#1

E T T E A R H
 #1

T H E A T E R
 #2

U M I C A S L
 #2

M U S I C A L
Musical Characteristics of
Selected Asian Theater Music
 Learning Objectives

by the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

a. Identify the musical characteristics of elected Asian
theater music
b. Describe the instruments that accompany Kabuki,
Wayang Kulit, and Peking opera
c. s
Japanese Theater:
Kabuki
 Kabuki
Country: Japan
Characteristic: It is a traditional Japanese popular drama
with singing and dancing performed in a highly stylized
manner. A rich blend of music, dance, mime, and spectacular
staging and costuming, it has been a major theatrical form in
Japan for four centuries.

Japanese, the word is written with three characters: ka,

signifying “song”; bu, “dance”; and ki, “skill.”
 Kabuki
Costumes: The often-glamorous
costumes worn by performers.

Kimuno is a traditional Japanese garment

and the national dress of Japan. The
kimono is a T-shaped, wrapped-front
garment with square sleeves and a
rectangular body
 Kabuki
Costumes: Rice powder is used to create the
white oshiroi base for the characteristic stage
makeup, and kumadori enhances or
exaggerates facial lines to produce dramatic
animal or supernatural masks.

Another special feature of kabuki costumes is

the katsura, or the wig. Each actor has a
different wig made for every role, constructed
from a thin base of hand-beaten copper
custom-made to fit the actor perfectly.
Three Main Categories

1. Jidaimono plays that feature historical plots

and characters, often famous samurai battles.
2. Sewamono contemporary plays, which
generally focus on commoners and domestic
issues.
3. Shosagoto also known as dance or dance-
drama, is a type of kabuki play based on dance.
Chinese Theater:
Peking Opera
 Peking Opera
Country: China
Characteristic: a performance art incorporating singing,
reciting, acting, martial arts. Although widely practiced
throughout China, its performance centers on Beijing,
Tianjin and Shanghai. Peking opera is sung and recited
using primarily Beijing dialect also known as Pekingese.

They tell stories of history, politics, society and daily life and
aspire to inform as they entertain
 Peking Opera
Costumes: Costumes function first to distinguish the rank of the
character being played:
▪ Emperors and their families wear yellow robes, and high-
ranking officials wear purple. The robe worn by these two
classes is called a mang. Featuring brilliant colors and rich
embroidery, often in the design of a dragon.
▪ Persons of high rank or virtue wear red
▪ Lower-ranking officials wear blue,
▪ Young characters wear white, the old wear white, brown, or
olive
▪ All other men wear black.
Performers and Roles
Sheng Dan

▪ The Sheng is the main male

role in Beijing opera.
▪ The Dan refers to any
female role in Beijing opera.
▪ The Jing is a painted face Chou
male role, he will play either Jing

primary or secondary roles.

▪ The Chou is a male clown
role.
Indonesian Theater:
Wayang Kulit
 Wayang Kulit
Country: Indonesia
Characteristic: A traditional form of puppet-shadow play
originally found in the cultures of Java and Bali in Indonesia.
In a wayang kulit performance, the puppet figures are rear-
projected on a taut linen screen with a coconut-oil (or
electric) light. The dalang (shadow artist) manipulates
carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to
bring the shadows to life.
The narratives of wayang kulit often have to do with the
major theme of good vs. evil.
Wayang Kulit
Performers and Roles
▪ Audience is the most
important in a Wayang Kulit
performance
▪ Dalang prepares all the
materials used like cloth and
the light for the shadow
▪ Puppet on the right side
signifies the good character,
on the left-hand side, the bad
character
Instruments that Accompany
Kabuki, Wayang Kulit,
and Peking Opera
The music provides emotion to the words spoken, but it also plays the
role of ambience when there is only action. Background music enhances
theatrical performances because the sound produced brings the needed
emotion by the audience as portrayed in each scene.

Musical instruments are generally classified into four:

▪ Stringed instruments (chordophones), which are played by plucking
or strumming.
▪ Wind or woodwind instruments (aerophones) are played by
blowing.
▪ Percussion instruments (idiophones) can be played by striking,
tapping, banging or shaking.
▪ Instruments with membranes (membranophones) which can be
played depending on what classification each will belong. It can be
stringed, percussion or wind or woodwind.
 Musical Instruments used in
Kabuki
1. Shamisen – the most common of Kabuki 2.
instrument. A three-stringed Japanese instrument 1.
played with a plectrum called a bacci.
2. Odaiko drum – part of the taiko drum family.
Odaiko literally means large drum. It is used to
create sound effects such as rain or wind.
3. Tsuzumi - the hourglass drum - is used mainly in
the Noh and Kabuki theatres. It has chords that 3.
can be tightened or loosen with your hands to 4.
control the pitch.
4. Shimi Daiko Drum – signals the beginning and
end of the performance. It is also a drum in a taiko
family but on much smaller scale. It sits on a stand
and is played with bacci.
 Musical Instruments used in
Peking Opera
1. Siao – recorded flutes – usually played 1. 2.
along with singing
2. Sona – trumpet announces prosperous
occasions
3. Hu-ch’in – two-stringed violin like
instruments that is held upright against 3. 4.
the knee
4. Yue-ch’in – four-stringed instruments
 Musical Instruments used in
Peking Opera
1. San-sien – three-stringed 1.
instrument
2.Pipa – similar to lute with four
string 2. 3.
3.Tan-pi-ku – kettle drum used to
create the tempo of the performance

4.Ta-lo Siao-lo Gongs signify the 4.

beginning the performance
 Musical Instruments used in
Wayang Kulit (Gamelan)
1. Saron – xylophone of heavy 1. 2.
bronze bars
2.Gender – bronze xylophone with
resonance chambers beneath
3.Gong and Kempul – hanging 3.
gongs 4.

4.Kenung and Ketuk – single

inverted bronze bowl
 Musical Instruments used in
Wayang Kulit (Gamelan)
1.

1. Bonang – set of bronze bowl

2. Gambang – wooden xylophon 2.
3. Suling – flute
4. Rebab - two-stringed fiddle
4.
5. Kendang – horizontal drum beat 3.
with the fingers on both ends
6. Tjelempung – a zither of
thirteen double strings 5. 6.