A Musical Trip Through traditional Japan



A Musical Trip Through Traditional Japan

With its layered culture and unique sound, traditional Japanese music is a timeless tapestry that weaves together centuries of tradition and innovation, creating a captivating auditory experience that transcends boundaries and resonates with listeners around the globe.

The first piece of music I will be showcasing is Sakura, by Yokoyama, Shin-Itchiro, written between 1600 and 1800 A.D.

The song itself is a depiction of spring and is often played at international conferences as a representation of Japan. The lyricism is quite astounding, with "Cherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms, Flowers in Full Bloom" representing the changing seasons and being one of my personal favorite lyrics in the song. I also really enjoyed the melody of the song; it has a slow, waving sound. This is because of the "Koto," an instrument responsible for the main melody, along with the sway of the melody to and fro throughout the song.

The second piece is Keshi no Hana, by Yaezaki Kengyo and Kikouka Kengyo, 1830.


 

This is a traditional Japanese folk song, with its melody also focused on the Koto. Although this song does not have any lyrics, there was a poem written about it; the artist is unknown, but it was translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi. The poem goes:

How pretty
Is the poppy flower
Here in my hand.
When plucked
Its fragrance
Is unworldly.
But how pitiful
Once the petals
Have fallen.

Very jealous is the poppy,
A passionate flower of summer.
Yet it wilts easily
Under a rain of affection.
There is no need
To be ill at ease with me.
Just be unresisting,
Like a lovely Nara doll.

The song is quite beautiful, and the poem matches it nicely. The way I interpret this song is that the poppy is a reflection of human nature. the line, "But how pitiful, once the petals have fallen." Along with: "Very jealous is the poppy, a passionate flower of summer. Yet it wilts easily under a rain of affection." It tells me it's, in a sense, "frail." Like flowers, humans grow, live, fall, wilt, and die. The somber vocals expressed in the poem show me the fragility and importance of life, as well as the thought of absurdity slithering through the words.

Works Cited

Nelson, Ronald. The International Shakuhachi Society, www.komuso.com/pieces/pieces.plpiece=1958.

“Sakura Sakura.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 19 July 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Sakura.

“Sakura.” TESJI, www.tesji.org/sakura#:~:text=Sakura%20is%20a%20traditional%20Japanese,a%20Japanese%20instrument%2C%20the%20koto. 

 








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