The International Shakuhachi Society

- Recording: Zen Music -

Zen Music

Zen Music

Yamaguchi Goro

JVC - SJL-2094

Track	Title	Kanji	Length	Shakuhachi	Shamisen	Koto
1 (Listen)	Kumoi Jishi	雲井獅子	08'30	Yamaguchi Goro
	This piece was being transmitted at Itcho-ken, a well-known komuso temple in Hakata (Fukuoka), Kyushu, descended from Myoan-ji Temple in Kyoto. It is also called 'Ni-agari Jishi'. It was once highly popular in Kyushu because of its beautiful, brilliant melodies. It was arranged by YOSHIDA Itcho and was included in the Kinko-ryu repertory.
2 (Listen)	Azuma no Kyoku (Kinko Ryu)	吾妻の曲	05'39	Yamaguchi Goro
	There were Koten Honkyoku pieces in the style called Nezasa-ha of Kimpu-ryu in the vicinity of a castle town, Hirosaki, Aomori (the northernmost part of Honshu), in the Edo period. This piece was a representative one and was later arranged by YOSHIDA Itcho I, of Kinko-ryu. Its melodic flows are smooth and beautiful.
3 (Listen)	Sugagaki	菅垣	04'30	Yamaguchi Goro
	The term Sugagaki originally meant to play string instruments without accompanying voice. But in Shakuhachi it simply means those pieces which come from compositions for string instruments; for example, "Akita Sugagaki' and 'San-ya Sugagaki'. The source of the present piece is not known, but is said to have been arranged by YOSHIDA Itcho.
4 (Listen)	Kokû Reibo	虚空鈴慕	28'20	Yamaguchi Goro
	They say that this piece was composed symbolizing longings for bell (Taku) ringing in the empty sky. A legend says that in the T'ang Dynasty Fuke Zenji, founder of Fuke-shu (a sect of Buddhism), used to walk to the streets with bell ringings, and after his death a disciple of his composed the music in memory of him and bells. They also say that this was composed by Kichiku, a disciple of Hoto Kokushi who introduced Fuke-shu into Japan in the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). Kichiku was practicing austerities in Asama-yama, Ise, when he heard some strange beautiful music in his visionary state. Afterwards he composed the piece. Whichever the truth may be, this piece is the oldest among the Kinko-ryu Shakuhachi repertory. It is (or, was) highly religious in character. KUROSAWA Kinko, founder of the school, is said to have been instructed form Ikkeishi of Shoju-ken, Nagasaki.