Music: Musical Theater

and Festivals Of Asia

Japanese theater:

Kabuki
Ka – song
Bu – dance
Ki – skill
Found in 1603 by Okuni, Shinto Priestess
Traditional form of theater – very popular

o Began at end of 16th century

o Most successful theater entertainment in red light districts of great cities.
 Together with nōh – considered most important Japanese contribution to
world theater
Nōh and kabuki – unique and genuine expressions of Japanese
Sakura – popular traditional song that produces distinct characters used in Asian
style of making melodies (A.K.A PENTATONIC STYLE)
o Cherry blossoms

o Vocal technique is used in singing

Ipponchōshi – continuous pattern used in speeches building up to an explosive

climax in ARAGATO (oversize, supernatural rough hero style)
o Requires breath control
Nori – technique adapted form chanting ( -> JŌRURI)

o Implies sensitive capacity of riding rhythms of shamisen (string instru.),

declaiming each accompaniment.

Yakuharai – technique that describes subtle delivery of poetical text written in

Japanese metrical form of alternating 7 and 5 syllables.

Vocal and Instrumental features:

Shamisen music – accompanies dances and movements
Gagaku – classic court music from china
Kagura – performed in Shinto shrines
Nō – chant derives from shōmyō -> sophisticated and rich tradition of Buddhist
chanting.
Nagauta – most popular shamisen music

o Long song
o Reached golden age
o Dance music for henge mono -> quick change pieces
o Very flexible
o Can be performed by 1 shamisen or by entire orchestra of 20 musicians of
which 10 are shamisen while others play flutes (fue taken from nō) and
drums ( kotsuzumi- small drum, waist drum – ōtsuzumi, taiko – stick drum)

CHINESE THEATER

o Was considered highest form of arts in China

Peking Opera a.k.a. Beijing opera

Usually played in 3 types of instru:

1. Wind
2. Percussion
3. String

Main instruments that are Chinese in origin

a. Jinghu – two stringed instru played with bow
b. Yueqin – 4 stringed; plucked
c. Sanxian – 3 stringed ; plucked
d. Vaariety of gongs and cymbals – rhythmic and graceful melodies

Melodies played by accompaniment fall in 3 broad categories

1. Aria – self contained expressive melody for 1 voice usually w/ orchesta
a. Erhuang
b. Xipi
o Wawadiao – xipi style sung by young sheng to indicate heightened
emotion.

2. Qupai – fixed-tune melody

- Wider range than aria
o Water Dragon Tune – shui long yin; denotes arrival of important person
o Triple Thrust – ji san qiang; signal feast or banquet

3. Percussion Pattern – provide context similar o fixed tune melodies

Peking Opera theater – stylized Chinese form of opera

o singing, speech, mime, acrobatics – performed to instrumental

accompaniment.
o Fully developed and recoghnized in mid-19th cent.
o Regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China
o Popular in Qing dynasty court.

 2 main styles of music (peking opera):

o Erh-huang
o His-p’l
*both utilize FAN-PAN – commonly used for sorrowful songs
- sung by bearded charachters
*difference in key. His-p’l =lower sound

Orchestra of Peking Opera – comprises abt. 8 musicians sitting on stools in far

corner of stage.
Ta-lo and siag-lo – what each performance begins with
o Small and large gong and cymbals.
Single skin drum / kettle drum – what some performances can start with
o Cobnductor sits in center of orchestra and creates tempo with drum.

Music – integral part of every performance

o Provides atmospheric bg
o Accompanies sung passgaes
o Controls timing of movement
o Welds performance into rhythmical whole.

Actor’s delivery of lines – rigidly controlled by conventions.

 INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION
AEROPHONE
Ti-ts Cross flutes – played along w/ singing
Siao Recorded flutes – played along w/ singing
Sona Trumpet announces prosperous occasions
Chordophone
Violin like
Hu-ch’in 2-stringed instrument
Bu-ch’in 2-stringed instrument
Guitar like
Yue-ch’in 4-stringed
San-sien 3-stringed
Pi-pá Similar to lute w/ 4 strings]
Idiophone
Ta-lo Gongs – signify start of performance
Siao-lo
Tan-pi-ku Kettle drum – create tempo of performance

InDonesian Theater
Wayang Kulit
Shadow Puppet Theater – well known
Wayang Kulit – (in Central Java) oldest traditions of storytelling

o w/ use of puppets ang bg musical accompaniment (gamelan ensemble)

o performed in royal court and in public during religious occassions
Wayang – puppet/theater
Kulit – skin

o leather construction of pupets that are cut into fine tools & supported with
shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods

audience – most important person

Puppet on RIGHT side – good character
Puppet on LEFT side – bad character
Stage – open space between
o 2m wide

Dalang – puppeteer
o Use of voice interchangeably
o Sings SULUK (mood songs) at regular intervals of performance
 o prepares materials used
o manipulates puppets, sings, taps out signals to orchestra
o Suluk – never accompanied by gamelan
GAMELAN:

o comprised mainly by bronze percussion instruments augmented by other

percussion instruments, tring, flute.

1. Saron – xylophone of heavy bronze bars

2. Gender – bronze xylophone w/ resonance chambers beneath
3. Bonang – set of bronze bowls
4. Gong ang kempul – hanging gongs
5. Kenong and ketuk – single inverted bronze bowl
6. Gambang – wooden xylophone
7. Rebab – 2-stringed fiddle
8. Suling – flute
9. Kendang – horizontal drum beat with fingers on both ends
10. Tjelempung – zither of 13 double strings

Music – has 2 major dramatic functions

 Accompanies singing/chanting
 Accompanies stage actions including dance