World Music Name__________________________

Study Guide: Japan

1. __________________ is the general name for traditional music in Japan.

Gagaku

2. The voice, the ______________, and the ________________ seemed to share basic melody, but each
performed the melody in a somewhat different fashion, rhythmically as well as melodically resulting in a
texture that may be described as ________________.

shamisen, koto, heterophonic.

3. Classify and describe the following primary Japanese instruments:

Koto: Three finger picks used to play the thirteen-stringed traditional Japanese instruments. It is
commonly used in traditional group music.

shamaisen is a traditional three-stringed Japanese instrument that can be played with a plectrum in
both folk & and classical music genres.

shakuhachi is a five-holed bamboo flute found in Japanese classical music.

4. Since 1652, _____________ has been performed by adult males, as it still is today, and female roles
are impersonated by male actors.

Kabuki

5. Kabuki has borrowed a lot from other types of theater, such as the classical __________ theater and
the puppet theater ________________.

Noh, Bunraku.

6. Describe some of the interesting features of a kabuki stage. How are these features utilized during a
performance?
Each part of the kabuki stage is used to enhance the storytelling and theatrical experience. Interesting
kabuki stage characteristics and how they are used during a performance:

 Hanamichi (flower path): From the rear of the theatre to the stage, the hanamichi takes you
through the audience. Actors utilize it for dramatic entrances and exits to interact with the
audience. This function makes actors and viewers feel close.
 Tachimawari (revolving stage): Rotating the stage allows seamless scene changes. This is useful
for switching sites without disrupting the performance. The revolving stage gives the production
movement and visual intrigue.
 Trapdoors: Trapdoors on Kabuki stages allow actors to appear or disappear for dramatic effect.
Secret entrances, exits, and supernatural components are symbolized by trapdoors. They
enhance the magic and fantasy of kabuki.
 Seridashi: Theatre actors are lifted on Seridashi platforms. This emphasizes the supernatural
or heavenly quality of certain characters. It makes scenes more visually appealing and
theatrical.
 Keren's special effects: Kabuki stages can simulate rain, snow, and mist. These effects increase
the scene's mood and emotion. For instance, synthetic rain might heighten a sorrowful event.
Mawari-butai (revolving stage within the main stage): Kabuki stages sometimes have a
smaller revolving stage. This allows more dramatic scene transitions, precise choreography,
and innovative staging. It hosts intricate and beautiful performances.
 Yuka (raised platform): The yuka is a raised platform used for sceneries or character elevation.
Visual diversity and symbolic emphasis on narrative events are created by it.
 Kabuki performances are immersive and visually rich because to these elements. They are
aesthetic aspects and functional instruments that permit seamless transitions, heighten
dramatic effect, and embellish the production. Each element is meticulously integrated into
the plot, providing depth and engaging the audience.

7. On-stage musicians in kabuki theater are called degatari. This group is divided functionally into two
separate ensembles, called ___________________ (storytellers) and ________________________
(ensemble specializing in performing long songs).

"geza", ongyok
8. The bunraku puppet, made of wood, is moved by _________ puppeteers who manipulate its arms,
fingers, legs, body, head, eyes, mouth, and even eyebrows with extreme realism.

three

9. Exclusively an art of the ruling samurai class from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries, ________,
is a performance style of elegant simplicity and restraint with major themes of redemption of human
suffering through the love of _________________.

Noh, gods

10. ______________________ is the generic name for Japanese ensembles of flutes and drums.

"Hayashi"

11. List and describe the instruments used in noh theater:

Hyoshigi : These are wood clappers that produce a harsh sound when struck together. They are
employed to highlight particular parts of the performance and to indicate the start and finish of it.

Narimono: Describes a range of tiny percussion instruments, including gongs, cymbals, and bells. The
purpose of these instruments is to give the musical accompaniment more depth and texture.

Shime-daiko:is a small stick-driven drum with a high pitch. It is frequently used to synchronize dance
moves with a constant pace.

Taiko: Played with two sticks, the Taiko is a big barrel-shaped drum. It emphasizes the performance's
climactic moments and has a deep, powerful tone. It is common for a proficient percussionist to perform
Taiko.
12. Buddhism came to Japan in the _______ century from ______________________. By this time it was
already a thousand years old and a highly developed religion.

6th, Korean Peninsula,

13. Popular koto-and-vocal music of the Edo Period is known under the generic name of __________

Joruri.

14. The common instrumental koto ensemble today is called sankyoku, meaning trio, and consists of
what three instruments?

Koto:is a traditional stringed instrument from Japan that has a zither-like appearance. Its large,
rectangular body is covered in strings that are suspended from movable bridges.

Shamisen: is a traditional Japanese instrument consisting of three strings, a drum-like body, and a thin
neck. It is performed using a plectrum known as a bachi.

Shakuhachi, also known as the bamboo flute from Japan, has four holes on its front and one on its back.
Using finger holes to adjust the sound, blow over the top aperture to play it.

15. Listen to the sokyoku audio track and describe how the musicians are creating a heterophonic
texture.

Two or more voices or instruments play the same melody in heterophony. Each artist adds their own
interpretation to the melody, creating a rich and diverse sound.

Musicians may layer the main melody with ornamentations, variations, or embellishments in a
heterophonic texture. Different instruments or voices may gently depart from the main line, giving
nuances and character.

16. ________, meaning elegant or refined music, is the instrumental and choral music and dance that
has been under the continual patronage of the imperial court for more than a thousand years.
Influenced by the ancient music of ________________________________, it has been carefully
transmitted by generations of court musicians to the present day and is perhaps the _____________
____ ensemble music in the world.
Gagaku, China and Korea, oldest

17. Gagaku music, like most Japanese music that came after it, was conceived in an aesthetic scheme of
introduction-exposition-denouement known as ________________________.

jo-ha-kyu.