his inappropriate breathing,
and all was corrected, Tomijurd claims, through effective gidayti training.'5
Onzukai
Another important technique actors leam from gidayti is onzukai CS& U),
which literally means "the use of sound.” Onzukairefers to the placement of sound
in the mouth, the use of the articulators (lip, tongue, and jaw,s), and the use of
resonators (pharynx, mouth and nasal cavities) in producing sounds. With proper
onzukai the actor is able to sound "like” (rash//, b U l') the character he is
“Ibid, p. 77.
* Tomijurd and other actors of his generation (Ganjird III, Tanosuke V I) were young teens during
WWIt so did not begin studying gidayu until their late teens, which they consider to be late.
* Literature on gidayu discusses the chin, rather than the jaw, but the difference is essentially
one of imagery and not of substance.
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portraying. Actors team the “vocal coloring" (kowairo, appropriate to
rOjakudanjd) from all strata of society, occupations, and situations.” How sounds
are placed and articulated is central in creating a color of voice appropriate for a
given character.
sharp transition from one pitch to another. Extreme changes in pitch, which
typically involve a change in placement (and/or main resonator), are often used at
onzukai is used to signal a major shift. The scene centers around the shop cleric,
Yasuke, who is actually the Heike general Koremori in disguise. Yazaemon, the
shop owner and the only one who knows Yasuke’s true identity, returns to his
shop with a heavy heart (and a rice cask holding a severed head which he hopes to
substitute for Koremori’s, which has been demanded by the enemy leader).
Standing at the door, Yazaemon asks the “clerk" Yasuke where his wife and
daughter are. Yasuke replies that they are in the next room and offers to call
them. Yazaemon, realizing they are alone, responds with the words, 'mazu. . .
17Interview with Mizuguchi Kazuo, July 6 ,1999. Osaka. The term kowairo is also used to mean
mimicking the voice of an actor, but here refers to how the actor "mimics* characters.
"NakamuraandTomita. ‘KabukiengitogidayQ,m p .79.
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mazu' meaning “but first.. .but first." With these two words, ‘Yasuke's’
moves to the superior position in the upper level of the shop on the left, and sits
It is not what Yazaemon says, i.e. 'mazu. . .mazu,' that signals his intended
meaning, but how he says the words. When Yazaemon first enters his shop and
deferent servant addressing his lord Koremori, the actor drastically slows the
drops his chin, thus widening hisjaw. This enables the actor to pull his tongue
even lower and further back than usual in producing the “a” sound in 'm azu'
Lowering and pulling the tongue back creates a longer frontal resonance cavity in
the mouth and produces a deeper, resonant, more formal tone than that of
raised hand, indicating that Koremori should take a seat, communicates the sub
text of “My lord, please let me address you first (before calling in my wife and
deferent servant of his master, Koremori. This transformation, from the daily
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worfd of the sushi shop to the removed historical reality of the 12th century Heike
mazif—only four syllables—takes seven seconds and covers nearly three octaves
(AT to G4). The first 'm azif begins at around 390 hz (G4) and drops to 55 hz
(AT), while the second begins at a median pitch of 175 hz (F3) and rises slowly
in the second 'mazu" the “u* is nasalized as the actor moves into a falsetto. The
rising pitch and the nasalization of the vowel both soften the word. Combined
with the deliberate, slow pace of his speech, Yazaemon vocally transforms the
Pronunciation20
Many peculiarities of gidayti pronunciation have also been earned over into
kabuki speech, especially injidaimono and jidai characters. For example, the
syllables “ya,“ m
y if *yo,mnormally considered one syllable in modem colloquial
The same is true for the particle “o,“ which is pronounced as “u +■o.“ In kabuki,
" Jidai and sewa speech are discussed in detail in Chapter III.
‘ Detailed information on pronunciation changes in this section from “GidayQ bushionchd (dhorf
unpublished course materials written by Takemoto YanotayQ for the GidayQ
KyQkai (GidayQ Association).
27
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Graph 1
- n
Ma zu ma a a zu u
28
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changes in pronunciation such as these give the language a formal, antiquated
flavor. They also slow the tempo fay doubling the syllable count; e.g. from the
vowel provides greater melodic potential because it gives the actor two vowels
to manipulate.
There are also cases in gidayQ when sounds are completely changed. For
example when a "u* sound follows an V the “u* sound becomes “n," as in ‘shiroi
umsT (white horse) which is enunciated as 'shiroi nma.' Another common change
is the omission of the first syllable of conjunctive words, such as “sate sateT (well
respectively.
gidayQ. Clearly one sees a resonance with classical literary Japanese of the Heian
period (794-1185). GdayQ texts also reflect the dialect of the Kamigata area,
though artists and scholars alike insist that the language of gidayQ is not simply
While this is true, the historical and regional influences are undeniable.
sections of the narrative, were given to the actors as dialogue. The difficult to
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understand literary language was made more colloquial.21 (n the case of
flavor. On one hand, this makes the spoken text more difficult to understand. On
the other, however, the altered pronunciation creates a feeling of distance from
the speech of daily life, which is quite appropriate for the jidai (‘period’ )
extended vowel. There are two types. The first, hikiji (31 lit. ‘pulled’ letter),“
refers to extending the vowel of a syllable, causing the syllable to last for two
rather than one beat—i.e. extending or’ pulling’ the vowel. The second, umiji ( £
several beats. (In actuality, however, the term umiji is often used to mean both.)
In gidayu narration, the umiji is used in the sung lyrical sections (ji, ife) of the text,
where the extended vowef is used to create a melody. Umiji can also be used in
* Suwa Haruo. 'Tenmei kabukino saihydksf (!£9i8J|& <D j¥fFff) in Nishiyama Matsunosuke. Edo
no geind to bunka Tokyo: Yoshikawa Kfibunkan, 1985. p. T07
32'J i"(^ ) literally means 'ideogram.* It is translated here as letter* to communicate the fact that
only the vowel portion of the syllable, or mora. is extended.
* Umiji also exists in noh utai, as well as nagauta, ftiyomoto, tokiwazu and other genres of
music, in which it refers to an extended sung vowel sound.
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sound accompaniment to a shamisen passage.24 The extended vowei in both hikiji
and umiji may be indicated in the text by a small katakana symbol following the
syllable to be elongated. For example, ki-i would be written The longer the
“i" is to be held, the greater the number of katakana symbols for V that are used.
W S, Kumagai’s Battle Camp), when Sagami discovers that the head of the young
enemy warrior Atsumori is actually that of her own son. Umiji are also used
extensively by actors in delivering their lines and are especially common in final
cadences and in highly emotional scenes, which is quite logical. Stretching out a
word or phrase (by lengthening the vowels) emphasizes those words. The actor
can modulate the pitch of the lengthened vowel or use it to change the tempo,
thus focusing attention on a particular word or phrase. One example of umiji used
Messenger o f Love in Yamato). The ill-fated courier, Chubei, has just purchased the
contract of his courtesan lover, limegawa, and is in a terrible hurry to leave the
house where he is employed to make the purchase. Umegawa asks Chubei why he
is hurrying, to which he responds “we must hurry.. .for the road is long* (sekaneba
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naranu.. .michiga tdf). Here, the use of the umiji communicates a sense of
distance, by stretching the word tdf (far), it aiso communicates Chubei’s feeling
of despair at ever getting very far down that road with his new wife. With the
mi
chi
to -o -o -o -o -o -o -o - i- i- i- i-
ga £
Usage of umiji is not limited to gidayQ kydgen, but can be heard in all types
of plays. One example in a junsui ($$&), or ‘pure* kabuki play, is the opening line
edo zakura (Sfr/tfiJisIFB O , Sukeroku: Flower o f Edo). The speech begins with
the line 'ikasama na-aT (indeed now, truly), shown on Graphs 2 and 3 (pp. 33-34).
The graphs illustrate how DanjurdXI and XII respectively, deliver this opening line.
Both hofd the final ‘a’ o f‘na,‘ pushing the ‘ a’ up more than an octave before
gradually lowering it. This creates a striking melodic cadence which seems to
draw the audience along the contours of the melody. It also creates a feeling of
32
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Graph 2
I i lea a sa a ma a na a
33
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Graph 3
A
/
vwynj
•w ,
■X*
I t ka a sa a ma aa
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Gidayti Study Today
In the Meiji Period (1868-1912) it was standard for all actors to study
gidayti, and even perform professional public recitals of solo gidayti pieces.25This
was true until the Pacific war years (WWII), which interrupted many actors’
training. Even so, according to kabuki scholar Imao Tetsuya, ‘in 1955 at least fifty
percent* of kabuki actors studied gidayti. However by the early 1970s that figure
Tanosuke VI (b. 1932), and former kabuki actor Mizoguchi Kazuo, who now
manages the kabuki actor training program at Shdchiku-za Theatre in Osaka, ail
number of young actors studying it. When Tanosuke (an excellent gidayti
performer*7) was asked about gidayti study among the National Theatre kabuki
trainees, from which he now has three apprentices, he shook his head in not so
feigned disgust and said ‘they dont continue to study after they graduate. They
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should, but they d o n t/*
studying gidayO, noting that the performance times of gidayO kydgen are getting
longer and longer. He attributes this lengthening to the fact that actors who have
not studied gidayO do not understand the rhythm of gidayO kydgen. They cannot
maintain their breath long enough to produce the sustained lines of the gidayu
play. Actors “chop lines into short pieces, speaking at their own pace to make it
easy for themselves, rather than speaking in the longer phrases (of gidayO).
Without the breath control, actors cant give the proper sense of pacing to a
gidayO play; their “ma” (19, pauses between phrases) are too long, and audiences
get bored.29 This is a sad commentary indeed, considering the advice imparted to
Nakamura Tomijurd V at the age of fifteen, from his first gidayO teacher, actor
“Above all, you have to leam the timing, breath, and rhythm of
Today many younger actors choose to study other musical genres in lieu of
gidayO. My own survey of the October 1998 Kabuki haiyO meikan (% & (£€£& £IE,
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KabukiActor Registry),31showed that of the 281 actors listed, 101, or 36% are
101, only 25, or 8.8% of the 281 actors listed, study gidayu. This number is
misleading, however, for it excludes all the actors who studied gidayu for two
years as part of their education at one of the two kabuki training programs. To
date, the total number of graduates active in kabuki is 98, or approximately 33%
of the total number of kabuki actors.® Thus, at the very least, 33% of the acting
pool has studied gidayO; but, as Tanosuke says, most of those graduates dont
continue. In truth, there is little to encourage them to do so, for their chances of
ever having a significant speaking role in their kabuki careers is slim. Of the 98
graduate actors to date, only 15 are nadai ( £ 3 ) , or actors of a rank high enough
The 8.8% figure also excludes older actors who studied gidayu when
younger, but no longer do so. There are currently 59 actors aged 60 and over.
They are the ones who would have been an appropriate age to study gidayO in
1955, when Imao estimates 50% of actors were studying it. That transfates to
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approximately 30 older actors who studied gidayu when younger. Combining
these 30 older actors with the 98 kabuki training graduates, plus the 15 actors
noted in the KabukibaiyO meikan as studying gidayO who are neither graduate
trainees nor actors over 60, gives a total of 143. That means that approximately
51 % of the total number of kabuki actors have studied or are studying gidayu.
More significant, however, is that only about 58 of those 143, or 20% of the total
number of actors, are ranked as nadaiand likely to deliver more than a few short
lines on stage.
Despite all the literature, the training programs, interviews and other
affirmations by actors that claim gidayO training is essential for a kabuki actor,
the reality is somewhat different. In lieu of gidayO, many actors are studying
develop vocal support and learn to breath from the belly, but nagauta training
focuses on pitch and melody. The goal is to sound pretty. It does not teach one
to attack and use the breath in a dynamically expressive manner. Nor does
nagauta help develop the control of vocal placement necessary to portray the
surfacing, as Ganjird III noted. Though beyond the scope of this research, it would
bo fascinating to follow this trend and see how breathing, timing and elocution
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change over the next twenty years, as the young actors of today move towards
their career peaks and begin performing leading roles in gidayO kydgen and other
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CHAPTER HI: JIDAI AND SEW A
This chapter will examine the concepts of jidai, “period* or “historical,* and
sewa, “domestic," and how they are manifest vocally. Jidai and sewa have a wide
range of applications in kabuki. To begin with, the terms describe the basic
division of play types, i.e jidaimono and sew am onoCharacters can also be
can be identified. Broadly speaking, the difference injidai and sewa voice lies in
the language, intonation patterns, pitch range, tempo, and placement of sound. I
will use examples to demonstrate the tendencies of these two modes, and show
prior to the beginning of the Edo Period (1603-1868). A subdivision, called ddai-
or dchdmono ( f ft# l or 3EUHJ5, "imperial period” plays), is used for plays dealing
with imperial society and set in the Nara or Heian periods (early eighth to twelfth
r The classification I am using is based on content and style of performance, it contains a third
category, shosagoto, dance or dance plays, which I exclude since shosagoto are largely
movement and music, involving little speech on the actor's part. Another classification system
of kabuki plays divides them by origin, yielding the categories *junsur kabuki “pure*
plays originating in kabuki), gidayQ kydgen (plays adapted from bunraku), matsubamemono (&$c
9 Hi, plays adapted from noh and kydgen), and shfn kabuld *new* kabuki plays written
in or after the 20th century by non-kabuki playwrights influenced by Western realism.
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centuries), prior to the Genji-Heiki (Gempei) wars of the 1180s. In a broad sense,
distant from the self,"* i.e. worlds which were distant from everyday Edo Period
reality.
“distant" or “historical’ nature. This is not to say that their dress or movements
place them apart from the daily reality of Edo Japan. Typical jidai characters are
princes and princesses, imperial and feudal fords and ladies-in-waiting, and
who dress and speak in a more formal manner than their Edo-period counterparts.
Sewamono refers to plays set in the Edo period, such as Natsu matsuri
sewamono developed. The first, kizewamono (£1 £© & , “raw* sewamono), are so-
called because of their “purity”3in portraying Edo life in all its raw reality. These
plays developed early in the nineteenth century. The other subdivision, called
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jidaisewamono, or period domestic pfays), are sewamono in that
they are set in the Edo period and contain everyday sewa characters of the era,
but may afso contain occasionaljidai characters, or have sewa characters who act
woricT—familiar to a person of the Edo era, that is. Sewa characters thus include
playwrights and actors, had limited access to the world of the high-ranking
samurai and shogunate officials. Thus, for ail practical purposes, the “familiar”
worlds portrayed in the sewamono were the homes and shops of artisans,
Typical sewa characters include shop owners and their wives and
daughters, clerks and their courtesan or prostitute lovers, farmers and artisans,
depending on the era to which they belong, can be either sewa orjidaL
4Kabukijiten, p. 209.
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The language used byjid ai and sewa characters also differs. Jidai
characters tend to speak in a more literary language, while sewa characters speak
as their real life counterparts might have spoken. The tempo of jidai characters is
very deliberate, generally one half to one third the speed of sewa characters.
being lowered which creates a larger, more resonant oral cavity than in daily
speech. Vowel sounds are generally placed further back in the mouth than in daily
or sewa speech. This is especially true for male roles. This rear placement of
vowels, called postenorization, makes jid ai vowels sound more ‘ round," resonant,
and heavier than sewa vowels. This also makes the sounds more difficult to
appropriate for the upper class characters belonging to the “distant* realm of
jidai. I believe these qualities, combined with the literary language and the fact
that the sounds as voiced are difficult to understand, all help to create that sense
Two distinct intonation patterns are prevalent injid ai speech. In the first
Tamba Akira. The MusicalStructure o fNoh, Tokyo: Tokaf University Press, 1981. p. 48.
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pattern, the pitch of the voice rises sharply at the beginning of the phrase, usually
on the second syllable, falls very gradually through the middle of the phrase, then
drops a t the end. Former kabuki actor Mizuguchi Kazuo stated this pattern as a
rule of kabuki: “Attack the second syllable and drop the end of the three-part
phrase."* “Attack" in this sense means to attack with the breath, pushing the pitch
up sharply. Lines of speech are not always divided into three parts, and in fact the
rule is applicable for two or four part phrases as well. The rule, slightly modified
to read “Attack the second syllable and drop the end of the phrase," more
accurately describes this typical pattern of kabuki jidai speech/ Though difficult
to prove, this emphasis on the second syllable may have come to kabuki via
gidayO.
