Gagaku Music

The three main parts of Gagaku music are winds, strings and percussion. This music has the honor of being considered as the proper orchestral music of Japan despite not taking full advantage of its immense possibilities in its orchestral. Gagaku comes in four variations. They are the Bugaku dance music, the Kangen instrumental music, the Ritual Music for Shinto Ceremonies and Songs.
 
Uho and Saho:
Bugaku and Kangen are further divided into two groups known as the Uho or right and Saho or left. Music of the left or Saho is mainly made-up of the music from china with many pieces coming in from India as well. Uho or music of the right comes in from Korea with a few additional pieces from Manchuria. Ancient Japan has always believed that the left denotes peace and spirituality and the right is associated with things more earthy and physical. The classification of the two types of music appears to stem from this belief. Chinese music was the more popular between Chinese and Korean music which could have influenced the music scene in those years. This classification of left and right was also attributed to the music composed in Japan in that age.
 
Gagaku Repertoire:
The Gagaku repertoire goes on to break down its pieces of music into small medium and large. This distinction may have been based on the number of players who were an important accompaniment to the dances. The Jo-Ha-Kyu form is generally followed by the medium and large pieces but there is a thought that there may a fourth involved too called EI which comes between the Ha and the Kyu segments.

In this form of music you have a very stylistic combination of the several arts of Japan. The sequence followed starts with the slow or the introduction, goes on to the Kyu sections which are faster and returns to rushing or the conclusion. But the small pieces generally have only the Ha and the Kyu segments to its composition. There are subtle differences between the fast and the slow, the tempo is also usually slow unlike its western counterpart.

The free-style cannon is a very innovative and interesting style of performing music. In the Jo movement of left Bugaku the main Sho playing the mouth organ begins a melody, the second Sho picks up the thread after some beats and the third follows soon after. Now the main Oboe or Hichiriki tunes in with the Sho players who are already in to the melody and he is followed by the second and third Hichiriki players. To this group join the flutists just like the Hichiriki moved in. With all three factions from the three different wind instruments in, the group now performs the free rhythm, free-style cannon music with a lot of energy and chaotic sound. This same style of presentation is seen in six pieces of Choshin which is the cue for the dancers to enter the stage.

It is the archaic flavor in Gagaku which makes it so pleasing. If you are used to the dynamics of western music then you may find the static charm of Gagaku a tad strange. But Gagaku is like a historical trip in to the concept of sound and it takes you back in to the soul of the Heian courtier like a time machine.

Today it may be just a shadow of its original magnificence but it still presents a lucid view of the artistic tastes and the splendor of the courts in ancient Japan.