Ryūha
Construction of musical tradition in contemporary Japan
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6195072 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Shino Arisawa (Tokyo Gakugei University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 97-118 |
| Publication date | 2012-02-06 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Japan Forum (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0955-5803 • E-ISSN: 1469-932X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09555803.2011.637634 |
| OpenAlex | W2032774884 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 3 |
Within the traditional culture of Japan, ryūha (schools) play a significant role in highlighting the continuity of artistic lineages. However, by examining the issues surrounding ryūha of shamisen and koto music known as jiuta-sōkyoku, I argue that ryūha can be seen as belonging to a cultural concept that has been continuously reinterpreted, altered and handed down by musicians through hereditary lineages over the years. As a tradition, ryūha can be seen as a concept that carries within it conceptualisations of artistic lineages with which its musical styles and repertoires are associated. As an organisation, ryūha can be seen as a powerful institution that has the authority to encourage or restrict its members, both in their pursuit of artistic acceptance and in the transmission of the tradition of their chosen group. As ryūha function as the means of reinforcing the distinctiveness of art forms and traditions, musicians conceptualize and present their ryūha with the idealized image of musical lineages, which can be seen as symbols of their identities as transmitters of tradition. Keywords: ryūha musical transmission jiuta-sōkyoku iemoto systemtraditionidentity Notes 1. The bowed fiddle, kokyū, was/is also sometimes performed as a solo as well as within an ensemble. However, its popularity significantly declined under modernisation, and thus this article will focus on aspects of jiuta (shamisen) and sōkyoku (koto). 2. For more information about the historical background of jiuta-sōkyoku, see Flavin (Citation2008) and Kikkawa (Citation1997). 3. Kubota (Citation1990, p. 238) explains that 'musical lineages of jiuta are mostly developed in relation to the lineages of sōkyoku', and for this reason she listed the ryūha for jiuta traced by the transmission (certificates) of shamisen kumiuta repertoire, as other ryūha developed along with sōkyoku were omitted. 4. Genealogical charts printed from the concert programme Kikuhara hatsuko sankaiki tsuizen sōkyoku-jiuta ensokai (Memorial concert for the third anniversary of the late Kikuhara Hatsuko), 7 September 2003, Kokuritsu Bunraku Gekijo, Osaka. There are no page numbers in the programme. 5. Tōdō Ongaku-kai was initially named as Jiutagyō-nakama (Confederation of Jiuta Professionals). 6. The sixty-seventh Sankyoku masters concert (Sankyoku meiryū taikai) held on 15 May 2004 at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Hall. Sankyoku includes jiuta-sōkyoku as well as shakuhachi music. For the concert, there were also groups of shakuhachi players. 7. In order to investigate the aspect of ryūha in jiuta-sōkyoku thoroughly, further research should be conducted concerning organisations associated with other ryūha, such as Yanagawa-ryū and Yamada-ryū. However, this study focuses on the seven organisations that are broadly associated with Nogawa-ryū (jiuta) and Ikuta-ryū (sōkyoku), and examines how various groups have developed from parental ryūha. 8. Jiuta to tomoni kyūjūnen kankōkai (Society for the publication of Jiuta to tomoni kyūjūnen). 9. Interview with Fujii Hirokazu, 13 January 2007. 10. This information is based on the examination paper provided by Okuda Masako at the interview on 18 January 2007. The exam is titled as 'Dai 413 kai seiha junshihan shikenmondai (A)' (The 413th Seiha associate-instructor examination [A]). 11. Interview with Kikuhara Kōji, 10 January 2007. 12. Interview with Yonekawa Hiroe, 20 January 2007. 13. Interview with Fujii Hirokazu, 13 January 2007. 14. Interview with Fujii Akiko, 13 September 2003. 15. Miyagishashi miyagi kaishi hensan iinkai (Committee for the publication of Miyagishashi miyagi kaishi) 16. Programme notes for the concert Sawai tadao sanka (A song of praise for Sawai Tadao), 30 March 2003, Tokyo Operacity Concert Hall
Aesthetics · Art · Literature · Musical · Sociology · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Japanese History and Culture · Music History and Culture
| Citations per year | 0.21 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2012 - 2020 (9) |
| Highly cited | No |