The second pattern often heard in jidai speech is called ‘yamagata,' (UiM )
or “mountain form,” so-called because the pitch rises gradually from the beginning
of the phrase, peaks in the middle, and falls gradually again to the end, creating a
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Jidai and Sewa “Coupling*
necessarily adhere strictly to only one category. In fact, it is common for a full-
length play to begin and end in an historical world, but feature a more
contemporary scene or scenes in the middle. For example, all three of the
structured like this. Alt three are classified as jidaimono, yet all three contain
set in the twelfth century, contains a scene called "Sushiya,* set in an Edo sushi
shop. The focus of the scene is the twelfth-century general, Taira no Koremori,
who is taking refuge in the sushi shop disguised as a clerk named “Yasuke." The
shop owner, his wife, daughter, and son are all contemporary Edo, i.e. sewa,
socially, physically and vocally—as long as his true identity is kept secret.
Another example is the seventh act of Chushingura. The play is set in the
fourteenth century, but the seventh act takes place at a famous Edo-era teahouse
in Kyoto called the Ichirikiya. The scene features an array of contemporary sewa
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teahouse attendants and prostitutes. A third example is the Terakoya’ scene ( #
/J\g, The Village School) of Sugawara denjQ tenarai kagamL The play is set in the
ninth century, but the Terakoya” scene takes place in an Edo-period village
school. Sewa characters such as local commoner children and parents are
imperial Minister.
The three brief examples above demonstrate three ways in which jidai and
incorporation of a sewa scene into a jidaimono, as in the case of the ninth scene
seen in Terakoya," is the mixture of both jidai and sewa characters within a sewa
scene. An even more complex type of coupling is the mixture of sewa and jidai in
Vocal Examples
Daily Speech
Sewa speech is close to daily speech in vocal range and tempo. By way of
speech of four kabuki actors. Graphs 4 to 7 (p. 49-52) illustrate sample phrases
46
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of speech taken from videotapes of televised interviews with Nakamura Shikan VII
(b. 1928), Onoe Baik6 VII, Nakamura Utaemon VI (b. 1917), and Onoe Shfiroku II
speaking voices. They are not performing roles in kabuki, but describing aspects
of kabuki to an interviewer.
An examination of the graphs shows that the range of voice used by the
actors varies from approximately nine semitones, the narrowest range (Shdroku,
Graph 7), to an octave and four semitones, the widest (Baikd, Graph 5). The vocal
range of all the actors is reflective of a “normal" speaking range. The average
adult has a total pitch range of about one and two thirds octaves, while their
usual speaking range is about an octave/ The median pitches of the actors’
speaking voices are within +/-1 standard deviation of the median pitch for adult
males (C3),10 with the exception of Shdroku, whose median pitch is slightly
higher. The rate of speech” for all actors except one (Utaemon) is slightly faster
than the average of 6.9 syllables per second (ss).” The following chart
summarizes the vocal ranges and speaking rates of the four samples shown in
* Hoops, Richard A. Speech Science: Acoustics in Speech. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas
Publishers, 1969. p. 60. The data in Hoops applies to native English speakers in the U.S. It
should be acknowledged that though there are no biological differences in vocal apparatus
between Japanese and Americans, cultural elements could influence the range of voice used on a
daily basis. However, the one-octave range is corroborated by Japanese linguistics data,
particufariy that of Jouji Miwa of twate University.
-Ibid. p. 58.
nRate of speech is calculated by dividing the number of syllables by the total time.
-Calculated from statistics in Kohno Morio, “Mora, Syllable, and Rhythm—A Psycholinguistic
Study'Journal o f the Phonetic Society o fJapan. Vol. 2, No. T April 1998, p. 20.
47
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Graphs 4 to 7:
changes. The largest of the four examples is in Graph 4, when Shikan’s voice rises
mochiaamf (a type of paper), and again when he says “jam /,' (paper). The topic
of his discussion is onnagata, and Shikan raises his pitch on these two words to
stress the type of paper carried in the breast of the kimono as part of the
onnagata costume. Other than these two instances, Shikan's voice rises and falls
from 150hz (D/D#3) to 230hz (A#3), on the “ka" in the word *wakaranaf
(unnoticeabfe) which emphasize the invisible nature of the way in which a kdken
(stagehand) removes props which are no longer needed. At the end of the line, on
*s<5 iu fir (those kinds of things) Baikd again raises the pitch to emphasize 'kinds
We can see in these examples that the pitch is demonstrably raised only
once or twice in a sentence for the purpose of emphasis. For the most part, the
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Graph 4
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Graph 5
JL
Tacfaiyaku san ga iranai mono o, mo tsukawanai mono ga soko ni attara wakaranai yd ni soreo katazukeru.
Soiufunakotoo.
50
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Graph 6
Sono gakki no te o ne, sono, kangaenai de, ano ku ni shinai de, ano butai derarem yd ni narimaahita.
Note: spike in graphis due to noisein the recording, not the pitch ofthe speaker's voice.
51
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Graph 7
island
r
* Sore dake onnagata sanwa kitsukatterun desu kedo ne.
Note: spike in graph is dueto noise in the recording, notthe pitch ofthe speaker’svoice.
52
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rising and falling intonation, as well as the cadences of phrases are rather flat.
tones.’3
in many ways sewa speech, i.e. the daily language of Edo, follows the
and vocabulary used are reflective of the Edo era. Furthermore, sewa characters,
especially women, tend to speak slower than the average rate of daily speech,
Sewa Speech
Now let us turn to samples of kabuki sewa speech. Graphs 8-10 (p. 55-57)
illustrate two short sewa vocal samples from the role of the clerk Yasuke in the
“Sushiya* scene, as performed by Nakamura Shikan VII. Graph 8 (p. 55) illustrates
Yasuke's line as he greets Yazaemon, the sushi shop owner, upon his return home.
wife and daughter: *Say6 nara, watakushi wa chotto, oyobi mdshrte gozarimasunf
(If you wish, I shall go and calf them here for you).
9 Kiyose, Gisaburd. “Formation of the Japanese Accentuation System/ The Study o f Sounds
(Onsetno kenkyti, **CWJF5t) Vol. 19,1981. p. 227.
53
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tn terms of tempo and vocal range, both of these examples demonstrate
how close Yasuke's sewa speech Is to daily speech. Yasuke speaks at a relatively
quick tempo of 6.67 ss,14fractionally slower than the average daily speaking rate
165hz to 330hz (E3~E4), rising beyond that only once, on moyobi mdshiteT (call
them). The higher pitch on these syllables emphasizes the humble verb form
Yasuke uses, demonstrating his subservient position as clerk. The pitch rise on
the syllables “yobF is only about five semitones, which is not unusual for daily
The same line of speech shown in Graph 9 is illustrated in Graph 10 (p. 57),
performed by another actor, Onoe Baikd VII. Like Shikan, Baikd speaks more or
Shikan and Baikd, and Yasuke’s sewa voice as performed by the two actors
(Graphs 8-10), shows that both actors speak eight to ten semitones higher as
Yasuke. This is due to Yasuke's age, probably in his twenties, and the general
used by a person of the same age in real lrfe.,s Furthermore, the character of
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Graph 8
m a
55
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Graph 9
56
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Graph 10
ygtd
b ttU
V\
57
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Yasuke is decades younger than the age of either Baikd or Shikan at the time of
the interviews from which the samples of their normal speaking voice were taken.
As a general rule in kabukit the younger characters are, the higher-pitched their
speaking levels, with female roles using a slightly higher range than men.
Remember that the sewa clerk ‘Yasuke* is in reality the Heike general
Koremori, a /da/'character. We have seen how *Yasuke” speaks when in the guise
of a commoner, but there are points in the “Sushiya" scene when ‘Yasuke’s* true
identity is revealed and he exhibits the stature, both physically and vocally, of his
The first time ‘Yasuke’s* true identity is revealed, he is in the front room of
the shop with Yazaemon. Yazaemon indicates his request for “Yasuke" to stop
pretending, and take a seat so they may speak. Kneeling, Yazaemon addresses
the young man in his true identity of Koremori. Yazaemon apologizes to Koremori
for having to disguise him as a lowly clerk in order to protect him. Even so, the
enemy has seen through the ruse, so Yazaemon asks Koremori to prepare to flee
the next day to a hidden retreat in the mountains for safety. To this, the jidai
58
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thousands of people. / Among all of those countless individuals, / how
Graph sets 11 and 12 (p. 60-63) illustrate the above lines, as performed by
Nakamura Shikan VII and Onoe Baikd VII, respectively, in the role of Koremori.
yamagata form is clearly visible in two phrases. The first, “chichi Shigemori ga kd
to a peak of 450hz (A/A#4) on the syllable “fco," before falling again to 200hz.
The second yamagata phrase, ‘kazu kagirinaki sono naka nr (Graphs 11/12 C),
before the sharp glide up in pitch. In practice, this dip in pitch is a result of what
actors call “pushing’ (osu, ) the breath. “Pushing’ means tightly contracting
the abdominal and intercostal muscles to increase sub glottal pressure and
airflow. Using this added force, the actor pushes the pitch down, as a kind of
preparatory “hook" from which to rebound, forcing the pitch upwards. This
substantial interval.
The length ofjidai breath phrases, i.e. length of time between breaths, is
also rather long. The sewa phrases in Graphs 8~10 are between .8 and 2.5
59
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Graph Set 11
B. nr mo no wa i fcu ma a ni a (sfaamisen)
400.8 155.8 180
60
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Graph Set 11
A iM
a H \ yv* V
/ W 'W f : '
ka zu ka gt na Id so no na ka at
205 170.8/407.5 190
D. to no CO yo o na a mo no ga a ro o 0 ya
200 I88.I/403.1 148.6/396.1 175
61
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Graph Set 12
Example of Yamagata JidaiVofce (Koremori [Onoe Baiko VII] in “Sushiya”)
ta n i mo no
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Graph Set 12
C. ka zu ka gi ri na Id so no na ka oi (shamisen)
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seconds, while the jidaiphrases of Graphs 11 ~12 range from 3.75 to 6.5 seconds.
These longer breath phrases are not because the phrase has more syllables, but
because each syllable is elongated. This of course means it takes longer to say
the same thing in a jidai voice, and that breath phrases must also be longer. By
maerimasunf (I shall go and call them for you) in Graph 9 (Shikan), takes
In Graph 11 (Shikan), the thirteen-syllable jidai breath phrase 'uketarv mono wa iku
man nirf takes approximately 6.75 seconds, while the corresponding phrase in
syllables (sps) for jidai speech, versus .16 sps for sewa speech, making his sewa
speech more than three times (3.25) faster than hisjidai speech. Baiko’ s rates
are slightly faster, at .40 sps forjidai and .19sps for sewa, making his sewa
speech Just over twice (2.1 ) as fast as hisjidai speech. As these examples show,
sewa andjidai tempos may vary depending on the actor. Tempos will also vary
"For example, courtesans, who are sewa characters, nevertheless tend to speak very slowly.
A discussion of courtesan speech is included in Chapter IV.
64
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that ofjidai.
speech. First of all, as discussed in Chapter II, the particle “o,“ is pronounced
the interjective “ya* (“oh" or “ahf Graphs 11/12 D), are pronounced “i+yd" and
“i+ya" respectively.
The second prevalent pattern in jidai voice, “attack the second syllable and
drop the end of the phrase,’ is illustrated in Graphs 13 and 14 (p. 66-67). These
vocal samples are from the “Hikimado" scene (51 The Skylight) of Futatsu
JOJibei, a newly appointed village official of samurai status, is discussing his first
assignment with two other samurai. The two describe to Jujibei the
circumstances of their brother's death, adding that they are in search of the
murderer. The graphs illustrate JGjibei's response: '[shikaraba,] katafd uchi dozerf
In Graph 14, the pitch of the first syllable, 'k a ' begins around 200hz(G#3),
then rises to approximately 450hz (A /A #4) on the second syllable “ta," an interval
of an octave and two semitones. The actor sustains a high pitch for the next four
65
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Graph 13
Example of “Attack the Second Syllable and Drop the End of the Phrase’ Jidai
Voice (Jfljibei [Kataoka NizaemonXV] in “Hikimado”)
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Graph 14
Example o f “Attack the Second Syllable and Drop the End of the Phrase" Jidai
Voice (Jfljibei [Nakamura GanjirS III] in “Hifamado”)
67
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syllables, before beginning a glissando fall in pitch over the final four syllables to
finish around 150hz (D /D #3). The overall pitch range of the line is about an
In graph 13, the same phrase follows a similar pattern in a slightly lower
pitch range. Beginning at approximately 150hz (D/D#3) on 'k a ' the pitch rises to
around 400hz (G4) on “ta," and falls gradually on the final four syllables to end
around 125hz (B2). The overall range covered is an octave and eight semitones.
The same high-arching phrase pattern, ‘ attacking’ the second syllable, can
Natsu matsuri naniwa kagami. in this scene Tdnai is about to release the
Tdnai delivers the following speech (a slash ( /) marks the end of each phrase):
(Charges state that last year on the thirteenth of the ninth month you
quarreled with a retainer of Q tori Sagaemon and injured him. You and he
were both imprisoned, and though the man's injury was slight, he died while
in prison. Therefore, due to the good graces of Tamashima HyddayO, you
have been pardoned.*7 Show your gratitude.)
7 Edo law would have required that both individuals involved be questioned. The death of the
other man made further investigation impossible, resulting in Danshichi's release.
68
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Almost every phrase of Tonai’s speech, shown in Graph set 15 (p. 70-71),
follows the "attack the second syllable rule." Each phrase rises sharply—by up to
an octave—at the beginning, then falls gradually to the end. Tdnai, a samurai,
samurai, he is a "familiar" entity and part of the sewa world. This makes him a
sewa samurai. His speech demonstrates elements of both jidai and sewa worlds.
The formal, proclamatory intonation pattern isjidai. However, the range of voice
Tdnai uses stays within an octave, thus narrower and less exaggerated than a true
jidai character which, as shown in Graphs 13 and 14, can have a breadth of an
octave and a half to an octave and two-thirds. Furthermore, the pace of Tdnai’s
second syllable and the yamagata—are also found in the speech of female jidai
characters. One example is from the "Daimotsu ura" scene Cfc&ilt, Daimotsu Bay)
warts with her charge, the child emperor Antoku, who is of Heike blood. Together
they watch a decisive sea battle between the Heike and the Genjt clans raging in
the distance. Seeing that the Heike will be defeated, Suke no Tsubone calls for
the attendants to “bring the [Heike] flag of the young lord" (kimi no on-nagare
chddaimesare).
69
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Graph Set 15
K J
t
» ; : . a t
i .
70
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Graph Set 15
71
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An examination of the line, illustrated in Graph 16 (p. 73), shows that the
first phrase, kimi no on-nagare, more or less follows a yamagata pattern. Rising
gradually from around 250hz (B#3) to 350 hz (F4), the pitch of the phrases jumps
to 540hz (C#4) on the syllable “na* and falls again to just above 200hz, spanning
beginning around 150 hz (D /D #3) on the initial syllable of *cho,“ rises sharply an
octave and ten semitones to 542 hz (C#4) on the second syllable, “o.“ From there
the pitch falls gradually, dropping on the final syllable and returning to
approximately 250hz. The tempo of speech is a stately jidai pace of 2.4 ss.
as the cleric “Yasuke,” he speaks and acts as the sewa character he appears to be.
He speaks in his jidai voice only when his true identity of Koremori is revealed or
acknowledged.
Kabuki actors also occasionally make use of the jidai and sewa vocal
position of village official, a post his father held before him. When Jujlbei left the
72
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Graph 16
out
I:
\ *
-
: A vA» \
Ki mi no o naga re e cho o da i me sa re e
73
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house, he was the commoner known as Yohei; he returns as a samurai, given the
Dressed in haori, hakama and two swords, the official costume of his office
and symbol of his new elevated status, Jujibei returns home. Excited by his
promotion, he enters the house and calls to his mother and wife in the quick,
everyday voice of a sewa commoner, 'Haha ja hito. Nyobo domef (Mother! Wife!).
Realizing the tone and language are not befitting his new samurai status, JGJibei
adjusts both his posture and his vocal delivery for the next line, “Tadaima
tachikaettsT (I have just now returned), which he delivers using the jidai pattern of
Both actors deliver the lines in a similar manner. The first line, "hahaja hito, nydbo
domo, is very “natural" in that the character shouts excitedly, speaking very
quickly in a high pitch. This is followed by a pause and a shift into a controlled
physical and vocal stance as he assumes the format deportment of a samurai, and
tachikaetta.'
