Nagauta Symphony
Encyclopedia
The Nagauta Symphony is a symphony
in one movement
composed in 1934
by Japanese
composer Kosaku Yamada
.
, and the first to write in the symphonic and operatic forms. He was responsible for introducing Japanese audiences to much of the European orchestral tradition through his conducting. In his compositions, Yamada had been working to combine European traditions with Japanese classical music
since at least 1921, when he composed Inno Meiji which combined Japanese and western instruments. Composed in 1934, the Nagauta Symphony represented the culmination of this work.
For this work, Yamada composed music for the western orchestra which is used to counterpoint a classical nagauta
, the music which accompanies the kabuki
. The symphony is subtitled Tsurukame after the name of the nagauta
which is used. Composed in 1857, the text celebrates the Emperor of Japan
and the imperial court. The symphony is in one movement with a duration of approximately 17 minutes.
and voices, as well as an ensemble of traditional Japanese musical instruments
. The Japanese ensemble consists of several shamisen
and percussion.
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
in one movement
Movement (music)
A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession...
composed in 1934
1934 in music
-Events:*March 12 - the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler given the world premiere of Paul Hindemith's symphony Mathis der Maler in Berlin.*May 28 - The Glyndebourne festival is inaugurated....
by Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
composer Kosaku Yamada
Kosaku Yamada
was a Japanese composer and conductor.In many Western reference books his name is given as Kósçak Yamada. During his music study in the Imperial German capital of Berlin from 1910-13 he hated the times when people laughed at him because his "normal" transliteration of his first name "Kosaku"...
.
Description
Kosaku Yamada was the first major Japanese composer to study the European traditionClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, and the first to write in the symphonic and operatic forms. He was responsible for introducing Japanese audiences to much of the European orchestral tradition through his conducting. In his compositions, Yamada had been working to combine European traditions with Japanese classical music
Music of Japan
The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 , combining the kanji 音 with the kanji 楽...
since at least 1921, when he composed Inno Meiji which combined Japanese and western instruments. Composed in 1934, the Nagauta Symphony represented the culmination of this work.
For this work, Yamada composed music for the western orchestra which is used to counterpoint a classical nagauta
Nagauta
, literally "long song", is a kind of traditional Japanese music which accompanies the kabuki theater. They were developed around 1740. Influences included the vocal yōkyoku style used in noh theater, and instruments including the shamisen and various kinds of drums.The shamisen, a plucked lute...
, the music which accompanies the kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
. The symphony is subtitled Tsurukame after the name of the nagauta
Nagauta
, literally "long song", is a kind of traditional Japanese music which accompanies the kabuki theater. They were developed around 1740. Influences included the vocal yōkyoku style used in noh theater, and instruments including the shamisen and various kinds of drums.The shamisen, a plucked lute...
which is used. Composed in 1857, the text celebrates the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
and the imperial court. The symphony is in one movement with a duration of approximately 17 minutes.
Instrumentation
The Nagauta Symphony uses a western orchestraOrchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and voices, as well as an ensemble of traditional Japanese musical instruments
Traditional Japanese musical instruments
Traditional Japanese musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments.-Plucked:*Biwa - pear-shaped lute*Ichigenkin - one-string zither*Koto - long zither*Junanagen - 17-stringed zither...
. The Japanese ensemble consists of several shamisen
Shamisen
The , also called is a three-stringed, Japanese musical instrument played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usually "shamisen" but sometimes "jamisen" when used as a suffix . -Construction:The shamisen is a plucked stringed instrument...
and percussion.
Recordings
- Naxos RecordsNaxos RecordsNaxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
(August 28, 2007)- Takuo YuasaTakuo Yuasais a Japanese conductor. Yuasa has directed major orchestras in Japan and the UK, and recording on more than 50 CDs as an exclusive artist for Naxos Records.-Biography:Takuo Yuasa was born in Osaka, Japan, where he studied piano, cello, flute, and clarinet...
, Conductor - Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony OrchestraTokyo Metropolitan Symphony OrchestraThe , also known as Tokyō , is one of the representative symphony orchestras of Japan. The Orchestra was founded in 1965 by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to commemorate the Tokyo Olympics ....
- Touon
- Takuo Yuasa