by G. Jack Urso
Shakuhachi — The Japanese Flute, by
Kōhachiro Miyata (b. 1938) is a 1977 Elektra Nonesuch Explorer Series release.
This recording introduced Miyata to the United States and quickly became a
classic and endures as a milestone in the popularization of the World Music
genre. The ethereal sounds of the shakuhachi
peacefully flow around the listener, yet there is an element of contained
tension. An eerie undertone persists throughout the music that keeps the
listener engaged with the compositions rather than drifting off into their own
inner thoughts. The complete album and links to each track are available below
from the Aeolus 13 Umbra YouTube channel.The album was
reissued in CD format in the 1990s, which I obtained through BMG Music Service.
Some may not miss the old mail order record clubs, but the choice of free CDs
compelled me to sample genres of music I would otherwise likely never be
exposed to.
I originally
uploaded this album on YouTube in 2014 as background for Views of the Planet Earth Captured by the Crew of STS-75
where it barely gets a mention; however, as one of my favorite recordings, it
has been long overdue to be featured on its own accord. Here, Shakuhachi — The Japanese Flute and
images of a slowly rotating Earth blend to form a sort of mandala of sorts, creating
— almost literally — a contemplative space.
Listen to the album on the YouTube video above or each track by clicking on the links below.
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Tracklist:
1. Honshirabe (3:50) 2. Sanya (6:17) 3. Tsuru No Sugomori (6:08) 4. Shika No Tōne (7:32) 5. Akita Sugagaki (9:30) |
Credits :
Coordinator – Teresa Sterne Engineer – Larry Mericka Liner Notes – David Loeb Mastered By – Robert C. Ludwig Photography – René Burri / Magnum Producer, Engineer – David Lewiston Shakuhachi – Kōhachiro Miyata |
Following are
the liner notes for Shakuhachi — The
Japanese Flute, by David Loeb, and transcribed retaining the original spelling, punctuation,
and italicization.1. Honshirabe.
This short piece corresponds to a prelude or overture, and today is often used
at the beginning of a program. The term “shirabe,”
which appears frequently in titles of Japanese instrumental compositions, means
“investigation,” specifically with respect to the instrument’s tuning. The
written character for “hon” means “central” or “primary,” and with stringed
instruments it alludes to the most frequently employed tunings.
2. Sanya.
This piece is in arch form, with a central section higher in pitch and more
agitated than the opening and closing sections. The title means “Three
Valleys.” Both Honshirabe and Sanya are played on a 2.4 foot
shakuhachi.
3. Tsuru no
Sugomori. Perhaps no other composition in the entire solo
repertory has suffered so much mutilation as this haunting work. The title
means “Tenderness of Cranes,” specifically referring to such tenderness as is
expressed between parent birds and their young. Many of the trill effects can
be considered as imitation of bird sounds, although so many variants of this
piece exist — not only in different regions, but among different schools and
even different performers — that the reference is not always specific. In the
hands of some players it has degenerated into little more than a vehicle for
virtuoso display. The piece is played her on the standard (1.8 foot)
shakuhachi.
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| 1.8 foot Chikusing model shakuhachi made from Chinese Madake bamboo |
4. Shika no Tōne.
This is one of the most famous shakuhachi compositions, and probably the most
recent of the works heard here: it dates from the 18 th century. Entitled “The
Sound of Deer Calling to One Another,” the piece’s special effects call for a
particular kind of audible breathing in which the melodic line is never lost.
Often the work is heard as a duet for two shakuhachi, and it is not certain
which version is the original. It is played here on the standard-sized
instrument (this particular composition is rarely, if ever, played on other
sizes).
5. Akita Sugagaki.
Akita is region near the northern end of the main island of Japan; in ancient
times it was largely unsettled wilderness. Since there is no certainty that any
of the melodic ideas come from this province, it seems likely that the location
was used in the title simply to suggest the remote and in accessible. Sugagaki is a term that occurs in a
number of titles of 17th century Japanese and Okinawan koto pieces
in variation form; unlike most solo shakuhachi works, Akita Sugagaki is a loosely constructed series of variations. It is
played here on the standard-sized instrument.
History of the Shakuhachi, by David Loeb,
from the liner notes to Shakuhachi — The
Japanese Flute:
The shakuhachi
is the most important wind instrument of Japan. Because of its similarities to
the Chinese tung-hsiao, it is
generally thought to have come to Japan from China, but its depiction in
religious art of the 8th century indicates that this type of instrument has
been used in Japan for well over a millennium.
There are few,
if any, instruments in the world that associate so complex a playing technique
with such simplicity of construction. The shakuhachi is a hollowed-out bamboo
tube with four holes in front and one in back; there are no keys. The player
covers most of the upper open end of the tube with his lower lip and then blows
across the remaining area of the opening. Directly opposite the lip, the tube
is slightly cut away to provide a sharp edge for the wind stream. Despite the
presence of only five holes, the instrument has a complete chromatic scale of
two octaves and a fifth. Tones outside the instrument’s natural scale are
obtained by partially covering holes in various combinations and by tilting the
instrument towards or away from the body. By gradual application of such techniques,
the shakuhachi is also capable of a wide range of slides, some extending up to
a major third. Certain special effects such as flutter-tonguing and distinctly
audible breathing, which in Western music are associated with 20th century avant-garde flute repertory [such as
Ian Anderson of the progressive rock band Jethro Tull], were a standard part of
traditional shakuhachi technique by the 18th century.The name
shakuhachi means 1.8 shaku (1 shaku =
.994 feet). That length of bamboo tube has long been regarded as standard, with
the D above middle C as the fundamental tone. However, the size of the
instrument ultimately depends on the size of the bamboo joint, so that
different sizes (graduated in tenths of shaku)
exist, the most common sizes after the standard 1.8 being 1.6 (E), 2.1 (B), and
2.4 (A). The smaller instruments produce a clearer, more brilliant and
penetrating sound, while the larger ones have a warmer and fuller tone (rather
like the flute, recorder, or clarinet families of Western instruments). The
larger shakuhachi are able to play so softly as to become almost inaudible
without any change of color. All sizes of the instruments possess considerable
dynamic range in all registers.
During the Edo
period (early-17th to mid-19th centuries), the shakuhachi was used primarily in
chamber ensembles (with koto and shamisen), but in recent years there has been
a revival of the ancient solo literature. Many of the solo pieces are conceived
as aids for meditation, both for the listener and player, the tempos are
predominately slow, with variety provided by shorter notes that reflect
tome-painting are not uncommon; many shakuhachi compositions also draw on
distinctive ancient melodies in a way that preserves their unique regional
character without undue emphasis on folkloric aspects.
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