The difference between the two modes of voice is striking. To begin with,
both actors also slow the tempo immensely when shifting from sewa to jidai. The
74
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rate of speech for each actorr summarized below, shows the sewa speech to be
The controlled pitch rise on the second syllable of 'tadaimsT (da) in both
examples is also quite striking, especially in the case of Nizaemon, who jumps
ten semitones. The interval of Ganjird’s pitch jump is slightly smaller, at an octave
and two semitones (175hz to 425hz; F#3 to G#/A4), but the pattern is the same.
JOjibei's samurai status is clearly indicated by his dress and physical carriage the
moment he enters. Internally, however, JOjibei has not fully adjusted to his new
promotion in status. The change firom sewa to jidai \n the first lines Jujibei utters
in the scene—i.e. when he greets his family using the lines shown in Graphs 17 and
psychological transition into his new role. JOjibei switches from jidai to sewa in
other instances in the scene for similar reasons. Nakamura Ganjird III attributes
“Kamigata style.” * Ganjird I may well have been the first to perform Jujibei using
* Interview with Nakamura Ganjird ill, July 5r 1999. Osaka. Ganjird is a Kamigata actor,
having been bom and raised in the Kansai area.
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Graph 17
Example of Use of Psychological Switching from Sewa to Jidai Voice
(JQjibei [Kataoka Nizaemon XV] in “Hikimado”)
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Graph 18
Example of Use of Psychological Switching from Sewa to JidaiVoice
(JOjibei [Nakamura Ganjird III] in “Hikimado”)
A. Hahajahito nydbodomo
B. l ma ta chi ka e (kakegoe) ta
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this switching between jidai and sewa, but his interpretation is commonplace
This “coupling” ofjidai and sewa voice to express the internal aspects of a
character is a pure kabuki invention. In the original bunraku play, Jujibei uses a
deliberate and formal jidai-like speech throughout the scene. As one narrator
explained to me, the voice must suit the puppet head and the clothing.’9
vocal demeanor would not be appropriate. Kabuki actors, however, do not have
character.
Another aspect of the vocal switching between jidai and sewa is a purely
technical one. Considerable vocal control is required to switch between the two
with ease, and the difference in sound between the two is striking. Actors use
opportunities such as those present in the role of Jujibei, to “couple” the dramatic
effect of switching from one mode to another, with the opportunity to display
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CHAPTER IV : MERIHARI—MODULATING PITCH,
An actor is said to have merihari if the pitch, intonation, tempo, and dynamics of
his voice are well modulated. The kabuki actor’s voice must have merihari to be
aurally stimulating.
This chapter discusses important basic rules the actor uses to give his
voice merihari. Any “full-fledged" actor (Jchininmae, —AftT) has internalized these
rules and uses them regulariy in the performance of all types of characters in both
sewamono and jidaimono.’ When asked, an actor may not be able to articulate
rules of voice, but this is a consequence of his training. There is no voice course
that provides a list of rules which are learned and then applied when acting a
character in a play. On the contrary, an actor learns roles, and after years of
building a repertory, he simply “knows" what the rules are, even if he cannot
enumerate them.
* I have limited discussion to “pure" Qunsui) kabuki and gidayQ kydgen, though the rules also
apply to vocai interpretation in matsubame mono (t&fiSUr, prays adapted from noh and
kyogen). “New" kabuki shin kabuki), which are influenced by Western realism, have a
different sound vocally, and are not included in this study.
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Students enrolled in the kabuki actor training courses have only two years
to learn all the basics of kabuki dance, stage combat, acting and voice. The
entering the program.2 Therefore, kabuki actors teaching the trainees often
elucidate aspects of rules through the specific instructions and examples they
give, hoping to expedite the students' learning process, as two years is not
enough time to develop an intuitive understanding of the kabuki art form without
opportunity to see the rules discussed herein as they were being taught.
nimaime young lovers) is the third string (of the shamisen); tachiyaku (St
& , lead males) the second, and toshiyori , old people) and katakiyaku (0 i
& , villains) the first.’* Variant versions afso exist, such as ‘the (pitch of the)
onnagata is the third string (of the shamisen); soft lovers (nimaime) and
supporting roles (JBS, wakiyaku) are the second.’4 The two versions dont seem
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to agree on the pitch of the nimaime role. In addition, the second version does
not specify whether the supporting roles are male or female characters. Nor does
it mention tacNyaku roles. I give less credence to this variant, for it seems logical
above supporting ones. However, given that the source of this variant was
himself a male role supporting actor, it makes sense that he might remember a
A third version of the adage, by Onoe Kikuzd, is much simpler the open
second string of the shamisen is the basis (of pitch for the voice).* Kikuzd was a
member of the Onoe Kikugord theatre troupe for his entire career, acting
supporting onnagata roles alongside Onoe Baikd's leading roles. Even so, each
actor quotes a different version of the same adage. A t still further extremes,
there are actors, such as Nakamura Ganjird III, who give no credence to any of the
sayings regarding shamisen pitch and the pitch of the actor's voice.5
comes to be stated as fact by the artists themselves. This saying, for example,
floats around and is quoted in one form or another in kabuki appreciation courses
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in interviews. But which version, if any, is true? ft seems probable that some sort
of relationship exists between the shamisen and the pitch of the actor's voice.
or dance. Any one or more of four musical genres— nagauta, kiyomoto, tokiwazu,
styles of plays make use in varying degrees of the offstage nagauta string and
adapted from bunraku, which comprise a large portion of today’s kabuki repertory.
That both nagauta and takemoto music are necessary for performance is clearly
demonstrated by the organizational status they have. Today there are two
therefore, it is not surprising that it could be the focal point of pitch for kabuki
actors. If the tuning of the strings indicates the pitch of the actors voices, then
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tuning” is a perfect fourth between strings one and two, and a perfect fifth
between strings two and three. In ni-agari, (~ ± U , “second string raised”) the
second string is raised a tone, maidng a fifth between strings one and two, and a
fourth between two and three. In san-sagari (= T tf, “third string lowered”), the
third string is lowered one tone, making two perfect fourths between strings one
As a rule, pitches of the shamisen are relative and can be tuned to match
the lead singer. In practice today, however, the geza nagauta ensemble in kabuki
usually tunes the first (lowest) string to C#.’° The explanation given is that the
nagauta shamisen resonates best in this tuning." The open strings of the nagauta
(hon-chdshi)
(san-sagari)
aInformation on shamisen music is based on my own twelve years of study. For published data
in English on nagauta, see Malm, William P. Nagauta. Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle, T959.
•Traditionally pitch in Japan is referred to as “hon." C# is equal to go hon, or ‘5 hart*
"Interview with Kineya Wakichi, professional geza nagauta shamisen player. Jan. 23, 2000,
Honolulu, HI. Cuhousiy, in nagauta concerts the shamisen is usually tuned a half tone lower [CJ.
If C# is where the instrument resonates best, one would expect it to be the pitch used a t a
concert where the shamisen is the focus of attention.
83
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The tuning of the takemoto shamisen is generally a fourth lower than the
nagauta, so that the two ensembles do not clash when playing pieces that
dovetail with each other. Thus, the basic tuning of the takemoto shamisen would
be as follows:1*
(takemoto hon-ch6shi)
As a general rule, kabuki takemoto tuning is a whole tone higher than that
used by "hon’ gidayti (the ‘original’ gidayu of bunraku). The reason for this, as
explained by Takemoto Ayatayfl, the head tayO in kabuki today, is that it is easier
for actors to speak with this higher tuning.1* This would seem to imply a
relationship between the pitch of the actor's speaking voice and the pitch of the
takemoto. AyatayO further stated that the tuning for a scene featuring many
female roles ‘may be slightly higher, but not as high as *A," since the actors
speaking are, after all, men.*1* Again, a pitch relationship is implied, but since
actors dont sing along with the shamisen, they arent bound to the pitch of the
“ Shamisen tunings are not necessarily tuned according to a Western tempered scale, but may
be adjusted slightly higher or lower depending on the weather, or mood or condition of the
singer or narrator. Pitches given are thus dose approximations.
* Interview with Takemoto AyatayO, Tokyo, May 30, 1999.
’‘ Ibid.
•Interview with Toyotake Rodayu, May 1 9 ,1 9 9 9 , Tokyo.
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Actors and articles that invoice the adage never say which shamisen is intended.
Nagauta would seems the likely choice since it is used offstage at some point in
almost every play, including gidayu kydgen. If this were the case, based on hon-
choshi tuning, the focal pitch for onnagata and nimaime would be C#5 (554.4hz),
F#4 (370hz) for tachiyaku, and C#4 (277.2hz) for old people. These pitches are
much too high to be median pitches of the respective character types. Moreover,
none of the vocal samples in my data reflects pitches as high as these for any of
If, on the other hand, the takemoto shamisen is taken as the baseline, each
of the pitches would be a fourth lower. This translates to G#4 (415hz) for
onnagata, C#4 (277.2hz) for tachiyaku and G#3 (196hz) for older and evil
characters. In the case of tachiyaku and oid characters, these levels are closer to
However, the G#4 pitch is too high as the onnagatab median pitch. In fact, it is
close to the upper limit of the onnagata vocal range for many veteran actors.
In any case, the takemoto shamisen is not used in all plays, so it could not
possibly provide the base line pitches for actors all the tim e. Perhaps the adage
and became generalized overtime. Whatever happened, the reality doesn't seem
to support the adage that actors take their pitch from the shamisen.
85
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Perhaps the saying is a relic from a time when the shamisen were tuned
lower. Tokiwazu Tokizd, a tofdwazu musician, has said that shamisen tuning
today is about a tone higher than in his grandfather’s day.’6 I have not been able
to confirm that nagauta and takemoto tunings in kabuki were lower in the past,
but it is possible that sound would have earned sufficiently at a lower tuning in
the smaller theatres of the Edo period. It is difficult to imagine that actors are
not at all influenced by the pitch of the music that accompanies them. The
relationship today, however, appears to be much less direct than the adage would
higher tone and longer duration, while Japanese syllables are of a fairly equal
tones.'7 Individual words in Japanese have specific pitch accents. These are
usually described as being high (H) or low (L). For example, the word ‘kabuki* has
The pitch accents of individual words are fixed when they are spoken as
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free agents. However, Japanese is an agglutinative language, which means that
the pitch accent of an individual word is affected by other words in the phrase to
which the word becomes bound.’* For example, the three-syllable word ‘shirof
(white), has a pitch accent of L-H-L in standard Japanese. The pitch accent for
m
hana gaT (flower, plus the subject marker “gaT) is also L-H-L. If these three words
are spoken as separate two phrases (i.e. with a pause in between), “shiroi/ hana
ga,meach retains its original pitch pattern of L-H-L / L-H-L. However, if joined
together and spoken as one phrase ‘shiroi hana ga," the pitch pattern for the
single phrase becomes L-H-L-L-L-L.’9 Though pitch accents are described as being
high (H) or low (L), in actuality there are more than two relative pitches." Thus, in
highest pitch, called the accent nucleus. Conversely, in a series of “low” pitches,
There are two basic rules governing Japanese intonation. The first is that
once the pitch falls to “low* in a pitch phrase, all the following syllables in the
phrase become low.21Thus, a pitch phrase cannot have two “high* tones with a
“low* in the middle. So in the phrase, “shiroi hana gaT once the pitch falls to low on
the last syllable of ‘shiroi,’ all following syllables become “low.* The second rule
* Ibid, p. 197.
* Sakiyama Seifcf, p. 209.
* Sakiyama Seikf. 'Phrasal Pitch In Japanese Language* in The Studyo f Sounds (W£r®£iF5t), Vol.
21,1985. p. 209.
■Kiyose, p. 213.
87
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is that if the accent nucieus of a phrase falls on the third or later syllable, all prior
syllables, except the first, become “high."* These rules will be of particular
divisions in a sentence, as are verbs in a connective form, but they neednt always
be. It is possible to divide words between two particles into more than one
can be said as one, or divided into two, three, or even four phrases. Some
possibilities are:
divisions determine the pattern of the pitch phrase, which in turn affects the
sewa, as well as the character's gender, age, social status and dramatic situation,
*lbid.
■Kiyose, p. 229.
88
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all influence the number of pitch phrases into which a character's lines tend to be
divided. Another large factor, especially in the case of sewa characters, is actor
choice. That is why it is difficult to find specific patterns in sewa speech; the
choices actors make are almost as varied as the choices people make when
speaking everyday. The more formal jidai speech, however, generally dictates the
use of long pitch phrases. This results in pitch patterns that fall gradually from a
pitch nucleus at the beginning of the phrase, as in “attacking the second syllable”
Pronounced with a H-L (high-low) pitch accent it means “chopsticks,” but with a L-
H pitch accent it means “bridge”—in the Tokyo area. In much of western Japan,
including Kyoto or Osaka, just the opposite is true. Varying regions also have
idiosyncratic words and verb endings. All of these elements—pitch accent, verb
U) in Japanese. The verb form, namaru, means to speak with a provincial accent.
Namaru can also imply a “corruption* of speech, or something that is out of the
ordinary.
89
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theatrical construct that consciously “corrupts' the normal pitch accents of
it from the usual meaning of “provincial accent.” Kabuki actors say that this
namari gives the onnagata “sex appeal’ {iropposa, feo & £ ).24
The most blatant examples of the onnagata’s affected accent are in the
Japan developed their own peculiar dialects, which were adopted by the country
girls serving in them. The language of the Yoshiwara licensed quarter of Edo was
known for its “arinsu kotobsT (’ arinstf language), named for its distinctive verb
endings of “ririsu” and *nsu.mU For example, the verb ’ arimasW (is) would be said
Yoshiwara. The speech of courtesans and prostitutes in kabuki makes use of the
peculiar vocabulary and verb endings of the language of the licensed quarter.26
Furthermore, accents and intonations of this language are corrupted to make the
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The following speech, made by the courtesan Agemaki just after entering
on the hanamichiin the play Sukeroku, contains several example of the namari, or
namari can be seen in the following words and phrases (the highest pitched
syllables are underlined):' achira kara mo,' *kochira kara mo,” “Agemakisari,"
“yobikajsararetd and “kazu.." All of these cases lack the natural build in pitch to
the accent nucleus, and in all cases but the first, the accent nucleus, or highest
The contrasting intonations used for “achira kara mrf (Graph 19 B) and its
companion phrase, “kochira kara mcT (Graph 19 B/C), show the namari clearly.
The pitch accent for the both phrases in standard Japanese is the same: L-H-H-H-
*"The author acknowledges that AgemakTs speech, due to her tipsiness, may be slightly more
heavily "accented* than some other courtesan's speech. However, it is representative of the
various types of unusual, purposeful accents used by female characters when speaking in order
to sound*sexy.' Similar 'accenting' (namari) is seen in the other examples following.
91
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H-H.“ Yet the actor uses a completely different intonation for each phrase.
*Achira kara m<f follows the pitch pattern L-H-L-H-L-H. Undulating up and down
breaks the rule that says within a pitch phrase, once a pitch has fallen to low, it
does not return to high. Yet, the actor does so twice in this phrase.
On the other hand, ‘ kochira kara m<f (and near) follows a H-L-L-L-H pattern,
beginning at about 425hz (6#/A 4), gradually falling more than an octave in pitch,
to 175hz (F3), and rising again on the final syllable. This phrase inverts the pitch
accent on the first word, kochira, which is L-H-H. In addition, by beginning and
ending on a high tone, the phrase breaks the same rule as the “achira kara m<f
phrase. Given the wide pitch intervals used by the actors, it is clear that when a
stressed by making the pitch of the inverted syllable extremely high. All of these
Furthermore, no leading tones are used to build to the high pitch, which makes the
words stand out. The word ‘ fcazi/* (Graph 19D), meaning “number," is repeated
twice, emphasizing the number of cups of sake Agemaki was offered. The actor
* The pitch pattern may vary in a dialect, but it wouid presumably vary in the same way for
both phrases since they are structurally similar.
