The International Shakuhachi Society
- Recording: Beyond Time And Space -
Beyond Time And Space
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"Original compositions for the solo bamboo flute played by shakuhachi master Masayuki Koga. This haunting, poignant music creates a bridge between East and West, accessible to Western ears while remaining true to its meditative Japanese origins."
Koga Masayuki
Pioneer Records - WLL-03
1982
| Track | Title | Kanji | Length | Shakuhachi | Shamisen | Koto |
| 1 (Listen) | Gael's Song | 04'58 | Koga Masayuki | |||
| The song was composed soon after Masayuki Koga had gone to America. The song is filled with painful emotions yearning for his country, and is dedicated to his friend Gael. | ||||||
| 2 (Listen) | Hietsuki Bushi | 稗つき節 | 02'41 | Koga Masayuki | ||
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Barnyard grass pounding tune A general came to Miyazaki from Kyoto after the Heike Clan lost the Battle of Dannoura( I 185 A.D.). Later, when the new government attempted to capture him, he was forced to flee. A young woman works in the fields singing about her hopes for his return. | ||||||
| 3 (Listen) | Esashi Oiwake | 江差追分 | 06'07 | Koga Masayuki | ||
| Fisherman's work song from Hokkaido. This type of folk tune originally came from the Oiwake area in Nagano prefecture. It calls for double trill fingering for the shakuhachi. Sometimes accompanied by bells. | ||||||
| 4 (Listen) | Nanbu Ushioi Uta | 南部牛追唄 | 03'36 | Koga Masayuki | ||
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Cow herding song The song is one of the most popular Japanese folk songs such as "Hietsuki-Bushi " and "Esashi Oiwake". Nanbu a place now called Iwate-prefecture, is mountainous region of northern Japan. It used to be a farmers' song. It is said that in those days when they plowed the soil by oxen and horses, they sang the song. It is a very melancholy song. | ||||||
| 5 (Listen) | Kodama (Koga) | こだま | 13'15 | Koga Masayuki | ||
| Improvisation | ||||||
| 6 (Listen) | Sokyokyoku | 09'02 | Koga Masayuki | |||
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Improvisation Late spring, calling each other with soundless sound. out of the silence. . . . where are you going? Yes, go back to silence. | ||||||
| 7 (Listen) | Hi Shi Ryo | 05'58 | Koga Masayuki | |||
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Beyond time and space - (written by Masayuki Koga) Here is a rare performance by Koga, who is pursuing a solo play of shakuhachi. In fact it is his first attempt ever on a duet. The song is on the same line with Gael's Song. Though it is full of subtle and profound mood of Orient, melody of its theme is very accessible even to Western people. Bass of the duet was performed and recorded almost improvisationally. | ||||||