Fascination of the Koto 3
Yonekawa Toshiko
King Record Co., Ltd - KICH 2056
1997
| Track | Title | Kanji | Length | Artist | |
1  |
Aki no Kyoku | 秋の曲 | 19'15 |
Koto: Yonekawa Megumi Koto: Yonekawa Toshiko Voice: Yonekawa Toshiko Voice: Yonekawa Megumi | |
| Composed by Yosizawa kengyo II (1801/08-1872). He composed numerous koto pieces using the tanka poems included in the Kokin waka syu. This particular piece represents the progression from early autumn to the end of autumn. The composer invented the tuning specific to these pieces by adding semi-tone pregressions to an anhemitonic (without half tone steps) tuning of the gagaku koto. | |||||
| 2 |
Mama no Kawa | ままの川 | 11'46 |
Koto: Yonekawa Toshiko Shamisen: Yonekawa Chikatoshi II Voice: Yonekawa Chikatoshi II Voice: Yonekawa Toshiko | |
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The river of 'let it be' This is one example of the Kyoto style tegoto mono, a piece including a long instrumental interlude (tegoto). In the tegoto of the Kyoto style the syamisen and the koto were given equal inportance. The syamisen and voacl pars were composed by Kikuoka kengyo (1792-1847) and the koto part was composed by Matuno kengyo (1802-1871). The title means non-existant river named 'let it be'. The text refers to sad resignation of a courtsan. | |||||
| 3 |
Shin Musume Dōjōji | 新娘道成寺 | 17'02 |
Shakuhachi: Yamaguchi Gorō Koto: Satō Chikaki Shamisen: Yonekawa Toshiko Voice: Satō Chikaki Voice: Yonekawa Toshiko | |
| New musume Dozyozi. Dozyozi, an old temple in Wakayama prefecutre, has a legend. A girl living near this temple falls in love with a young monk. He escapes from this girl and conceals himself inside the big temple bell. The girl's love and anger transforms her into a big snake and it burns out the bell. This legend was adopted by no theatre, kabuki, bunraku and many syamisen and koto genres, and this piece is one of the better examples. The qualification musume literally refers to a girl and designates a category of Dozyozi pieces. As this piece contains an instrumental interlude unlike the old version of Musume Dozyozi, it is called Sin musume Dozyozi. The composer is not known. | |||||
| 4 |
Saga no Aki | 嵯峨の秋 | 13'24 |
Koto: Yonekawa Chikatoshi II Koto: Yonekawa Toshiko Voice: Yonekawa Chikatoshi II Voice: Yonekawa Toshiko | |
| Autumn in Saga. Composed by Kikusue kengyo (1852?-1892). A koto composition for two instruments cojmposed in the early Meizi era. Saga is a place in the suburb of Kyoto. This work deals with an anecdote written in the Take of the Heike (a mediaeval epic). Lady Kogo, the Emperor's lover, has concealed herself from the court and has been living in Saga. Minamoto no Nakakuni, a courtier, is ordered by the Emperor to go to Saga to find her. Guided by the sound of the koto played by Lady Kogo, he succeeded in finding her hiding place. | |||||
| 5 |
Midare Rinzetsu | 乱輪舌 | 07'19 |
Koto: Yonekawa Toshiko Koto: Yonekawa Toshiko II | |
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Disorder. The title is an abbreviation of Madare rinzetsu. Rinzetsu, as a term of gagaku, refers to exceptional and extraordiry performance practices. Although this piece belongs to the category of danmono (purely instrumental pieces divided in sections) like Rokudan and Hatidan, the size and structures of its sections are not regular. Although there are different opinions, Yatuhasi kengyo (1614-1685) is generally considered to the bhe composer of this work. - Notes by Kikkawa Eisi, translated by Miri Park | |||||