92
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Graph Set 19
Example of “Affected Accent” {Namari) of Female Characters
(Agemaki [Nakamura Utaemon VI] in Sukeroku)
93
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Graph Set 19
if V # l
D. sa ka zu Id a no (shamisen) ka zu u ka a a zu a a
94
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purposefully inverts the natural accent on the first ‘ kazu,mmaking it L-H. The
second follows a natural H-L pitch accent, but is made outstanding because the
actor indulges in stretching each of the two syllables to an extreme for the
ending cadence.
common to courtesan's speech, often ends with a rising inflection. The duration
of the syllables alone is enough to make the speech stand out as different from
others, yet another layer is added by the rising inflection which goes counter to
generally use a failing intonation. Courtesans and other coy female characters in
kabuki purposefully use a rising inflection even when it is not called for. This is a
Graph ZO (p. 97) shows the concluding phrases of five courtesans’ lines at
the opening of Sukeroku. Standing in front of the Miura-ya Teahouse, they speak
type of dialogue requires three or more actors to speak successive lines, joining
together to speak the final phrase. The idea is to make a seamless delivery, as if
one individual is speaking the entire passage. After commenting on the beautiful
cherry blossoms, they see the courtesan Agemaki approach, and say:
95
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Cdurtesan One: Hon ni sd de (Truly, it is her)
All Five Courtesans: gozansu na. (indeed)
They then shift their bodies toward the hanamichito focus attention on Agemaki’s
entrance. These lines set up the tempo for the music that will accompany her
entrance. Given Agemaki’s high rank, and that the actor must walk gracefully on
eight- to ten-inch wooden clogs in a costume and wig weighing in excess of thirty
pounds, the entrance is a slow, stately affair. Thus, elongating the vowels to set a
largo tempo for the musicians makes sense, considering the pace at which
Agemaki can physically move. Yet even when circumstances differ, courtesans do
not speak much faster. Savoring the flavor of the courtesan’s speech requires that
it be leisurely, creating an opportunity for the long, erotic glides up and down in
pitch.
intervals as well as the vocal range in which they occur. The following chart
ha n ni SO. SL de e
* The Speech Analyzer program used to produce all graphs contained In this dissertation does
not recognize fundamental frequencies above 500 hz. Pitches above SOOhz were determined by
Praat Speech Analyzer, and therefore are not reflected In the graph. Undetermined pitches
above 500hz are indicated as *500+.’
96
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Graph 20
mm
.>
<
rf js i
^ '
(AH) Go za a a* a su u u a a a a a*
•Indicates point wherethe pitchjumps oneoctaveup, beyondthe measurementmeansofthis program.
97
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go za a a su na a
375 375 683 500+ 475 400 629
(F#4) (F#4) (E/F5) (B4+) (A#4) (G/G#4) (D#5)
The frequent rises and falls in pitch, as well as the final rising
intonation, are what make this speech sexy and alluring in the kabuki world. To
obtain a maximum number of possible rises and falls of intonation, the actor
essentially divides the six word utterance into three pitch phrases—‘hon ni," "sd
de," and "gozansu nsT— the maximum number possible. In standard Japanese,30
the pitch pattern for each would be H-L-L, H-L-L, and L-H-H-L-L respectively.
the first phrase, "hon nr begins high and falls, but the pitch rises again on "ni,"
counter to standard Japanese. The next phrase, "sd de," follows a standard
intonation of H-L-L, but stands out because of the controlled drop in pitch of an
octave at an extremely high vocal range. The final phrase, "gozansu na," goes
counter to the normal intonation pattern because of the final rise on the extended
vowel ‘'a.' Once a pitch phrase has fallen to “low* it should not rise again. Yet
The same six syllables could also be broken into two pitch phrases, "hon ni
so deT and "gozansu na." In this case the pitch patterns would be H-L-L-L-L-L and
* The language itself is not ‘Standard* Japanese, but would follow the given pitch pattern if said
with standard intonation.
98
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L-H-H-L-L, which would create fewer opportunities for pitch rises and falls. In
“normal* speech, people do not usually break their utterances into the shortest
possible pitch phrases. Accordingly, normal speech has fewer pitch undulations
number of possible pitch phrases, and exaggerating the intervals of the pitch
glides up and down, and speaking at a slow tempo, the actor can best exhibit the
further “affect" the speech, the courtesan sometimes uses pitch patterns which
Furthermore, courtesans cap their speech off with extremely protracted cadences,
The example in Graph 20 is noteworthy for yet another reason. The pitch
range used by the actors covers approximately an octave and five semitones,
which is not remarkable. However, the band at which the male actors are
the high leaps, even the lower range the actors use lies between 325hz and 400hz
(F#~G/G#4), which is still higherthan that used by older onnagata actors like
Utaemon in the role of Agemaki (Graph 19). This example supports an observa
tion made by Onoe Baikd in 1983, that “young onnagata today try to force the
voice to sound like a female’s and consequently speak at extremely high pitches.”31
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This sample in Graph 20 is from a 1985 production in which Nakamura
Tokizd V (b .l 955) played courtesan A. At the time he was a 30 years old and a
rising star—perhaps one of the young people to whom Baikd was referring. On the
word "sd’ Tokizd’s voice rises to an amazing 864 hzf or A5—well into a soprano's
upper range. It is not possible for a male to produce this pitch without using a
If younger actors are using higher and higher pitches, as the example in
Graph 20 shows, they must also be making increased use of the falsetto voice.
Yet, kabuki actors continue to proclaim that onnagata use a “natural voice” (ifej*,
jigoe) and not a falsetto. They certainly are using a “natural voice," but only in
part. My data shows that while older onnagata actors make jumps into the 400
hz to 500 hz range, temporarily slipping into a falsetto voice, the lower part of
their range is usually between 200hz and 350 hz (G3~F4). This corresponds to
the range of overlap between a male chest and falsetto voice.® Kabuki actor's
vocal training pushes the limits of the jigoe, or chest voice, to make it possible
for those playing onnagata to use the “overiap zone* without making use of a
falsetto voice. However, when the range of the voice is 450hz and above, the
* Sundberg, Johan. The Science o f the Singing Voice. Dekalb: Northern Illinois UP, 1987. p. 51.
100
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the “Ageya’’33scene 0 9 5 , The Ageya) of Gotaiheiki Shiraishi Banashi 65
woman she suspects to be her sister, Miyagino sends her attendant away, saying
‘sonata wa NakanocM no Izutsu-ya e itte, fond no henji kiite oja? (You go to the
Nakamura Ganjird is a veteran actor and does not display the constant slip
into falsetto voice. The graph shows that he remains largely within the upper
limits of the male chest voice, speaking between 175 and 450hz (F3~A4). He
slides into falsetto only on the second syllable of ‘kiite? towards the end of the
line, when the pitch far exceeds SOOhz. This graph also shows fewer pitch
undulations than either Graph 19 or 20. In this particular scene, Miyagino is in her
own room and not entertaining customers. Even so, hints of the namari are still
present.
For example, in the phrase ‘ Nakanochd no Izutsu-ya e itte,* the pitch rises
on the final syllabfe, where normal speech would continue descending. Further
more, the rise in pitch on the word ‘ kiite,mfrom 175hz to over 500hz (F3~B4+) is
at least an octave and seven semitones. The pitch accent of the word ‘ kiite? is L-
H-H, but the exaggeration of the pitch rise is extreme, especially for an ordinary
* An ageya is one of the various types of piaces, like "teahouses?’ ($ ff, chaya) to which higher
ranking prostitutes were called to entertain guests.
101
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Graph 21
Example of "Affected Accent" {Namari) of Female Characters (Miyagino
[Nakamura Ganjird III] in the “Ageya” scene of GotaiheikiShiraishiBanashi)
. 7- , , . >
- -v
J"5^-v*
A /*
.i— ....
B. Id no o no he n ji (w)o Id *t te (w)o ja a
♦Pitch goes above 500hz.
102
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important aspect of the courtesan's namari, and necessary, it woufd seem, even
Courtesans are not the only alluring female characters in kabuki. Princesses
(#», hime), young daughters (& , musume), and wives (& 5 f, nydbd) are also prone
of Osaka), shown in Graph 22 (p. 104). Okaji, the wife of a fishmonger, has come
to the Otai Teahouse to convince the young samurai, Isonojd, to abandon his
profligate ways and go home. Arriving at the teahouse, Okaji kneels next to
The namari is visible (audible) in the rise in pitch at the end of the sentence,
on the final extended syllable "u." The character of Okaji is a strong, attractive
married woman. She has come to a teahouse in the licensed quarter to convince a
their age, social status and situation. Though more research needs to be done to
prove the direction of influence, I am intrigued by the possibility that when female
characters use odd inflections for the sake of sex appeal, copying aspects of
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Graph 22
Ka ji (shamisen) d£ go za ri ma su ru (u)
104
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courtesan’s speech in kabuki, they are reflecting the way that courtesans’ speech
Kabuki actors speak of ‘singing the lines' (■£ V ? , serifu o utau), refer
to ‘sung lines’ (i8 5 U utau serifu), and call lines ‘song* (R8, uta).3* Yet, they
do not ‘sing’ in the same way as the narrators or singers who accompany kabuki
syllables are comprised of either a single vowel, the vowel-like consonant ‘ n,’ or a
by linguistic measures, but IVe yet to hear anyone speak of how ‘musical” daily
spoken Japanese sounds to the ear. Linguistic studies show the Japanese
syllable length to be very even— and very short, averaging only 1.45ms
(microsecond). That is approximately 6.89 ss, or 1.68 times faster than English.37
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I suggest that everyday spoken Japanese does not sound “musical"
because it is spoken at such an even, rapid tempo that there is no time to develop
the musical potential of all those ‘‘unbound” vowels. In song, vowels are
kabuki actors do first of all is slow the tempo of the Japanese language. This
potentially musical. Furthermore, the pitch modulations that kabuki actors make
are much more exaggerated than normal speech and make use of a vocal range far
use of long sustained phrases in which opportunities to inhale are few. In normal
breathing, a person inhales and exhares about 0.5 liters, or ten percent of the
lungs’ vital capacity, every five seconds.* Speech is often initiated at about fifty
percent of vital capacity (2.5 liters). Singers begin phonation at lung volumes
near one hundred percent of vital capacity, squeezing their lungs more efficiently
to leave as little as five percent of vital capacity in the lungs.* What a kabuki
actor learns through his practice of gidayu narrative singing, or other form singing,
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In observations of kabuki actor training at the Shdchiku-za theatre, I
repeatedly heard Kataoka Hidetard II tell his students to ‘sing the lines” during
Auspicious Confrontation for the Soga Brothers). The story is nothing....the play
is all in the sound of the lines,” he told them.40 By “nothing,” Hidetard was referring
to the meager plot line of the play. In the version of Kotobuki Soga no Taimen
minute scene. “Singing,” as Hidetard used it, meant not being afraid to emphasize,
exaggerating the highs and lows—sliding up and down several semitones instead
of just a few, or making a curved arc up or down rather than a direct line from one
in fact this is exactly how the eminent traditional Japanese music scholar
audience members to relax and “enjoy listening [to kabuki speech] in the same
manner as a song.” If one does this, even if the words are too difficult to
understand, the rhythm will be clear and the voice “pleasant to the ear.”4*
40Observation, July 1999, Osaka. Hidetard used the word chSshi (■•=?), lit. pitch and rhythm,
which i have translated as the'sound o f the line.*
"The version used today was written by Kawatake Mokuamr in T885.
"Koyama Kario. Kabuki armai (K ftttJE A ). Tokyo: Gurafusha, T986. p. 44.
107
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sentiment echoed by many actors, and of preeminent importance, ideally, one
shouid find sensual pleasure in listening to kabuki actors speak, much the same as
when listening to music. This is not to say that all kabuki speech is song. Some
characters' speech is more musical than others. Certainly the frequent rising and
falling tones in the speech of the courtesan is more “musical” than that of a sewa
character like Yasuke. But there are points when almost any character's speech
where the line becomes a song.”** The extended vowel of umiji certainly creates
potential for executing a melody with the voice. Extending vowels also retards the
Onoe Kikuzd equates the “sung lines* of kabuki specifically with the shichi-
go-chd of Kawatake Mokuami (1816-1893). The regular rhythm of the verse form
and the regularity of the melody used in its delivery in kabuki make it perhaps the
The comments of Kikuzd, Hidetard, and others all share a common idea.
Kabuki possesses a great variety of musical elements in its speech, from the
grand arcs of sound spoken by jidai characters to the melodic undulations of the
emotional or dramatic focal points in a play. The umiji, for example, draws out a
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word to emphasize the emotion behind it and focuses attention on that point in
the drama. By the same token, the "song" of the shichi-go-ch.6 verse stands out
from the other speech because of its very regular rhythm and melody.
If Speaking High, Then Speak Low; If Low, Then High. If Speaking Quickly,
This simply stated rule, advising the actor to contrast pitch and tempo, is
quite complex in its application. The first part of the axiom, “if speaking high then
low," etc., addresses pitch modulation. I have divided pitch modulation into three
types. The first concerns beginning and ending tones of a phrase. The second
concerns the overall pitch range of a phrase, and the third concerns the intonation
of a word or phrase.
za clearly illustrates the first type of pitch modulation. Students were practicing
students in the midst of practice and explained that they should make use of the
listen carefully to the final pitch of the previous speaker, and then ‘begin at (east a
half tone below or above th a t* Thus, if actor A ended "low", then actor B should
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start at “medium’ or ‘high.’ If actor A ends “high’ , actor B should begin ‘ medium’
o r‘low,’ etc.
In fact, the students had been listening very carefully to each other before
Ainosuke's advice—and each was beginning his line on approximately the same
pitch he heard the previous person end on. This might seem a natural way to
however, the kabuki rule is counter intuitive. Using a pitch shift, or interval,
passages which are spoken at an even, regular tempo. The same principal of using
pitch shifts between phrases applies to solo speech as well. In practice, however,
the pitch shifts between phrases are often much more than a ‘halftone.’
The second type of pitch variation, use of varying pitch ranges for phrases,
is illustrated by the example in Graph 23 (p. 111). This line is spoken by JQjibei’s
elderly mother, Ok6, in the ‘Hikimado’ scene of Futatsu Chdchd Kumwa Nikki.
Responding to her son, who has asked to be left with his samurai guests to
discuss his new duties, Okd says, 'sadamete daijina goyd de ard. Sonnara washira
wa go enryd shimashd (Most certainly, you must have important business. In that
case we shall refrain from interfering). The actor, Nakamura Matagord II (b. 191S),
110
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Graph 23
in
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The graph shows that the actor speaks the first phrase, *sadamete,’ at a low pitch
with relatively flat intonation. The second phrase occupies a slightly higher pitch
range, and the third much higher. The fourth uses an intermediate pitch range that
falls between that of the second and the third phrase. This example also
illustrates the first type of pitch variation. The initial pitch o f each phrase either
begins on a higher or a lower tone than the ending of the previous one. The
second phrase begins at a slightly lower pitch than that on which the first ends,
while the third and fourth phrases each begin on a higher tone than the end of the
previous phrase.
contrasting intonation. Otatsu's “honor speech’ from the “Sabu uchi* scene C=M
speech, Otatsu confronts her husband’s new friend, Sabu, for refusing to permit
her to take the young samurai, Isonojd, away with her to safety on grounds that
she is ‘too beautiful.’ Following is the text and a rather literal translation (each
112
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Graph Set 24 (pp. 115-T 21) shows the speech as performed by Nakamura
Kankurfi V (b. 1955). The focus of the speech is saving face, or honor, and indeed
the word ‘ tachimasenu** comes up five times in one form or another. Every time
it comes up, the actor uses a different pitch range and contrasting intonation for
the word or phrase in which it is contained. In the first occurrence, “tachimasenu '
(Graph 24/D ) the voice is rather flat-cadenced and stays in a medium range of
200-300hz (G3~D4). The second time tachimasenu occurs (Graph 24/F), the
actor splits the word in two, raising the pitch nearly an octave and seven
the word.
pitch begins high on the first syllable, drops approximately an octave to 200hz
(G/G#3) on the second syllable, then continues a gradual glissando rise to around
300hz (D4) on 'zo e" The fourth occurrence is the very next phrase, “tachimasenu
zo & (I/J ). The pitch jumps about ten semitones, from 425hz (E4) on “ma" to
(D4) on 'zo e.“ The movement of these two consecutive phrases, one ending in a
gradual ascent and the other a gradual descent, creates a wonderful sense of
contrastive motion and clearly shows the actor “speaking high then speaking fow.“
* Tachimasenuliterally means "not to stand* and in this sense means one's honor does not stand.
I have translated it here as lose honor.*
113
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The first part of the rule Instructs the actor to vary the pitch; it provides
guidelines, not specifics. Through training and observation, actors leam how to
apply the guiding principles. Contrasting pitch, whether it be initial pitches, the
The second part of the axiom instructs the actor to vary the tempo, the
other major variable of the voice. I have divided tempo changes into those that
happen gradually over several phrases, and those that essentially occur during one
phrase. To retard gradual^ over several phrases, the actor slows the rate of
speech for each consecutive phrase, but maintains a relatively consistent syllable
This method can be seen in the first half of Otatsu’s speech (Graph Set 24).
