Japan

     The “History of Japanese Traditional Music” is a site that discusses the history and various styles of music experienced 19^th century Japan (http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/history.html). It states19^th century Japan is called the Edo period and in this time the merchant class experienced rising amounts of wealth, thus increased money for leisure and entertainment. There were two forms of music in this time called Nagauta, which is a lyrical style of music, and Joruri which is a narrative style of music. The Joruri or narrative used song and speech to tell a story where the Nagauta or lyrical sang a song. Nagauta was used in dances and plays, whereas, Joruri was used in puppet theaters.

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     The “History of Japanese Traditional Music” explores some of the most popular styles of Joruri which were called Tokiwazu, Tomimoto, Kiyomoto, and Shinnai(http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/history.html). Tokiwazu is “the most square and formal of these styles” (Columbia Music Entertainment). It has long and complex plots as seen by Masakado (1836). The next style, Tomimoto was more grand and elegant with “many passages of high singing” (Columbia Music Entertainment). This style, along with Kiyomoto took the risk and produced music that was more sensual and fluid, Yasuna (1818) as an example. Finally, Shinnai was a recital style that was the “most intensely sensual and the stories sensational” (Columbia Music Entertainment). Instruments such as the shakuhachi, a flute, and koto, a stringed musical instrument, were used in Joruri style music.

                      jtrad.columbia.jp                                    http://youtu.be/Eddo9EfH4RU

      In the beginning Nagautas were a series of short pieces as the “History of Japanese Traditional Music” explains, but as time went on they evolved into longer, elaborate pieces made for specific purposes and no longer did they remain solely narrative, but mixed lyrical styles as well(http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/history.html). A few examples are Kokaji (1831) and Kanjincho (1840). Also, no longer were they played just in the Kabuki theatre, but amateurs practiced and sung these pieces creating concert pieces separate from the Kabuki theatre. A few examples are Aki no Irogusa (1845) and Matsu no Midori. A few other styles evolved outside of the Kabuki theatre in this era called Hauta, Utazawa, and Kouta. Hauta was a style of music which was very short that was either slow and romantic or fast and lively. Utazawa was more “refined in terms of elegance and artistic elaboration” than the Hauta (Columbia Music Entertainment). Finally, the Kouta is a style of music which is short and witty.   

  
 
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     The “History of Japanese Traditional Music” concludes by explaining how towards the end of the 19^th century Japan was opened up to the West and similar to China a flood of new musical styles and ideas came rushing in (http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/history.html). Western style music actually became standard in Japan’s education system. One important aspect of this time was Yose or vaudeville houses, which were cheap theatres where there was comic storytelling, juggling, and magic. Music played a large part in these Yoses, “from the short melodies that introduce the performers to the music for jugglers and paper cutters” (Columbia Music Entertainment, http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/history.html).