Explore some traditional
shakuhachi sounds, as performed by Komatsuzen below, including
honkyoku, min'yo and modern pieces. Files are 256kbps high
quality mp3s - they may take a few moments to load. Mechanism
of streaming is flash - may not work on some handheld devices.
Honshirabe
Shingetsu
Honshirabe is honkyoku
that comes to us through Watazumido. It is translated as
"original song" or "one's own song". It has strength and
subtlety that is forever outpacing the shakuhachi player
so that playing it is a life-long endeavor that is
constantly being refined. It is a practice of balancing
extremes while keeping one's on resolution to stillness.
Played on a 1.8
jiari
shakuhachi.
The moon and its light
have held an important place of prominence in the poetic
vision in Japan. This piece speaks to this
tradition, recalling the moon's mysterious illumination.
The moon, and night, have held an important place for me
personally. Played on a 2.3 jinashi.
Sotoyama Bushi
Edo Lullaby / Sakura
This piece is often
performed with shamisen and voice.
Two popular pieces are
presented here, Edo no Komoriuta and Sakura.
Sakura brings to mind cherry blossoms and the annual
ritual of celebrating them every year, while Edo Lullaby
(Edo was the name of Tokyo before it became the capital
of Japan) is a soothing melody known throughout Japan.
Composition for One Voice
Tabibito no Uta
By Michael Komatsuzen
Doherty
(04/09). Michael composed this piece before coming
to shakuhachi, in 2004.
"Traveller's Song", by
Fukuda Rando (Azuma
Ryű). Fukuda Rando, a genious of his time, was a
Kinko shakuhachi player and composer. Yokoyama
Katsuya was a student of his, and has passed his music
on to us. Fukuda Rando's music is often written
for small ensembles, but this is one he had written fro
solo shakuhachi.
"To me, music is not a fixed idea. It
is not what you think it is. You might think of a scale of
seven notes, but that is not music. Music cannot be limited to
one form. It is all around you if you listen carefully.
The sounds of water are music, or the wind in the trees, or children
in the fields, or birds singing and crying- that is all music.
Even the sound of boiling can be music… All of these are just
parts of “one sound”… It is everywhere around you. Listen for
yourselves." -Watazumido, from the film "Sukiyaki and
Chips"