As the tempo slows with each successive phrase, the tension builds, until it is
punctuated at the end of the sixth phrase by two heavy strokes on takemoto
Within each of the phrases, the length of time given each syllable is fairly regular.
114
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Graph Set 24
Example of Modulation o f Phrasal Intonation and Slowing of Tempo
(Otatsu [Nakamura Kankurd V ] in Natsu matsuri naniwa kagami)
I tan t a no mu no ca no ma re ta
115
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Graph Set 24
, y L r u aJ vA - ^ v
D. sfaf no aa gP ga ta chi m a se Q
U
116
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Graph Set 24
JL
chi m a see nu u
117
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Graph Set 24
H. (t)a a nu zo o e e e
118
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Graph Set 24
L t a chi m a se nu zo o (y)e
X. e e e t a t e t e k u
119
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Graph Set 24
a arm
K. ku da a n n se (kakegoe)
120
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Graph Set 24
M. (shi i) (kakegoe) Sa bu sa a a
NOTE: Kakegoe is a form o f applause, whereby an audience member calls out words o f praise for
the actor.
121
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creating the overall retard. Contrastingly, when the tempo is slowed in a single
phrase, the actor holds each successive syllable in that phrase a fraction longer,
one phrase and the next. Sukeroku's name-saying speech (nanori) in the play
Sukeroku is an amazing example of the use of tempo variation. The very first line,
'ikasama naT (“As you wish, then’ [illustrated in Graphs 2-3, pp. 31-32]), consists
of only five syllables, but takes Danjurd XI eight seconds to say, and Danjurd XII
just over nine and a half seconds. Such a leisurely introduction would lead one to
believe an unhurried speech might follow, but in actuality the speech continues at
a clipped pace, slowed down periodically with a single drawn out phrase, then
sped up again. At one point in the speech, the actor suddenly breaks into a rapid-
fire delivery called ippon chdshi (—$*■?•), before finally bringing the speech to an
nanori. During the two minute plus speech, the actor's voice is the only sound;
there is no music underscoring the moment, and only a few hand gestures for
'The entire speech would require about 36 graphs (18 pgs.) to illustrate. I believe the point can
be made without the benefit of the graphs, so have not included them.
122
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'point (where peopie are) made to listen.” To make people listen for that long,
the actor must control the tempo, lulling them with soft, gentle retards and
In addition to varying the tempo of his own speech, an actor must be able
to pass the tempo he establishes with his voice to the next actor speaking. He
does this by “passing the tail end of the word” (gobi o watasu, ). In the
...touch a partner with the end of his line. If he ends in such a manner that
the next person is unable to come nght in, it's problematic; or, if he ends
such that the next person cannot breathe (before beginning his line) that is
also problematic. Being able to 'pass to your partner* determines whether
one is a true professional or not.4*
The quote makes it clear that the responsibility for a smooth transition lies
with the actor sending the line. Passing the last syllable involves two things:
tempo and breath. The receiving actor must be able to determine when and how
Actors speed up and slow down the tempo constantly for contrast and
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partner. The m
Serifu get nytimon”series contains an example from the climactic
Scar-Faced Yosa), which demonstrates how actors should pass and receive a
tempo.50
themselves on the mistress of a wealthy house and are trying to extort money
from her. In the course of events, Yosaburd realizes that the mistress of the house
is Otomi, his courtesan fover of three years ago whom he thought dead. He now
finds her being kept by another man in rather luxurious surroundings, while he has
been living as a scar-faced thief since being gashed from head to toe by Otomi’s
jealous patron three years earlier. Yosaburd gives Otomi a piece of his mind, then
In this example the actor playing Yosaburd retards the tempo in the last
phrase, *naa-a Yasu-uyo-o," by extending the last three ending vowels. Each of
those vowels is held fractionally longer than the one before; he begins slowing on
“naa-a," slows further on “Yasu-u," and establishes the final tempo with “yo-o.“ In
* An alternate reading of the ideograms of the title, Genyadana, is used by A.C. Scott as the
title of his English translation.
•Onoe IGkuzfi. ‘Serifti get nyOmon,' Nov. 1990.
124
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performance, the actor glides up in pitch on the “yo,* and descends on the
extended ‘o.’ The length of time it takes for the pitch rise is the same amount of
time it should take the pitch to fall on the final ‘o.’ The actor playing Kdmoriyasu
feels how long it takes for the rise, and knows he has that long to inhale on the
descent. When Kdmoriyasu comes in with his line, he matches tempo with
In passing the end of the word to a partner, it is common for the actor to
raise the pitch on the penultimate syllable, and drop the pitch on the final syllable,
as in the above example. ‘Yo’ is actually one syllabfe, but treated as two, “yo’ and
‘o,* when extended. It is essential that the length of time for the descending pitch
be the same as that for the ascending pitch. If it is not, it is difficult for the
which has a very regular tempo, they were told to ‘push* the final syllable to give
it full voice.5’ However, when they ’pushed,’ they elongated the final descending
syllable too much. Consequently the descending syllable was longer than the
rising syllable, which threw off the receiving actor. The receiver breathed on cue,
but had to wait for the end of the unpredictably extended final syllable. A kabuki
actor must be able to ‘push’ the final descending syllable to give it strength and
energy, without allowing the force of breath to elongate it more than it should be.
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The receiving actor also has a responsibility to accept what is passed to
him, even if it is "bad/ For example, the lines exchanged between Yosaburd and
leaving the house with such a pittance of cash. When Yosaburd slows, Kdmoriyasu
follows suit. If however, Yosaburd does not slow down, then Kdmoriyasu cannot
the tempo he is given is a “bad” one, much in the same way musicians in an orche
stra must take the tempo from the conductor, even if they dont agree with it.
An actor must also be able to pass the tempo of his line to the musicians,
the other “partners* in the performance. An actor must “touch" the musician with
his words, in the same way that he touches another actor. The actor passes the
end of his word to the offstage musicians when they are to underscore a long
this rule as “setting up“ the tempo for the musicians, and to the lines themselves
as ‘set up lines.’
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The following example from the ‘ Sumiyoshi mae" scene (& «flfr, “In Front of
Sumiyoshi Shrine*) of Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami shows both the seamless
passing of lines from one actor to the next, and a slow retard in the final phrase
which sets up the tempo for the musicians. A handsome young refined samurai,
Isonojd, is saved by an elderly boatman named Sabu, from two palanquin bearers
trying to swindle an exorbitant fee from him. Discovering who the young man is,
Sabu promises to protect and help him. Relieved, Isonojd prepares to depart and
by offstage music, and he and Sabu set the tempo with their final lines to each
other:
deliberate. The speech of higher status characters like Isonojd would generally be
slower than commoners such as Sabu. This example, illustrated in Graph 25 (p.
128), shows how Sabu matches the slower tempo of Isonojd. In the first line,
Isonojd speaks to Sabu at 3.2 ss; Sabu responds at a fractionally slower rate of 3
ss. The exchange between the two of them is seamless, continuous sound, as
evidenced by the lack of discernible breath pause between the two actors’ lines in
the magnitude graph. Furthermore, we can see how Isonojd slows his final phrase
127
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Graph 25
Example of Set Up Line (Isonojd [Otani Tomoemon VIII]
and Sabu [Ichimura Uzaemon XVII] in Natsu matsuri naniwa kagami)
*>
(ISO) S o a na ra Sa bu do no (Sabu) I so no jo o sa ma
495.1
No chi
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even more, to 2 ss, setting a regal pace for the music which wilt accompany his
exit.
The next example is a "set up* line for the lead character of Danshichi, again
from the *Sumiyoshi mad scene of Natsu matsuri. fn the scene, Danshichi has
been released from prison, meets and talks with his old friend Sabu, then prepares
Danshichi’s departing words to Sabu are, *Dore, otoko o ichiban / migaite koyd
kai* (Well now, 111get polished up and be back as a first rate gentleman).
(1910-1988), and Nakamura Kankurd V, respectively. All three actors divide the
line into two phrases, *otoko o ichiban*and *migaite koyd kai.* The graphs show
that each actor delivers his set up line at a slightly different tempo. The offstage
musicians respond accordingly. Kichiemon speaks at about 2.85 ss for the first
phrase, stowing to approximately 2 ss for the second, while Kankuro begins at 4ss
and slows to 2.25 ss, which is slightly faster than Kichiemon. Kanzaburd on the
other hand, begins at 4ss and speeds up to 5.64ss. The rates of speech of each
actor during his set up line are reflected in the tempo of the offstage music. For
Kichiemon, the slowest, the musicians play at 102bpm (beats per minute). For
Kankurd the tempo is slightly faster, at 106bpm. For Kanzaburd, who speaks
129
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much quicker than the other two, the offstage music pfays accordingly, at an
The actor's voice is the most important instrument in the ensemble that
composes the soundscape of the kabuki play. As conductor, the actor uses his
voice to give tempo to other instruments and actors. As one part of the
ensemble, he regulates his tempo, pitch, and vocal melody in relation to and in
harmony with the other actors. In performing solos he makes dynamic use of
pitch, tempo and intonation ‘melodies.* These rules define basic guiding
principles which the actor uses in ‘composing* the musical line of his speech. The
form the speech takes will depend on character type, the dramatic situation of the
T30
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Graph 26
Example of Set Up Line (Danshichi [Nakamura Kichiemon II]
in Natsu matsuri naniwa kagami)
A. Do re O to ko o i chi ba a (chuckles/kakegoe)
"O to" are actually an octave higher, while pitch comes down at "ko”
mi ko k a
131
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Graph 27
132
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Graph 28
Example of Set Up Line (Danshichi [Nakamura Kankurd V]
in Natsu matsuri nanrwa kagami)
A. Do * re o to ko o i chi * ba n mi
*"re* 220.7 at bottom (top is noise) *ban is below ISOhz
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CHAPTER V: THE RIDING RHYTHM OF NORl
non/f is often used to mean “get in the groove/ or ‘ move to a rhythm/ It may also
In Japanese performing arts, the term ‘ norf is associated with the way
speech is matched to a rhythm. In noh, non refers to the three rhythm systems for
the chant: hiranori, chQnori, and dnori: In each, twelve-syllable lines of verse are
different rhythms. Hiranori (¥<D V /regular rhythm”), the most common, is a kind
of syncopated pattern in which the first syllable of chant is sung on beat eight and
and half (the upbeat just before one), and generally no syllable falls on beats one,
three, five and eight. In dnori (^ (0 U , “large rhythm"), one syllable is sung on each
rhythm*) is a sort of double-rime, with two syllables chanted per beat, beginning
on beat one and ending on eight. All rhythmical sections of noh utilize one of
these three main patterns, or one of a few rare patterns comprised o f combina
' Descriptions of non in noh are from The Music of Noh/ chapter six in Komparu Kunio. The
Noh Theatre: Principles and Perspectives. New York: Weatherhili, T983.
134
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In gidayu, nori are passages in which the narrator sings or speaks in a
in which a syllable can go on for several measures. In nori,, the tayti picks up the
tempo, singing or speaking one syllable per beat. Nori passages are generally
short and are of two basic types: sung nori sections called noriji ( / Uife, also
called j i nori), and spoken norisections (i.e. dialogue) called kotoba nori (M J V,
unaccompanied by shamisen, but kotoba nori stand apart because they are
accompanied.
The shamisen melodies that accompany nori can be subdivided into chO
noriOt1/ U, lit. “middle" nori), in which the open middle string of the shamisen is
the pitch center; and ya nori (*%./ V , lit. “arrow" nori), in which the attack of the
Nori in Kabuki
Nori comes to kabuki directly from gidayu. When a gidayu play is adapted
Dialogue passages which in gidayu are sung asj i or iro (fe, a type of gidayu
singing between kotoba andji) also become spoken actor dialogue. Descriptive ji
passages which are not necessary in kabuki are cut, and the remaining ones are
* Ibid, p. T57-T58.
135
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sung by the takemoto narrator, or tayu. Consequently, the two types of non
which in gidayti are both performed by the tayti, are divided between the actor and
tayu in kabuki. The tayu (and shamisen player) perform the j i non, and the kabuki
actor (and shamisen player) perform what had been kotoba non in the original
gidayti. In kabuki, b o th / non and kotoba non are commonly referred to as norijf
or just non. I will focus here on the actor's non. Furthermore, in kabuki non can
refer to both the actor's speech and movement “riding the rhythm* of the
adapted from gidayti. Dozens of examples of non exist in the kabuki repertory
today, and all instances seem to have one thing in common. They occur at an
gochtishin O&j&ft, lit. “honorable reportage*), may use non. Typically he rushes in
important battle raging offstage, illustrating the battle scene with vigorous
movement.
may also be performed as non. In the “Mamataki” scene (£ & £ , Preparing the
* Non is also a musical term, meaning to pick up tempo and ride the rhythm, t use 'spoken* to
make a distinction between the shamisen non.
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Succession) Masaoka, chief nurse to the young lord Tsurukiyo, must watch her
own son be poisoned and stabbed. She does this to protect Tsurukiyo from an
evil faction trying to murder him and prevent him from becoming heir to the dan.
Near the end of the scene, after the conspirators have left the room and Tsurukiyo
show her grief. Cradling her son who lies dead on the floor, she uses a non style
delivery to express pride for the boy's bravery, and deep sorrow at his death.
Invoking the principles ofjo-ha-kyu, Ganjird III claims this non section is
particularly demanding because the actor must maintain a pace befitting the kyO
lines with an occasional note, or comes in at the end of an actor's spoken line with
an interlude, ora lead in for the narrator's lines to follow. In kabuki non however,
the shamisen plays an introductory phrase, the actor enters with his line, and the
shamisen continues playing along while the actor speaks. Non is the only time in
kabuki the actor "sings," in a manner of speaking, along with the takemoto
shamisen.
* Interview with Nakamura Ganjird, July 6. T999, Osaka. I have been unable to find any other
references relating jo-ha-kyu and norf.
137
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shows the most extreme position of this “semi-musical stylized nature/*
Non passages are typically found in the “distant* worlds of gidayu kydgen
jidaimono. These types of plays are created using costume, language, vocal and
movement conventions which already lean towards the extreme on the kabuki
stand out. Atorfstands out in the extreme because of its strong rhythmicality and
Master Tactician Kiichi), is one of the longest in the kabuki repertory today. The
when he was a young boy called Ushiwakamaru. Central to the story is a legendary
Yoshioka Kiichi, the eldest of three brothers of a family loyal to the Genji.
However, as a young man Kiichi defected to the opposing Heike in the hopes of
rising to power with them. Now an old man, Kiichi secretly wishes to give the
scrolls o f his recorded military tactics (called tora no makit lit. “tiger scrolls”), to
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his younger half-brothers who remained loyat to the Genji. Kiichi hopes that the
scrolls wilt enable his brothers (whom he hasnt seen since childhood) to lead the
Genji to victory, thus allowing Kiichi to fulfill his dying father's last request, as well
as atone for his youthful mistaken decision to defect to the side of the enemy.
Now grown, Kiichi's brother Kisanda is in the service of the future Genji
servants Torazd and Chienai, and pretend to be in the service of Kiichi. Together
they await an opportunity to steal the scrolls, but their plans are foiled when the
turn the scrolls over the following day. The messenger also brings news that two
Genji loyalists, Kisanda and Kijird (Kiichi’s other brother) are suspected of being in
the area. Kiichi, suspecting his servants'true identities, dismisses them from
Left alone in the garden, Kisanda and Ushiwakamaru ponder what to do.
Almost within reach of their goal, they know they must act immediately, or alt will
have been for naught. At this decisive moment, Ushiwakamaru staunchly says,
‘iya, kono go ni oyobi shian to wa tenurushi tenurushr (No, at such a time as this,
our plan we must not release, must not release). This line leads into the non
section.
139
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Following is the text of the full nori passage in Kikubatake. The English
translation closely follows the order and syllabic count of the original. Sections
Ushiwakamaru:
lya, kono go nioyobishian to wa tenurushi tenurushi.
(No, at such a time as this, to our plan we, must not release, must not
release.)
(takemoto shamisen strikes two notes, in rhythm set up by
Ushiwakamaru's last two words)
tora no maki o/osametaru hdzd no annai/ware voku shittari / shinobi itte
teniiren
(Tora no maki is / hidden in the treasure house / which I happen to
know well / 1will sneak inside and get mv hands on it)
{takemoto shamisen strikes two notes)
naniim
(meanwhile vou)
{takemoto shamisen strikes two notes)
happd ni manako o kubari/sore to sasavuru mono araba / ichi ichi kirisute
/ Tankai aurume / Kiichi tote / ydsha sunna (suruna)
(Keep vour eves wide searching all directions / And those who should
trv to interfere with us / hesitate not to kill each one / Tankai included /
Even Kiichi / shall not have his life spared.)
