Traditional Japanese Music - Contemplatative - Relaxation[/color


This is a small album - a collection of traditional Japanese melodies. I first came across it when researching songs by Clive Bell, 2 of which are on this album. Because I am a bit obsessive about completing albums of which I have only parts, this is the end result of years (from 1994 to now) looking for this entire album. As a result, it contains the complete collection of songs in the original album, and a few additional pieces (which I have classified as "Bonus Tracks).

The shinobue (kanji: 篠笛; also called takebue (kanji: 竹笛)) in the context of Japanese traditional arts) is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a high-pitched sound. It is found in hayashi and nagauta ensembles, and plays important roles in noh and kabuki theatre music. It is heard in Shinto music such as kagura-den and in traditional Japanese folk songs. There are two styles: uta (song) and hayashi (festival). The uta is properly tuned to the Western scale, and can be played in ensembles or as a solo instrument. The hayashi is not in the correct pitch, because it is simply a piece of hollow bamboo with holes cut into it. It emits a very high-pitched sound, and is appropriate for the festival/folk music of Japan. Both shinobue flutes play a very important role in the Japanese theater.

There are numerous types of bamboo flutes made all over the world, such as the dizi, xiao, shakuhachi, palendag and jinghu. In India, it is a very popular and highly respected musical instrument, available even to the poorest and the choice of many highly venerated maestros of classical music. It is known and revered above all as the divine flute forever associated with Lord Krishna, who is always portrayed holding a bansuri in sculptures and paintings. Four of the instruments used in Polynesia for traditional hula are made of bamboo: nose flute, rattle, stamping pipes and the jaw harp. Bamboo may be used in the construction of the Australian didgeridoo instead of the more traditional eucalyptus wood. In Indonesia and the Philippines, bamboo has been used for making various kinds of musical instruments, including the kolintang, angklung and bumbong.

I hope some of you will enjoy it, and please forgive my rather significant ignorance of fine Japanese Traditional Music - if these songs don't measure up to that description, in your opinion.

[color=red]Please SEED - this album is selling for $157 (new) on Amazon.com - and it was out of circulation since 1994 - up to 2000.