Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary characteristic of Japanese music regarding rhythm?
What is the primary characteristic of Japanese music regarding rhythm?
Which Japanese music genre is a type of narrative music that uses the shamisen?
Which Japanese music genre is a type of narrative music that uses the shamisen?
Which of the following instruments is NOT typically used in Minyo music?
Which of the following instruments is NOT typically used in Minyo music?
What type of music is specifically performed in the Noh Theatre?
What type of music is specifically performed in the Noh Theatre?
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What is the correct meaning of the term 'Gagaku'?
What is the correct meaning of the term 'Gagaku'?
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Which category of Minyo includes songs used for gatherings such as weddings and funerals?
Which category of Minyo includes songs used for gatherings such as weddings and funerals?
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Which of these descriptions best fits 'Shomyo' music?
Which of these descriptions best fits 'Shomyo' music?
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What term refers to the Japanese equivalent to American country and western music?
What term refers to the Japanese equivalent to American country and western music?
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Study Notes
Japan's Music
- Japan is an island nation in East Asia
- Its name, "sun-origin", is why it's sometimes called the "Land of the Rising Sun"
- It's an archipelago of 6,852 islands
- Tokyo is its capital and largest metropolitan area globally
Characteristics of Japanese Music
- Spare rhythm
- No regular beat
- Uses no chords
- Music flows mirroring nature's behavior
- Starts slow, increasing in speed
Japanese Words for Music
- Ongaku - sound
- Gaku - music
Types of Traditional Japanese Music
- Instrumental
- Theatrical
- Court Music
Kabuki Music Categories
- Gidayubushi - similar to joruri music
- Joruri - narrative music using shamisen
- Shimoza ongaku - music for the lower seating area below the stage
Noh Music
- A form of theatrical music, also called Noh Theatre
- Derived from a Sino-Japanese word for skill or talent
- A major form of classical Japanese musical drama
Gagaku
- The oldest Japanese traditional music
- A form of court music, incorporating dances, songs, and other Asian genres
Two Styles of Gagaku
- Kigaku - instrumental music
- Seigaku - vocal music
Shomyo
- Japanese vocal ritual music, often sung by Buddhist monks
- Emphasizes breath control and expression
Minyo
- Types include work songs, religious songs, and songs for gatherings (weddings, funerals, festivals)
- Accompanied by a three-stringed lute, taiko drums, and bamboo flute
- Enka is a Japanese equivalent to American country and western music often sung in karaoke bars
Japanese Traditional Instruments
- Biwa - a short-necked lute
- Taiko - drums in various sizes, used across many musical genres
- Shakuhachi - flute made from bamboo, tuned to a pentatonic scale
- Yokobue - Japanese transverse flute
- Tsuzumi - hourglass-shaped drum
- Hichiriki - double reed flute, used in gagaku music
- Sho - free reed instrument, modeled on the Chinese Sheng
- Shamisen - three-stringed instrument played with a plectrum (bachi)
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Description
Explore the rich traditions of Japanese music, covering its unique characteristics and various forms such as Kabuki and Noh. This quiz delves into terminology, types of music, and the cultural significance behind them. Discover how nature influences the flow of this captivating art form.