Takemoto:
Kokoroetaru ka / to notamaeba
(“Do you understand what I / am telling vou.* savs he)
'Translated from the script used for the Nov. T998 production at the Kabutd-za, with Ichikawa
Oanjuro XII as Chienai, and Nakamura Shikan VII as Toraz6.
140
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Chienai:
Kiichi utsu koto / aomen are.
fBut killing Kiichi is / one thing i cant do.)
Ushiwakamaru:
Yaa, gomen to wa / okuretaka.
What, cant do it you say / do vou defy me?
Chienai:
Ikkana okure wa/ itasanedo/ Kiichi wa ware aa ani nareba/kono ai bakari
wa / aovdsha. goydsha.
f Never would I ever wish to / defy mv lord but / Kiichi is bv blood mv
elder brother / and thus mv hesitation. / Forgive me. Forgive
me.)
Takemoto:
to iwase mo hatezu
(he replies but it ends not there.)
( takemoto shamisen plays the nori introductory phrase)
Ushiwakamaru:
Yaa. qini votte wa ova ani no/ kubio utsu mo vusha no narai/sore shiranu
wa nushi de nashi / Mmm. sate wa Kiichi to / kokoro o awase / kono
Ushiwakao/
(Yet, duty demands slaving parent or brother / and following
commands-that is tauaht the warrior. / If vou do not know that I am
not your lord. / Hmm, so vou and Kiichi have / joined forces and now
attem pt/t o take Ushiwaka here/)
Takemoto:
Oiidasan
(and try to remove him)
( takemoto shamisen plays the nori introductoryphrase)
141
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Ushiwakamaru:
tedatexQ n a /
(You plot against me!)
Chienai:
K6 wa mottai nakion'dse. / Nanori aiseshi / kvddai nareba/ utsu nikokoro
wa okurenedo/ kono Kisanda o /o td to to shiranu ani o b a /te nikakum wa
/ kore kyddai no michi ni arazu / osorenagara
(But sir, vour unkind utterance is undeserved. / Would that he and I both
knew / that we were indeed brothers / my heart would not rebel and I
would Slav him but / that f. Kisanda. am / his vounaer brother he has no
idea so / to die at mv hand / indeed / would contradict the duty
brother owes brother. / 1most humbly beg)
Takemoto:
Kiichi wa kimi ni fun mukete / ware wa hdzd ni shinobi iri / tora no maki o
ubai totte / tsukamatsuran wa
(Kiichi be left to mv lord to take care of / while I sneak quietly into the
treasure house / and remove the precious tora no maki scrolls. / In this
way I can obey)
Chienai:
Kono gi wa ika ni
(Please allow me this duty)
I will first examine the rhythm of nori, then discuss other important
in Score 1 (p. 144). The shamisen melody and rhythm are drawn on the staff, and
the actor's lines indicated, in rhythm, below. The actor sets the tempo with
142
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‘ tenurushi tenurushi. ’ passing it to the shamisen player, who pfays two quarter
notes on the beat. The actor breathes on the beat and comes in on the upbeat.
Kikugord divides the section of nori notated in the score into the following
One notable feature of nori, visible in the score, is that each phrase begins on the
upbeat. If a phrase has an odd number of syllables, as in the first, second and fifth
phrase, the actor waits either a half or one and a half beats between phrases.
Conversely, if the phrase has an even number of syllables, the final syllable will fall
on a downbeat. In this case, the actor rests one or two beats between phrases.
The actor decides where to divide the phrases. There are varying degrees
of flexibility in this regard, depending on the passage. Some actors prefer shorter
(or longer) phrases than others. Nakamura Shikan, for example, breaks the
Kikugoro’s six. Shikan divides the second phrase, ‘shinobi itte te ni iren" after
‘shinobi,’ rests a half beat and continues with “itte te ni iren." This is not a
143
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Score for
i ± = i = a = ±
te nu ru shi te nu ru shi ra no ma ki o o sa me ta ru ho o
i
zoo no a(n) na i wa re yoku shi t ta ri shi no bi i t ta te ni i
*
re na n ji wa t * ha p po o ni ma na ko o ku ba
a l= d = = j-
n $ so re to sa sa yu ru mono a ra ba i chi i chi ki ri su te Ta
i = t o = «
The shamisen and actor's voice are intricately intertwined, so the actor
must confirm his choices with the takemoto musician in rehearsal. The shamisen
melody is composed based on the phrasing the actor uses. The melody often
punctuates the final syllables of the actor's phrase, and it is essential that there
be one stroke (two if the actor's pause is for two beats) of the shamisen between
phrases of speech to fill the rhythm while the actor breathes. There is never a
responsibility of the shamisen player to follow the actor. If the actor gets off the
rhythm (and many of them do) by coming in on the down beat, the shamisen
Aforf could be called "kabuki’s rap’ rhythm.* Both "voices," the shamisen
unaccented beats and entering on upbeats. The actor can emphasize the
to accent that syllable, and thus the upbeat. All actors are not consistent is this,
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Kikugord VII), one used rather flat Intonation throughout (Nakamura Shikan VII),
may occur in non. First, lines may be passed back and forth between actor and
tayu, or between two actors. In most cases, lines are passed a few times
between actor and tayu. A nori delivered by three people (two characters and the
tayu), as in Kikubatake, is a bit unusual in both the length and number of times the
dialogue is passed (ten). The basic pattern, however, is the same whether it
happens once or ten times. Ushiwakamaru and Chienai each pass the lines to the
tayu twice, and each time they do, the final phrase breaks away from the nori
rhythm.
This demonstrates the second type of alternation, between nori and non-
When the actor breaks rhythm, the shamisen accompaniment ceases. After the
actor's non-norrline, the shamisen comes in again to accompany the tayO. Every
passage of nori has at least one point where the actor gets on to ride the rhythm
(non/) and a point where he gets off (norazu). Longer nori passages such as the
one in Kikubatake have several points where the rhythm is broken and resumed.
146
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Score 1 notates the nori passage in “regular' rhythm* (S IB Joma), meaning
that each syllable fills the full eighth note. One of the most highly valued nori
skills for an actor, however, is the ability to speak marginally o ff the beat, but not
“stagger the timing*). ‘A4a o zurasu” does not destroy the underlying 4 /4 rhythm
of the voice, nor does it affect the syncopated shamisen rhythm punctuating the
voice. Rather, it accentuates the syncopation by holding some syllables just shy
of or slightly more than an eighth note, which teases but does not obliterate the
using only half the time allowed for a syllable, and resting for the remaining half.*
In 4 /4 , this means the actor says a syllable in the time of a sixteenth note instead
of an eighth note, and rests for the length of a sixteenth note. To be able to freely
use han ma, ‘regular rhythm* (Jd ma), and “stagger the timing* (ma o zurasu)
also extremely difficult, but varying the rhythm (nori chigai, <DU fe u ) in this way
The third type of alternation in nori is between the actor's rhythmic voice
and his rhythmic movements. The amount o f movement varies depending on the
role. Ushiwakamaru and Chienai do not have a great deal of physical movement in
* Tanaka Denzaemon. et.a! u,Nom,n to fit koto: Ohayashi, enshutsuka, yakusha ni kiktff ro-S l t.
I A S W f l c H ) . KikanZasshrKabuki(«nttl£tt*&)rJanuary T972. p. 87.
"Ibid.
147
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Kikubatake. Gochtishin, on the other handr are extremely vigorous and better
Sagami Gor6 in the “Daimotsu ura* scene (;M AX) of Yoshitsune senbon
awaits news of the decisive battle between Taira no Tomomori and Minamoto no
hear news, the lady bids him to report. The takemoto shamisen plays a grand
introductory nori passage as Sagami Gord rises, taking a powerful stance to begin
describing the battle. He brings the unexpected news that the defeat of
Tomomori's troops is imminent. This marks a dramatic turning point in the scene,
for only hours before when Tomomori departed, he was certain of victory.
The translation closely follows the syllabic count and phrase order of the original
Sagami Gord:
Kanete shukun no / tedate no aotoku/kuremutsu suai vori/mikata no kobune
Si/noridashi
" The movements of gochQshin are always very rhythmical and the actor is said to “ride" the
rhythm of the shamisen; however, all gochQshin do not use the specific rhythm of noriji in the
delivery of the lines. For example, Shirosuka Rokurd in Honchd Nijushikd CMS— and
Shiragaki Tard in Omi Genji Senjin Yakata (j&xESEE&IVig) are notable gochQshin, but their lines
are not delivered as nori.
■Transcription and translation based on an October 1976 production at the Kabuki-za in which
Bandd Mitsugord IX (Minosuke) played Sagami Gord.
148
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fln accordance with our lord's / prearranged ofan o f attack / fust past the
sixth evening bell / in the boat of an altv we / boarded and sailed)
Takemoto:
nori dashi
(boarded and sailed)
(takemoto shamisen plays introductory nori passage)
Sagami Gord:
Yoshitsune aa uchi norishi / motomune meaakete/koko niyoseshini
fOn the boat Yoshitsune had boarded / we set our sights and went
forward/)
(takemoto shamisen plays introductory nori passage)
Takemoto:
orishimo hageshiki/ muko yama oroshi / tsurete orifuku/ame ikazuchi
(It was then that the seas grew rough / armies rushed like mountain gales /
along with them descended / showers and thunder)
(takemoto shamisen plays introductory nori passage)
Sagami Gord:
tokikoso kitare to / mikata no aunzei / mina kaichue/ tobi komi
(Our demise is upon us. thought / the warriors on our side /so to the
depths of the sea / everyone leaped)
Takemoto:
tobi komi (everyone leaped)
This example also exemplifies the three alternating principles in nori. First,
the lines are passed back and forth between actor and narrator. Second, the actor
alternately speaks using nori and breaks away from the rhythm in the final phrase
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passed to the tayu, illustrating the principfe of noru/norazu. Thirdly, while the
tayO narrates, Sagami Gord illustrates the narrated words, ‘ riding the rhythm*
(nori) with his vigorous movements. Each section of movement ends with a mie
(A ft, pose), giving a visual cadence to the movement phrase, and then segues
A t the end of each section sung by the tayu, the shamisen plays the
------1--------- - n r ff 0 _ — ^ ------
" t f i ---------- -------------i------ - j-----------
•J /
" r r p
This musical phrase serves two purposes. The first two bars vary in length
depending on the actor's movement. These two bars, together with the third bar,
build a crescendo of sound while the actor strikes a mie. During the fourth bar of
music, the actor prepares to continue speaking, using a nori delivery. In addition
to underscoring the actor's mie, the shamisen phrase serves to reestablish the
norrtempo. The musical phrase finishes on the downbeat, and the actor begins
The nori rhythm used in kabuki may have originated in gidayti, but its uses
in kabuki vary widely from those of the original gidayu. Sometimes a section of
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nori that exists in the original may not appear in the kabuki adaptation. This may
be due to the fact that a particular section of nori was eliminated when the
original gidayu was adapted to kabuki. There are also cases where the kabuki
version maintains the original gidayti text, but does not deliver that text as nori.
In the “Kumagaya jinya" scene of fchinotani futaba gunki, for example, there are
two instances where the kotoba nori of the original gidayti is delivered as normal
dialogue in the kabuki version. One of those instances is a line spoken by a minor
character. It is possible that delivering that particular line of text as nori in kabuki
would call too much attention to a minor character, so the choice was made to
use a delivery that would not stand out. In the context of the original gidayti,
however, non does not stand out as much since it is just one of many rhythmical
and melodical delivery patterns, all accompanied by shamisen, that a tayti uses to
express the text while showing his own virtuosity. Therefore, in gidayti it makes
in gidayti, nori is not limited to turning points and highly emotional passages, as it
seems to be in kabuki.
tells of the young Atsumori bravely facing his death. The one instance of kotoba
noriin the gidayti is retained in the kabuki version. However, kabuki may also add
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noriin places where it does not occur in the original. Whereas Kumagai’s
monogatari has only one case of nori in the original, the kabuki contains two
Most noteworthy are those passages that begin as one or two phrases of
noriin the original gidayu and are expanded to create an entire focal scene in
kabuki. The long passages in “Kikubatake” and “Daimotsu ura* translated above
are cases in point. Masaoka's nori passage at the end of the ‘Mamataki* scene is
another. In all three of these cases, the text of the original gidayti has been
maintained in the kabuki adaptation, but the way in which the lines of that text are
delivered differs from the original. Much of which is (non non) sung ji or iro in
Sawamura Tanosuke has said that the actor determines whether or not to
use nori. Even if a script indicates nori, an actor can choose to use it or not.
Likewise, an actor can decide to use nori where it is not indicated.*4 Actor choice
could explain why certain nori lines in the original text are not delivered as nori in
kabuki. Actor choice can also explain why additional lines in kabuki are delivered
as nori. In practice today, however, the same sections of kabuki plays seem to be
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performed as nori from production to production,’5with only minor word changes,
however, certainly may account for the way in which nori was adapted to kabuki.
expand particular nori sections into focal scenes, and eliminate others in order to
Occasionally, kabuki even creates a long nori passage where no hint of one
a travel dance depicting the lovers Okaru and Kampei. Commonly performed
following the fourth scene in full length productions of Kanadehon chOshingura (i§
The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), Ochiudo does not even exist in the
Bannai. The rhythm and principles in charinoriare basically the same as other nori.
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One minor difference is that charinori is always performed using jdma, with no
gliding along the ground takes off and flies. From that point on the individual
the novel combination of the actor “singing” with the takemoto shamisen, make
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CHAPTER VI: THE RHYTHM AND MELODIES OF SHICHf-GO-CHO
alternating hemistiches of seven and five syllables. This verse form has been the
basis of poetry for over thirteen centuries in Japan, with written records that go
back as far as the Kojiki (‘S H E ; Record o f Ancient Matters, 712) and the
numerous poetic forms: the waka (5-7-5-7-7), seddka (5-7-7-5-7-7), and chdka
(poems up to one hundred lines, alternating units of five and seven and ending
with 7-7) being the oldest.* From waka, a (inked verse called renga, in which
poets composed sequences of “capped* verse, either adding a line of 7-7 to one
flourished in the Muromachi and Edo Periods (1333-1868). Out of this grew haiku
(5-7-5) and comic senryu (5 -7 -5), both of which were extremely popular in the
Edo Period. Practicing haiku, called haikai at the time, was fashionable among
kabuki actors, many of whom even held pen names as poets, called ha/me/(IfeS,
This poetic verse form found its way into Japanese theatrical forms as well.
Zeami, who flourished under the tutelage of imperial poets such as Nijd
' Wright, Harold, trans. Ten ThousandLeaves. Boulder: Shambala, 1979.
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Yoshimoto, used waka as the seeds for noh plays/ In principal, the poetic
gidayti as well, sung descriptive passages are almost entirely composed in poetic
shichi-go chd. Kabuki is also a part of this long poetic tradition. Shichi-go chd is
several forms and is used by sewa and jidaicharacters in "pure" kabuki plays as
The alternating hemistiches of seven and five of shichi-go chd are a clearly
recognizable written verse form. In Japanese, the word for both verse and song is
mutsT (Sfc). This basic verse form is musicalized differently in every theatrical form
that makes use of it. The “song" of noh, gidayti and kabuki written in shichigo chd
In this chapter I will first discuss the types of shichigo chd dialogue, give a
translated example, and discuss the conventions of each. I will also discuss
origins of and influences on shichigo chd use in kabuki. Finally, f will analyze
* Rimer, Thomas and Yamazaki, Masakazu. On the Art of the N6 Drama. Princeton: Princeton UP,
1984, p.xviii.
* Komparu Kunio. The Noh Theater: Principles and Perspectives. Tokyo, Weatherhill, 1983. p.
169.
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The Use of Shichi-go chd in Kabuki
Tsurane: Monologues
words ‘ lined up” in the speeches. Tsurane are found only in ‘pure* kabuki plays and
are spoken only by leading characters. Shichi-go chd has been used in kabuki since
the tsurane monologues of the bombastic heroes of the Genroku era (1688-1703)
shichi-go chd phrases, but the entire speech is not written in shichi-go chd. There
is no way of knowing how this and other Genroku kabuki tsurane sounded in
contemporary times, but the manner in which Genroku-type tsurane are performed
today gives no hint to the listener of the presence of shichi-go chd. In Sukeroku's
nanori, for example, the section of the speech delivered using an extremely rapid
monotone called ippon chdshi, is the section composed in shichi-go chd. It is said
so quickly that the syllabic structure could easily go by unnoticed to the ear.
