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Contents 1 Traditional Japanese Music: Gagaku 1.1 A Brief Musical History of Traditional Japanese Music 1.2 History of Gagaku 1.3 Gagaku Instruments 1.3.1 Winds 1.3.2 Strings 1.3.3 Percussion 1.4 Gagaku Modes 1.5 Related Dance: Bugaku 1.6 References 1.7 External Links

The traditional music of Japan should be considered a highly evolved art form. The history of music in Japan is hard to trace before the Nara(710-794) and Heian(794-1185) periods, but according to Chinese historical accounts it is understood that music was an important part of Japanese life from the earliest of times. Before Chinese influence in Japan music was primarily of folk nature, most likely simple and repetitious. With Chinese influence came the alphabet, along with innumerable other things. It was not until the Heian period that Chinese instruments and forms were employed. Out of this came distinctly Japanese characteristics of music, also known as hogaku. Distinguishing features of Japanese music include: a.) the presence of semitones within the scale, semitones being relatively large, as well as relatively small intervals, and employs a pentatonic scale that differs from that of say China or Korea due to the combination of semitones and tuning variation. b.) slow tempos, so slow that they are often thought to be non-pulsatile or without a pulse/beat and some are and enfold at a very slow pace. c.) sense of space or the inclusion of necessary emptiness, a Japanese principle also known as ma, is cultivated and is said to help create a musical architecture of understated simplicity and balance. d.) and prominent solo repertories developed within schools of solo instrumental performance, each with its own repertory and style and often times its own notation and terminology. The fine arts take their basic orientation from literature. Instrumental music frequently contains a poem at some point within a piece, as well as references to specific natural elements and animals to evoke feelings of spaciousness and serene melancholy.

Gagaku is the ancient orchestral music of Japan, which means “elegant” or “refined” music and is meant to envelope the listener, producing an experience of weightless refinement, balance, and serenity. Gagaku took root in the 6th century during the Heian period and has been performed at the imperial court for several centuries. Its significance is unrivaled and is credited with being the oldest existing orchestral art music in the world as well as one of the most unique. It was during the 7th and 8th centuries that Japan opened itself up to cultural influence of the entire continent. Nara (553-794) and early Heian Chinese music flooded Japan via musicians and returning students. Ancient music of India, primarily China, and Korea greatly influenced the development and beginnings of gagaku. Due to these influences there are different genres found in gagaku music. For example, togaku (also known as “music from the left”) is Chinese and Indian music found in gagaku, komagaku ( “music from the right”) is Korean and Manchurian. During the 9th century Soga and his followers, one of the most powerful clans in Yamato Japan and played a major role in the spread of Buddhism, created the standard gagaku orchestra. They rearranged dance pieces, commissioned new pieces, which had a strong effect and reflected Confucian Ideals. The middle of the Heian period was the height gagaku popularity. It became a necessary component in all court ceremonies and was practiced by the noblemen. The preceding, Kamakura period (1185-1333) brought change. Warriors predominated and gagaku suffered. There was a new emphasis on vocal and more dramatic music. Then in the 16th century the remaining gagaku musicians split into two groups, one group went to Kyoto with the Emperor and the other to Edo. After the Meiji Restoration of 1868 that it was reduced to one group of men at the palace in Tokyo and an assortment of musicians at the important shrines. More recently, twenty men were chosen to perform at the Imperial palace and smaller ensembles at various temples and shrines. The collaboration of foreign musical influences lends to the creation of a distinctly Japanese music style. One of the oldest and most refined is gagaku. Despite its long history, gagaku has survived with little distortion and can still be heard today played in a style very close to the original.

The grandeur and solidity of sound that gagaku orchestral music is known for directly relates to the instruments used in its ensemble.The wind instruments or the heart of the gagaku orchestra.The most common instrumental combination employs 3 ryuteki, 3 hichiriki, 3 sho, 2 koto, 2 biwa, a tsuri-daiko, a kakko, and a shoko. Gagaku instruments are divided into 3 main groups:

• ryuteki, a transverse, seven holed, bamboo flute and is the largest of the flutes in this ensemble
• hichiriki, a hichirki is a small cylindrical-bore double reed
• sho, a collection of 17 single-reed pipes connected to an air chamber and its primary function is harmonic and it adds a transcendental quality to each piece

• koto, (derived from a Chinese zither) a 13 string, plucked instrument, 180cm long with moveable bridges to create different tones
• biwa, a four string, fretted, pear-shaped lute and is played with a small plectrum or bachi and was used especially to serve as the supporting vehicle for poetry sagas

• tsuri-daiko, a large, vertically suspended bass drum with an elaborately painted drum head
• kakko, a small, double-headed cylindrical drum, players of the kakko lead, regulating the tempo
• shoko, a bronze gong hung vertically from a stand, they varies in size depending on where they are played and its metallic sound adds to the drum tones.

The two main scales are ryo (123_56_) the female scale, and ritsu (12_456_) the male scale, both pentatonic. There are six modes divided into 3 ryo and 3 ritsu. Each of these modes provide means of transposing compositions or of playing pieces at different pitch levels. The three basic rythm structures are, 8 beat structures or nobe-byoshi, 4 beat structures or naya-byoshi, and 2 beat structures or oze-byoshi. There are also mixtures within these. The actual construction of the pieces are tripartite and consist of and introduction (jo), an exposition (ha), and an ending (kyu). Compositions are also classified by size. A piece may last anywhere from 5-20 or more minutes. Most gradually increase in speed as they progress with a rare ancient flavor. There are five scale tones based on the five elements. The third note is the most important, referred to as the cornerstone because it corresponds with the most important of the virtues, jen, which is benevolence or humaneness. There are three basic rhythm structures which are

Scale tone	Element
kung (1rst note)	earth
shang (2nd note)	metal
chiao (3rd note)	wood
cheng (4th note)	fire
yu (5th note)	water

Bugaku is the graceful and controlled dance that is accompanied by gagaku ensembles. Dancers perform as singles, in duets, and oftentimes in quartets. They wear colorful costumes, specific colors are related to different countries of influence. The color red is associated with China, blue with Korea and green with Japan. String instruments not used during bugaku performances, but a large da-daiko drum is sometimes used. This drum adds to the choreography of certain dances and can give quite an effect when paired with a dancer shifting his weight from his heel to his foot. Outdoor bugaku performances are dedicated to the imperial ancestors and are held every year at the Ise shrine.

1. Alves, William. Music of the Peoples of the World. Thomson Schirmer, 2006.
2. Garfias, Robert. Gradual Modifications of the Gagaku Tradition. Ethnomusicology, Vol. 4, No. 1. (Jan., 1960), pp. 16-19.
3. Matsumiya, Suiho. Traditional Music in Japan To-Day: Its Stability and Evolution. Journal of the International Folk Music Council, Vol. 11 (1959), pp. 65-66.
4. Palm, William P. Japanese Music and Musical Instruments. Charles E. Japan: TuttleCo., Inc., 1959.

• Ancient Japan: The Earliest Japanese Music
• The Japanese Performing Arts: An Overview
• Gagaku