The Shamisen: Tradition and DiversityThe shamisen is a traditional Japanese musical instrument. It was introduced to Japan in the mid-sixteenth century via China and the Ryűkyű Islands, and was quickly established as a culturally significant musical instrument in its new context. The instrument - a three-string lute - developed numerous styles of performance and is found as a solo and ensemble instrument in diverse social and cultural contexts. The shamisen is known as an instrument of geisha in the entertainment districts; it is used in kabuki and bunraku theatre; and also has an established place within a wide-range of performance traditions, many of which are depicted in woodblock prints and other art depicting everyday life of the Edo period. This book, which is based on the author's field research in Japan, is a history of the shamisen. It locates the instrument within its various social and cultural contexts, and includes accompanying illustrations (e.g., woodblock prints, photographs and illustrations) to help show visually the place of the instrument in traditional and modern Japan. |
Contents
INSTRUMENT TYPES | 13 |
MANUFACTURE AND COMPONENT PARTS | 27 |
PERFORMERS | 47 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
bachi biwa blind bunraku century context culture Daigaku Edo period example finger positions fingerboard folk music Gamō and Hirano geisha gidayū bushi hajiki hauta hōgaku honchōshi iemoto instru Instrument belonging Japan jiuta shamisen jōruri kabuki kanji katakana Kengyō Kikkawa Kineya kiyomoto bushi Kōboku koto kouta kuchi jamisen Kyoto Kyūshū left-hand finger lyrical Malm Meiji Min'yo music genres music styles musical instruments musicians nagauta narrative neck niagari Nihon Nogawa-ryū Okinawa Ongaku open string performance practice performance traditions Photograph by University pieces played plectrum plucking popular music repertoire sankyoku sanshin sanxian sawari shakuhachi shamisen kumiuta shamisen music shamisen notation shamisen performance shamisen player Shichiku social sometimes song text sound box symbols technique third string tion Tōdō Tokita tokiwazu bushi Tokyo traditional Japanese music traditional music tsugaru shamisen tuning pegs type of shamisen ukiyo-e University of Otago University Photographic Services usually utazawa woodblock print yanagawa shamisen Yanagawa-ryū