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d iv erse . When performed, these tsurane have a regularity of rhythm and melody
which makes them stand quite apart from the rest of a character's dialogue. The
playwrights before him, like Sakurada Jisuke I (1734-1806), Namiki Gohei I (1747-
One of the most well-known shichi-go chd tsurane in kabuki belongs to the
character of Ojd Kichisa in the play Sannin Kichisa (E A a H , Three Bandits Named
Kishisa).* In the opening scene on the Sumida River, Ojd, dressed as a woman/
tosses an unsuspecting passerby into the river after lifting 100 ryCf from her. Ojd
then sits alone on the banks of the river, gazing at the moon and says:
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This is quite poetic speech for a pick-pocket, though the twist at the end does tie
the speech to the action of the play. The tsurane?s function as a meta-dramatic
tool, providing an opportunity for the actor to show off his voice, is stronger than
Phrases reflect the alternation between the seven and five-syllable hemistiches in
the original Japanese. The final line of a shichi-go chd tsurane typically consists of
In 4 /4 time, each syllable would be equal to one eighth note, with one eighth rest
following the seven-syllable hemistich and three eighth rests following the five-
syllable hemistich. This rhythm can also easily accommodate an “extra” syllable
hemistich would eliminate the rest in the first bar; a six-syllable hemistich would
eliminate one eighth-rest in the second bar. This same basic rhythm also
passage of shichi-go chd, in which case each bar would contain seven syllables
and a rest.
T59
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tt is important to note that this rhythm is a choice. Noh and gidayti have
extend or shorten syllables; the rhythmic regularity of this choice is one of the
reasons it is so flexible. It is easy to count, and therefore also easy to ‘‘split” and
dialogue are ‘split* and passed back and forth between two characters. Typically
also spoken by main characters and is often used in ‘pure” kabuki plays, and more
Warizerifu seem to appear in kabuki in the late eighteenth century. For this
reason, Furuido Hideo suggests that the kakeai serifu (& (t cH 'i t U & , lit.
‘dialogue thrown back and forth”) may be the origin.10 Kakeai serifu were sung
passages of dialogue written in shichi-go chd, which were passed back and forth
between an actor and narrator. They first appeared in the (ate 1740s, were
extremely popular from the 1750s to 1780s, and used various types of musical
" Furuido Hideo has studied iate eighteenth century piays extensively. He suggested this
possible origin for wari- and watarizerifu in a graduate kabuki seminar at Waseda University,
and supplied me with copies of shdhort (j& £ , 'original libretto’) of kakeai serifu from his
private collection.
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accompaniment. However, kakeai serifu disappeared at the end of the eighteenth
century, around the same time that warizerifu appears in plays. The rhythmical,
budding playwright in the 1770s when kakeai serifu was at its peak. By the end of
the century, they were both leading playwrights, authoring plays with the earliest
known shichi-go chd warizerifu. Further research is necessary to prove the exact
in 1817. On stage is the embankment of the Sumida River, with a shrine gate at
the center of the opposite bank, indicating the approach to Mimeguri Shrine.
Princess Sakura enters on the hanamichi, and priest Seigen from a temporary
hanamichi on the opposite side of the house. Each is distraught and in search of a
loved one. Princess Sakura mourns for the baby cruelty taken from her by a villain
wishing to marry her to gain power. Seigen pines for the unrequited love of
Princess Sakura. Speaking in the dark, neither is aware of the other's presence.
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Following is the English te x t as translated by James R. Brandon in Kabuki:
Five Classic Plays." His translation follows the original syllabic count very closely.
I have marked the seven-syllable hemistich with a single slash, and the end of the
SEIGEN: When I think of how my soul / sinks in misery; / / deeper each day
for her love, / then I long to meet: / / that she may see the anguish /
caring for the child; / / causes me unknown to her, / for if I could now ..//
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SAKURA . . .of my beloved infant, / my darling child.. . / /
Sakura begins by quoting a waka poem, which opens the sequence with a
parallel thoughts, that unite at the end, demonstrating the standard warizerifu
convention. Warizerifu typically begins with one character speaking two or more
twelve-syllable lines, and the other character doing the same. With further
exchanges, the number of lines spoken decreases, until each character gives only
one line. Eventually each recites only one hemistich, before finishing the final
hemistich in unison.
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This above example is typical of warizerifu in many ways, but also has two
unique elements. The first is the starting waka poem. The second is the way the
final unison line is constructed. Namboku fully exploits the structure and the
breaks the line in the middle of a hemistich, in addition to the usual position after
syllabic count, with the exception of the final line where this internal division
occurs. An alternate translation which maintains the onginal syllable count and
The unison line at the end of this example differs from the usual convention.
Typically, the two voices join for the final hemistich only. The division of the first
hemistich into two pitch phrases enables the two characters to join together
vocally on the second pitch phrase, in this case the word “awasete,” which means
“come together.' We should note that the final hemistich has only six syllables,
‘ ku-da-sa-ri-ma-se,min the written text. However, the actors create the seventh
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Gidayu is another possibfe origin o f kabuki’s shichi-go chd warizerifu (as
into three basic delivery styles: kotoba (H ), or spoken dialogue; ji(M ), sung
lyrical passages, and iro (fe), an intermediate style between j i and kotoba. Ji
sections of gidayu are usually written in shichi-go chd verse. Kotoba sections are
not. In gidayO, a character's lines may be delivered as kotoba, i.e. spoken; or, they
may be sung iro or Ji. When a gidayu play (i .e.jdruri) is adapted to kabuki, some of
the lines and thoughts of a character th at are sungji and iro in the original,
The climactic scene of the third or fourth act of a gidayu play typically
features a suicide or other sacrifice of life in the name of duty. Such scenes
usually conclude with long sung lyrical (ji) passages, commenting on the sadness
of a world in which such mournful events are inevitable. Typically, when these
climactic gidayO scenes are adapted to kabuki, some of the shichi-go chd phrases
of the ji are used as actor dialogue. The narrative of the original gidayO becomes a
phrases. Adapting the scripts in this way for kabuki appropriately makes actors
the active entities, giving them, rather than the narrator, command of the final
moments of a play.
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The “Yoshinoyama" scene (a S lii, Mt. Yoshino) of fmoseyama onna teikin
contains a short passage of warizerifu in the kabuki version. In the scene, the
young lovers, Hinadori and Koganosuke, choose to die and be together in the next
life, rather than be pushed into the service of an evil lord. The death of the
children shows their parents, Sadaka and Daihanji, the senselessness of the
historic rivalry between their two families, and points up the evanescence of life.
At the conclusion of the scene, the parents, one on Mt. Imo and one on Mt. Se,
Kabuki uses the exact words of the original gidayu in this passage. Though brief,
it follows the basic conventions of watarizerifu, and is proof that shichi-go chd
warizerifu did exist in gidayO kydgen. However, examples are rare.'5 Shichi-go chd
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Watarizerifu: Passed-Alona Dialogue
and often involves as many as six or seven. Each speaks a line or hemistich in
main, supporting and minor characters, and is widely used in both gidayu kydgen
The 'Terakoya* scene of Sugawara denju tenarai kagami and the "Kumagai
that conclude with a passage of watarizerifu. In both cases, the lines are spoken
by the main characters. In the 'Kumagai Jinya* scene, we discover that Kumagai
actually killed his own son, using his head as a substitute for that of the young
enemy Heike warrior Atsumori. He made this sacrifice to serve his lord
Yoshitsune, who gave an order (veiled in poetry) that Atsumori not be killed
his lord, and also repays an obligation to Atsumori's mother, who saved the lives
At the conclusion of the scene everyone on stage stands: Kumagai with his
wife, Sagami; Yoshitsune and his retainer; Atsumori's mother, Fuji no Kata; and the
stone carver Midaroku. Sharing their grief-filled thoughts, they comment aloud:'4
“Translation based on Japanese text as reprinted in Kabuki On Stage, Vof. 4 . Koike Shdtard, ed.
Tokyo: Hakusuisha, T98S.
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Midaroku: Even Musashibo / Benkei’s sign / / TS
Musashibdga/ seisatsu mo / /
The lines are taken directly from the original gidayu. As narrated gidayu, the
transience of the world, and their thoughts unite as one in the end.
warizerifu. The first person begins with a full twelve-syllable phrase, and each
person follows in succession. The last individual speaker slows the tempo on his
phrase, passing it to everyone for the final unison phrase. Here, too, the Japanese
"The notice board with a poem which contained the veiled order not to kill Atsumori, was
written in Benkei’s handwriting.
" Modem productions of Kumagai jinya* usually assigns Yoshitsune’s retainer a phrase just
prior to Kumagai. Sagami says only the first hemistich, *A beloved son vanished* and the
retainer the second one, “warrior no more.*
' Kabuki on Stage attributes this hemistich to Kumagai. In present-day productions, however,
it is spoken by Yoshitsune.
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for the final hemistich, “yo no nakaja na “ has only six syllables. The actors hold
Passages of wari- and watarizerifu show how important the rule of “passing
the tail end of the word" can be. Passing the tempo and maintaining the rhythm
are essential to the beauty of shichi-go-chd dialogue. Passing the final phrase
before the unison line is particularly difficult. The actor must slow the tempo and
be clear enough that all actors—often spread across the stage—can breathe,
enter and speak in unison. When passing the lines, each actor will also consciously
vary the pitch at the start of his line from the ending pitch of the previous actor’s
line. Furthermore, we can see in these examples how umijils used in stretching a
One of those classics is Kotobuki Soga no Taimen. Rays dramatizing the famous
theatres at New Year's time. The climactic scene featured a confrontation of the
brothers with their father's murderer, Kuda Suketsune. Today, kabuki regularly
Suketsune's mansion. All have gathered for the New Year celebration, and to offer
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flowery felicitations to Suketsune on his new appointment to office:
DAIMYO1: Wafting fragrant also your new cypress abode f I the building
completed on an auspicious day f f
DAIMYO 2: Unveiled to lords great and small to pay respect; f f the gates
ornamented in decorative pine ff
DAIMYO 4: Today no one must endure pain or suffering f f for all now feast
and revel, drunken with joy. f f
■The character of Asahina is sometimes replaced by his sister, Maizuru. Which is used
depends on whether or not the roie is to be filled by an onnagata* In either case, the only
difference in the lines is the name.
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DAIMYd 5: Tails on New Years kites flowing gently in the breeze, I f at
DAIMYO 8: The rough waves shall be calmed and the land pacified f f give
praise to he who commands over the four seas f f
This passage is much longer than any watarizerifu adapted from gidayO,
though follows the same pattern. Lines are passed form character to character,
with all speaking in unison on the final line. Each line is an image, linked to the
images of the previous line. Little real information is revealed in this passage, nor
like “Kumagai Jinya." The important thing in this passage, as Hidetard told his
kabuki in more recent times. Modem day time constraints limit playing time for a
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show to approximately four hours. This requires that tdshi kydgen, ( i i L IB S ', full-
various plays which may require editing in order to fit into time frame. Newly
written shichi-go chd is sometimes added to revivals of tdshi kydgen and other
scenes, as a way of summarizing information that has been cut.19 This is usually
Using shichi-go chd to summarize and shorten plays may not be such a new
idea. Extant scripts of the Bunka-Bunsei eras (1804-1830) show that shichi-go
chd watarizerifu was used extensively in chu-u shibai (*£ 0 2 S ).M Chu-u shibaF
gained popularity in the 1790s, dominated Kamigata kabuki after the turn of the
19th century, and lasted well into the Meiji Era (1868-1912).“
and many of the plays they performed were adapted from the gidayu. The
* During the years I wrote monthly English language commentaries for kabuki (1992-96; T997,
1998), I occasionally encountered passages in modem scripts that were not in original scripts.
"Kabuki Gakkai, ed. Kabuki no refdshit Atarashii shiten to tenbd (WME<DKJ£—S rtA 4J|j££!l
2 ). Tokyo: YOzankaku Publishing, 1998. p. 31 1.
a Also called simply chC-shibai pt*3EJS). However, some scholars add the additional “u* to
distinguish it from the name of an Osaka theatre, the Naka (no) shibai (CP2ES ), which uses the
same ideograms.
"Among them were the Rokkakudd (7 \A tt) and Nishiki Tenjin (23Ett)in Kyoto, and the
Wakadayd (£ £ £ ) and Kadomaru (A A ) theatres in Osaka.
* Based on Aoki Shigeru,nKansei ik6 kamigata gekidan no dokon BBM) £ C) Gefnoshi
kenkyO (SUBfSt) Vol. 104, February, 1989.
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adaptations made littie use of gidayO music, and instead used extensive shichi-go
chd wari- and watarizerifu. Kamigata kabuki scholar Aoki Shigeru suggests that
reticent to use gidayu music, and instead opted to used the musical shichi-go chd
delivery"
I suggest there was another reason for using shichi-go chd dialogue in lieu
of gidayu music, for there was no such reticence in the large licensed theatres Cfc
2EM, dshibai), which were also located near ningydjdruri theatres. Edo law forbid
chu-u shibai to give performances of a single full-day five part play (£158815#,
godan tsuzuki kydgen), so programs were divided into separate, often unrelated
parts, and a separate admission fee charged for each part.25 Consequently, many
audience members would see only one act of a play. This made it important to
use time effectively in presenting the story. The pace of gidayO is slow and time
consuming. It also does not provide an opportunity for actors to speak. Using
shichi-go chd instead keeps the plays very musical, cuts time, and summarizes
which serves a practical purpose of providing training for up and coming actors.
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shrine grounds), and finally in chG-u shibai if sufficiently popular as an adult, he
would graduate to one of the dshibai, such as the Naka no shibai in Osaka.25
Actors also migrated from Kamigata chu-u shibai to the large theatres of
Edo. Conversely, Edo actors came to Kamigata chG-u shibai to hone their skills
before returning to try and break into the big leagues in Edo. One of the most
successful was Nakamura Utaemon III (1778-1838), an Osaka actor who began in
the kodomo shibai and worked his way to up to the top. When he performed in
the dshibai of Edo, he rivaled the popularity of Edo's biggest names.27 His
apprentice, Utaemon IV (1796-1852), was originally from Edo, but left with
Utaemon III in 1812 to train at in the miya- and chu-u shibai of Osaka.25 Utaemon
IV returned to Edo to great acclaim in 1838, where he acted in the dshibai theatres
until his death in 18S2.29 Ichikawa Kodanji IV (1812-1866) was another Edo-bom
actor who trained in Osaka. At the age of ten he began performing in kodomo,
and later chG-ushibai. He returned to Edo in 1844, where he was very popular,
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Chu-ushibai actors, like Utaemon III, Utaemon IV, Kodanji IV, and countless
others yet undocumented, may have brought wari- and watarizerifu to Edo
playwrights.3' Wari- and watarizerifu existed in Edo gidayO kydgen from at least
the 1750s, when plays like Ichinotani futaba gunki and Sugawara denju tenarai
kagami were adapted to kabuki from gidayu. Wari- and watarizerifu are not seen
in “pure’' kabuki plays until the end of the eighteenth century, after the chu-u shibai
Furuido's hypothesis that kakeai serifu were the origin of wari- and watarizerifu
would seem to contradict Aoki’s, but both influences could have been at work
simultaneously.
One very direct connection between chu-u shibai and Edo pfaywrights can
be seen in the relationship between Kodanji IV, who originated in the chu-u shibai,
Mokuami wrote his first play for Kodanji, called Shinobu no Sota (ScDJfcfc, Sneaky
Sdta). in one scene, the two foes Sdta and Umewaka meet in confrontation before
the scene be written in shichi-go chd warizerifu, and he made Mokuami rewrite it
three times before deeming it acceptable.32 This was the first of the many “bandit
plays- (shiranami mono, 62M6) that Mokuami wrote for Kodanji. Later “bandit
-ibid. p. 312.
« Ibfd.
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plays' include Nezumi Kozd (flUHB; ‘The Rat Thief ”1857) fzayoi Seishin (*f-7v&U
<6; izayoi and Seishin,1859), and Sannin Kichisa (1860), among others. The
honorable bandits heroes’ ‘sung’ poetic shichi-go chd tsurane are highlights of
written form. When performed in kabuki, it also has recognizabfe rhythmic and
melodic forms. I will begin with an analysis of the first half of 0J6 Kichisa's
tsurane, demonstrating the rhythm and showing how the melody of shichi-go chd
is created. I will then discuss how this melodic form vanes depending on the type
of play.
