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Want to know more about Japan Music, Read On! I'm sure you won't regret! Love, Joslyn and Stella.

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Hi!!!!! I'm Joslyn, plus Stella!
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Religious Traditional Music

Thursday, July 22, 2010 5:43 PM

 Ohaiyogozaimasu!
I'm Stella, and it's greaaat to meet you again! I'm sorry if the posts are a bit messy, but I can guarantee that the posts are in order. Yeah!
In this post, I'm gonna talk about the Ancient Japanese Music, and the Music in the Medieval  Period.
So let me start with the Ancient japanese Music! I feel so old now, like really really super old. =.="'
Shomyo 声明  (Buddhist Chant)
Buddhism in the Nara and Heian periods was mostly for the state and for the elite. A strong emphasis was placed on the elaborate ritual and it was soooo elaborate that only highly trained professionals could perform it.
One form of Buddhist music is called "Shomyo." This is a style that entered Japan in the Nara period and early Heian period and consists of reciting sutras (Scripture) by adding a melody. 
There are three styles, one called "Bonsan" which uses Sanskrit (ancient Indian language), one called "Kansan" which uses Chinese, and one called "Wasan" which uses Japanese. 
There are two main streams of Shomyo based in different branches of Buddhism. These are Tendai Shomyo and Shingon Shomyo.
Imayo

 The form called Imayo appeared and became popular in the late Heian period. The word "imayo" means "modern" and seems to have begun with shortened forms of the Wasan shomyo using Japanese. 
Eventually the form stabilized as four lines, each with units of seven plus five syllables. This was a popular form that originated with the common people. 
Then, toward the end of the Heian period, Imayo was taken up by imperial court aristocrats and became very popular. Incidentally, the original music for Imayo soon disappeared, but in the early Kamakura period, a method of singing the texts of Imayo to the melody of the famous Gagaku piece "Etenraku" was developed, which has left traces in Japanese folk song even today.
Joruri




Next, heading on to the quite modern music, we have, Joruri! :) It's actually a Katarimono Narrative Shamisen Music.
Katarimono means narrative music, thus emphasizing on the words and storytelling. The rhythm is determined by the way the words are said. The music of the accompaniment was originally very simple, in some cases just the use of a fan to beat out the rhythm. 
Joruri consists of many styles of other types of music, such as Tokiwazu that is used in the Kabuki theater for dances and dance plays, and Kiyomoto which is a part of Tokiwazu.
Utaimono
Part of the Traditional Japanese Music consists of Utaimono, and this form is actually quite old considering the fact that it is already present in the Edo Period. Utaimono consists of many other types of music that is already present during the Edo period. 
Juita 
The word "Jiuta" means "songs of the country" and, in the Edo period, referred to songs accompanied by shamisen from the region around Kyoto and Osaka.
Nagauta






"Nagauta" means "long song" and began as several short songs strung together. Because it developed the most within the Kabuki theater in Edo, it is often called "Edo Nagauta." In its purest form, Nagauta is a lyrical form with texts that are poetic and allusive. They describe a character's feelings indirectly, through poetic images and mood. Melody and rhythm are also very important. 


Kokyoku






"Kokyoku" means "old pieces" and refers to older styles of Edo period music that are preserved and performed today.


Kouta






"Kouta" means "little song," and in a sense, there have always been many different kinds of little popular songs and folk songs in Japan. But usually the term refers to short, light songs from the late Edo period. 


:D Enjoyed it?
I bet you did!
But anyway, her is the website I took it from!