The Japanese Koto was originally introduced to Japan in the 7th and 8th centuries from China. The original version had 5 strings, which then turned to 7, then 13. The instrument is a type of zither, which is basically just a type of stringed instrument. Anymore, this instrument has a standard of 13 strings, but many more variants have different numbers of strings. Since all of the strings are the same thickness, koto are tuned using a moveable bridge called a kotoji. The sound that these instruments produce is very unique, so the music that goes along with it is pretty unique too. It has a sound reminiscent of a harp, but definitely different. I think it has a bit of a twangy sound that provides quite a bit of depth to the music played by a koto. One song that I think shows off this instrument is Sakura performed by Kasumi Watanabe, uploaded 10 July 2013.
The koto isn't just an instrument, it's a wide genre of music that encapsulates many different types of songs. This is also the case since the koto works so well as a solo instrument; it's very versatile and can be used in a lot of creative ways. For a long time in Japan's history, the koto was mainly for blind men, therefore the song range was relatively low. In this period, there were only about 6 traditional koto songs. Around the 1600's a blind musician named Yatsuhashi Kengyo expanded the limited range of songs to a much larger range. He used the pentatonic scale that he learned from the shamisen to change the genre of koto music to what it is today. There were 2 significant koto schools during this time period, the Ikuta school and Yamada school. Later, during the 19th century, the non-blind was finally able to play the koto, and since then many outstanding performers have come to light. Artists such as Michio Miyagi, composed many great works and developed the 17-string bass koto.
This is Tegoto by Michio Miyagi performed by Kaori Kimoto, uploaded 29 October 2008
Modern-day koto music is a blend of the old, the new, and even some very new. Since the koto has been popularized by a lot of the Western world, it has become markedly less popular in Japan. This isn't to say that it's abandoned, many people are still writing music for these beautiful instruments. The koto is now being used for jazz, indie, and even some pop music. One really fun example of this is a cover of Shape of You by Ed Sheeran performed by TRiECHOES, uploaded on 12 February 2019. They use the unique sound of the koto to put a new and interesting twist on the song.
Thanks so much for sharing the koto. I had never heard of this instrument or the beautiful music it makes! Sakura is so peaceful and it reminds me of the music played at a spa while you're getting a massage. Tegoto is a much more intense piece; I wish I knew the story behind its composition but I couldn't find much online.
I also enjoyed the totally modern take on The Shape of You, as well. I wrote about Mariachi this week and over the years, it has also morphed to encompass modern songs and styles. Embracing modernity seems absolutely crucial to keeping younger generations interested in carrying on the study and practice of traditional instruments or genres.
When people hear the name "hurdy gurdy" a musical instrument usually isn't the first thing that comes to mind. To my surprise, the hurdy gurdy definitely exists, and it's actually a really cool instrument. It consists of the body of a stringed instrument, but instead of being plucked by fingers, or stroked with a bow, the strings are vibrated with a rotating wheel. The gurdy usually has 3-6 strings. 1-2 strings produce a melody, while the others are used for drone strings. The melody strings can be used to play different notes via a number of keys that press on each of the strings. One other notable aspect of hurdy gurdies is that they usually have a "buzzing bridge" which is a string that passes over a movable bridge that engages when the wheel is accelerated quickly. This instrument originated in France and was the most popular in the European Renaissance Era. After the Renaissance, the hurdy gurdy became a commoner instrument, so I haven't found ...
When I was a kid, my family would take trips up to our family cabin. Since these trips would take several hours, and I was an impatient kid, my dad would set up his iPod and keep the music going the whole way there. One of my favorite songs at the time, and still is, is the song Bless the Broken Road sung by Rascal Flats. The song was originally written by Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd, and Jeff Hanna in 1994, and has had numerous covers done over the years. By far my favorite is the 2004 Rascal Flatts version, however. The Rascal Flatts cover was the only version of the song to reach #1 on the U.S. and Canada Billboard's Top 100. The original song was good, but Rascal Flatts brought it into the limelight, and it seems that everyone loved it. A video of Rascal Flatts performing Bless the Broken Road live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-vZlrBYLSU Lyrics This song is very nostalgic for me since it's a song that I've known since I was a small child, but also the lyrics are...
The movie "In the Heights"(2021) is a musical and romance movie about the Dominican Republic community in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan, New York. The movie is an adaptation of the stage musical also called "In the Heights"(2005) written by Quiara Alegria Hudes and with the music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. In the movie, Usnavi is shown as being tired of the same schedule every day, so he seeks out his dream. When he was a child, his dad sold the family business, and his dream has always been to buy that business back and run it. This means that when Usnavi's attorney friend tells him that his father's property is for sale, Usnavi decides that he will find the money to buy the business back and move to his homeland. By the end of the movie, Usnavi realizes that maybe going back to the Dominican isn't actually what he wants to do. Since it's a musical, music plays a huge role in the movie. Most important turning points or ev...
Thanks so much for sharing the koto. I had never heard of this instrument or the beautiful music it makes! Sakura is so peaceful and it reminds me of the music played at a spa while you're getting a massage. Tegoto is a much more intense piece; I wish I knew the story behind its composition but I couldn't find much online.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the totally modern take on The Shape of You, as well. I wrote about Mariachi this week and over the years, it has also morphed to encompass modern songs and styles. Embracing modernity seems absolutely crucial to keeping younger generations interested in carrying on the study and practice of traditional instruments or genres.