I compare here recordings of three actors doing Ojd Kichisa’s tsurane from
Sannin Kichisa, discussed earlier in the chapter. The three actors are Ichimura
VII. Uzaemon and Gennosuke are Meiji actors; Baikd is a Showa actor. The
comparison has two goals: the first is to determine the essential rhythm and
melody of shichi-go chd in sewamono. i will then use this as a basis for
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comparison with jidaimono shichi-go chd. The second goal is to determine if
The first half of 0j6 Kichisa's tsurane consists of eight twelve-syllable lines.
the following three factors: rhythm, tempo, and pitch contours. Graphs 29 ,3 0
and 31, illustrating the tsurane as performed by Uzaemon, Gennosuke and Baikd
Rhvthm
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
The written structure of shicN-go chd usually places a natural break between the
seven- and five- syllable hemistich, and actors usually pause briefly for that one
beat between phrases. All three actors followed the basic rhythm, with only
minor changes.
One of those minor changes was to begin speaking a line on the upbeat.
Gennosuke does this in the first line of the speech. To make up for it, he
-4-4- a-a j \ s s s J = 3 n ~ *
tsuki mo o bo ro ni shi ra u o no
Another variation of the rhythm is to hold a syllable longer than one beat.
This is readily done on the seventh or twelfth syllable. For example, Baikd held the
seventh-syllable in the fourth line for a full quarter note. This also eliminated the
-4H- mt- n L J L JL .M
Minor adjustments such as these do not significantly alter the basic rhythm. In
fact, within each individual line, the three actors showed little deviation from the
basic rhythm.
178
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More significant than the rhythm of the line itself is the rhythm between the
lines. The three actors did not exhibit a timing as countable as the notation
would seem to indicate. Each actor approached the tsurane differently. Baikd
treated the entire speech as one thru-composition, and had the most rhythmically
uniform delivery. The beats of the rests in between each line were as countable as
the beats of the twelve spoken syllables. Gennosuke was the other extreme. He
treated each line as a separate entity. Each individual twelve-syllable line more or
less fit the basic rhythmic pattern. However, the time in between lines was very
sporadic and not countable as a specific number of beats. Uzaemon was more
actor uses pauses and breath interpretively in the lines. In wari- and watarizerifu,
however, maintaining a regular rhythm between lines is essential so that lines get
passed along smoothly. Consequently, the overall rhythm in wari and watarizerifu
tends to be more regular than in tsurane. From a musical standpoint, this is very
up the rhythm as it is passed. He can pause as he wishes between lines, and break
179
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Tempo
jidai or sewa characters, as well as their age, status and occupation. The three
actors in these samples, however, are playing the same character and speaking
the same lines. The only logical explanation for the tempo differences is the
I had hoped to find a difference between the two Meiji actors and Baikd, the
Showa actor, to support a hypothesis that the overall pace of plays has slowed.
However, the evidence in this case does not support the hypothesis. Baikd and
remarkable similarity of tempo. Gennosuke, the second Meiji actor, took only 26.5
seconds for the same eight lines, which is about 3.77ss. Compared with the other
two actors, Gennosuke took much longer pauses between lines, which means his
actual speaking tempo was much faster than 3.77ss. In terms of tempo, no
conclusions can be drawn from this sample regarding historical change from the
Pitch Contours
180
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patterns in 0J6 Kichisa’s tsurane. I have divided the line types into two categories.
Type one" lines contain either two or three pitch phrases for the twelve-syllable
line, each of which manifests a moderate, gradual rise and descent. Type two"
lines contain three or four pitch phrases, and manifest larger, more acute pitch
rises and falls. Roughly simplified, the patterns of the three actors can be
represented as:
A.
A.
Type one and type two lines are distinguished by the pitch range of the
pitch phrases. In all three samples, type one lines showed a pitch range of six to
seven semitones in the first hemistich, and seven to eight semitones in the
second hemistich. Type two lines had more and greater pitch undulations,
showing a range from eight semitones to one octave and four semitones in each
181
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of the pitch phrases. The exact pitch interval varied slightly from performer to
performer, but the regular alternation, between type one lines with few pitch
phrases and smaller intervals, and type two lines, with more pitch phrases of
To create this regular alternation of line types, some pitch phrases were
manipulated, essentially making a type two line pattern from one that would
“naturally" be a type one pattern. One example is the fourth line (D) ‘kokoromochi
yoku ukauka to." The natural grammatical break is between the two hemistiches,
which divides the line into two pitch phrases, as in (the highest-pitched syllable in
None of the three actors follows the natural break or pitch phrasing. All three
artificially divide each of the hemistiches into two pitch phrases, making the
delivery a type two line pattern, as can be seen in the following diagram:
meaning "a good feeling.” The two words also form a natural single pitch phrase,
•The accent nucleus, or highest tone Is underlined.
182
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patterned L-H-H-H-H-H-H-L The pitch accent of “kokoromochi”is L-H-H-H-H; the
pitch accent for “yoku" is H-L. The hemistich couid naturally be divided between
these two words into two pitch phrases. However, all three actors’ divide the
H-L for the word “kokoromochi." This goes counter to the rules of Japanese
intonation, and does not exist in daily speech. The odd intonation results from
“UkauksT in the second hemistich is divided into two pitch phrases fora
different reason. “Ukauka tcT (H-L-L-L-L) means “dreamy." Divided into two, the
pitch accent patterns become “uka" (H-L) and “uka to’ (H-H-L). *UkauksT is a
“pivot word.’ It holds one meaning in the context of one line, and another meaning
in the context of the next line. The meaning pivots back and forth between the
two. in the delivery of the lines, the choice is made to forefront the pivot word,
by using the intonation of the less obvious meaning, *ukaT (M4fc) grow wings, and
'ukst (M T ) shower down like rain.“ The words “uka uka t<f then come to mean
something like "the wings swooping down like rain,” linking to the following line
that mentions a cawing crow in flight. Two meanings are implied in the line, and
kabuki actors make the choice to highlight the pivotal nature of the word in
performance.
183
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(n the final line of the tsurane, the actors also artificially divide the word
“omoigakenakif (unexpected) in order to obtain a type two line. The pitch accent
of the word is L-H-H-H-H-H-L, which would naturally result in one pitch phrase that
rises gradually to a peak and falls in pitch at the end. However, ait three actors
divide the single word into two pitch phrases, "omoi gsT and *kenakuas in:
omoigakenaku becomes
/ \ / \
om oi ga kenaku
This creates the two pitch phrases needed for the type two line, but the pitch rise
on the syllable “ke," makes the pronunciation of the word counter to natural
Japanese. The shape of the contour is given precedence over the natural accent of
the word. These three examples demonstrate how the kabuki actor manipulates
The basic line types used in the tsurane of OJ6 Kichisa, are also heard
repeatedly in other shichi-go chd tsurane. For example, in the “Inasegawa" scene
(ffiSRJU, The Inase River) of Shiranami gonin otoko (S X S A J Ir Five Bandits o f die
White Waves), each of the five bandits delivers a fifteen-line tsurane in succession.
* November 1971 Kabuki-za production, as recorded in the CD book, Kabuki meiserifu shQ (R ft
7 ft) Tokyo: Shinkosha. 1998.
184
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employed the same basic line types. Reversals of the alternating lines also
occurred. For example, two type two lines may be spoken in a row, followed by a
type one line, thus reversing the pattern. Furthermore, actors used even greater
The same principle of alternating line patterns also occurs in the shichi-go
than those found in sewamono. in Soga no Taimen, a “pure* kabuki jidaimono, all
of the characters incorporate the jidai pattern of “attack the second syllable and
drop the end of the phrase* into the shichhgo-chd verse. Following is one example
185
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The first line (illustrated in Graph 33, p .l 9Z37) I will call a type one jidai line. Type
one lines contain only one pitch phrase. The second line, a type two jidai tine, is
divided between the first and second hemistiches into two pitch phrases.
Jidai shichi-go chd also use the yamagata speech pattern. One example is
This example also manifests two alternating line types. Type one (yamagata) is
composed of one long pitch phrase, and the type two line is divided into three
Type One
Type Two
delivered as one pitch phrase. In both cases, the single pitch phrase naturally
'F lu te music underscores the entire passage, obstructing the ability of the speech analyzer
program to calculate the vocal pitch. 1have included a graph for the first line of shichi go chd,
which is only obscured on the first four syllables.
186
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divides, between the two hemistiches, into two phrases. For example, “kogare
hemistiches: “Chichi Shigemori ga" and “kd on o.“ Dividing the lines would create
two pitch phrases and result in more rising and falling pitch contours in the line.
But this does not happen. Kabuki actors choose to retain a jidai vocal stylization
mono ga ard’ and “uketaru mono wa ikuman nin,’ the actor accents the second
and seventh syllable, and third from the last syllable, distributing the high pitches
Both lines could naturally divide between the two hemistiches, at the
ikuman nin,’ creating two pitch phrases. In this case, the seventh syllable would
be the final one of the first phrase and have a falling, or low pitch. Instead, the
actors raise the pitch of the seventh syllable to link the two phrases together,
187
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Shichi-go chd manifests different vocai contours in sewamono and
go chd. These distinct melodies, coupled with the regular rhythm of shichi-go chd,
create a circumstance which stands apart from other “musical" kabuki speech.
The contrast between the daily, irregular speech patterns of sewa diafogue and
sewamono. This is one reason the dynamic use of shichi-go chd is so effective in
Jidaimono, on the other hand, typically use formal speech and formalized
speech patterns for dialogue. Furthermore, those same patterns are incorporated
into the delivery of shichi-go chd. Jidaimono does use alternating line contours
for shichi-go chd speech, which separates it from other dialogue, but the
difference between the stylized speech employed in jidaimono and shichi-go chd
performance, it manifests itself in many ways. Scholars and actors often point to
shichi-go chd and say it is “musical" or “easily made melodic."* I have shown how
actors manipulate the language in order to produce the distinctive contours of the
alternating melodic line patterns which create the distinctive aural quality of the
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Graph Set 29
Ojo Kichisa’s tsurane (Ichimura Uzaemon XV) tn Sannin kichisa
DMHR“ ■ 1 I'
•*
WA
r.•V *.
* \
H '*V
IM
B. fca ga it mo ka su mu ha ru no so ra (shamisen)
189
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T90
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Graph Set 29
F. (ra) e ke e ru ka m in . la de (shamisen) sa o
191
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Graph Set 29
192
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Graph Set 30
(shamisen)
193
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Graph Set 30
194
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Graph Set 30
F. ra i ke e ru ka wa ba ta de (shamisen)
195
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Graph Set 30
G. sa o no shi zu (ku) ka na re te ja wa o
H. o mo i ga ke na ku te ni i nt hya ku ryo o
196
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Graph 31
l/W A
Ka wa n mo ka su mu ha ru no so ra
197
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Graph 32
198
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CHAPTER VII: CONCLUSIONS
language does not activate this potential. The art of kabuki speech, on the other
hand, is an art of exploiting the musical potential of the language through the use
of the rules outlined herein. This musicality ranges from moderate, as with sewa
voice, to intermediate, as with jid a ivoice, to the extreme, as with non and shichi-
go chd passages.
the rules of prosody at times, exaggerating the rules at other times, and even
breaking the rules at other times, as seen in the intonation patterns of courtesans
and other onnagata when wishing to sound alluring. The range of vocal stylization
pitch range, tempo, and intonation which only slightly accentuates the rules of
* Bolinger, Dwight. Aspects o fLanguage. New York: Harcourt Brace T98 T. p. 46.
199
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daily speech. The taut, suspended phrases which come from the mouths of
distant jidai lords and ladies, following the patterns of the yamagata or “attacking
the second syllable,* display a drastic slowing in tempo and suspension of pitch
Still further on the spectrum of stylization is the realm when speech begins
and modulated using greater pitch intervals than what has been established as a
norm for that character. At the furthest extreme of stylization are the “songs" of
Kabuki and bunraku, the gidayti-based puppet theatre, have always had an
repertory. Adaptations from bunraku began in the 1720s, reached a peak in the
1750s, and continued through the late nineteenth century. Almost every kabuki
program today includes at least one scene from a gidayu play. Some programs
art of kabuki speech. Gidayu is ideally how kabuki actors learn breath
200
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management, timing, correct pfacement of the voice, and pitch control. The
number of actors directly studying gidayO today may be dwindling, but kabuki’s
the actor with the skills necessary to affect the highly versatile, rhythmic and
I believe kabuki also has a sizable indirect, invisible debt to gidayu. The
chd—can both be traced to gidayO. The most poignant moments in gidayO are
sung, and often composed in shichi-go chd verse. When gidayu plays were
narrator. Others were taken over by the actor. In so doing, the musical nature of
the original gidayO necessitated developing a musical parallel in the speech of the
In some cases, those adopted musical highlights take the form o f non.
Non came directly from gidayO. It stands apart from other moments of extreme
stylization because its emphasis is on rhythm over tempo or melody, and the
for the actor to highlight his skills. Consequently, non sections were expanded in
kabuki.
In other cases, kabuki developed its own distinct melodic vocal patterns to
201
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apply to shichi-go chd tsurane, and gidayO lines which were adapted as wan- and
watarizerifu. These “songs of shichi-go chff are kabuki’s own original melodies,
but very possibly bom out of the necessity to create a musical counterpart in
kabuki for the original gidayu music. In this way, too, kabuki has a “hidden* debt
to gidayu.
Further Study
There is always a first step. I have begun by defining basic rules governing
and demonstrating how they can be used by a range of character types. A next
vowel quality and vocal color to specific character types in kabuki. The same
speech analysis programs I have used to illustrate pitch and tempo, i.e. Speech
Analyzer 3.1 and Praat 3.8.41, can be employed to produce spectrums and
articulation and affect vocal timbre.2 Correlating the kabuki actor's particular
'Sundberg,Johan. The Science o f the Singing Voice. Dekalb: northern Illinois University
Press, 1987. p. 130.
202
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that are made under identical circumstances. This is necessary to make reliable
indicated that the overall tempo of gidayu kydgen has slowed. On the other hand,
actor Ichikawa Ennosuke III acknowledges consciously using quicker tempos in his
productions, as part of his efforts to update kabuki for modem life and make it
productions, comparing each decade of the sixty-year period from the 1950s to
the first decade of this millennium? Sixty years is sufficient time to follow three
generations of kabuki actors. Are tempos really changing? And if so, how?
The breathing techniques, rules, and rhythms I have discussed are all basic
to kabuki speech. Moreover, they are basic to speech and can be applied to other
“sending the voice from the hara,’ breathing deeply through the nose, and
engaging emotion and energy by actively “holding” the breath before speaking are
extremely effective, dynamic uses of breath. Studying gidayu is one way to team
203
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how to do these things. A more viable, expedient possibility is to develop
exercises for the non-kabuki actor, based on these important techniques taught in
gidayu.
The rules discussed herein illustrate that the underlying construct of kabuki
speech is musical. The actor speaks with conscious attention to pitch, tempo,
stylized English speech as well. Dividing a text into set phrases, clearly
differentiating the starting pitch of each phrase from the ending pitch of the
previous phrase, using varying pitch ranges for phrases, and contrasting ending
cadences, are several points that can be adopted from the basic rule ‘if speaking
high then speak low; if low, then high." Tempo variations can be added over and
above this, incorporating the second part of the rule ‘if speaking quickly, then
slowly; if slowly, then quickly.* Developing ways for the actor to use the tempo of
his or her voice to control transitions from stylized speech into more song-like
speech, and incorporating the idea o f‘singing the lines,* are further steps towards
composers use notes to convey ideas and emotion through music, the actor can
consciously use the pitch, tempo, melody and rhythm that overlay his or her
204
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emotional content of speech. Constructing one’s speech to affect those
emotions is a different approach, and a valuable one which can be learned from the
205
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APPENDIX: Hertz/Tone Correspondence Chart
(from Hail, Donald E MusicalAcoustics.
Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1991)
206
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215
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INTERVIEWS
Kataoka Hidetard II, kabuki actor. Osaka, July 27 and 28, T999.
Sawamura Tanosuke VI, kabuki actor. Tokyo, Nov. 61998; Tokyo, Aug. 5,1999.
Tokiwazu Tokizd, tokiwazu shamfeen player and narrator. Tokyo, Dec. 1998 and Mar. 29,
1999; Kyoto, April 9,1999.
216
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