The International Shakuhachi Society

- Recording: Zen Music - IV -

Zen Music - IV

Zen Music - IV

Yamaguchi Goro

Victor, Japan - SJL-2064

Track	Title	Kanji	Length	Shakuhachi	Shamisen	Koto
1 (Listen)	Igusa Reibo	葦草鈴慕	18'11	Yamaguchi Goro
	Igusa or the rush is a plant which tatami, Japanese mattings, are made of. This piece comes from Reihoji, a temple in Ome near Tokyo, which was one of the headquarters of komuso. According to the tradition, a komuso belonging to this temple composed the present piece developing an inspiration which had been given him while going through a rush field. Among the religious shakuhachi musics of the Fukeshu there are many that bear titles containing reibo at the end. Its literal meaning is 'the yearning for the bell.' Tradition says that Fuke Zenji, the founder of Fukeshu, used to ring a bell in his hand when he walked around the streets to propagate. So, reibo was used at first in remembrance of the founder of the sect. But, later, they came to use it very commonly in the titles the original significance being lost gradually.
2 (Listen)	Sagari Ha no Kyoku	下り葉の曲	08'23	Yamaguchi Goro
	Often called simply 'Sagariha.' The meaning of the title is not clear. In the accompanying music the no drama and the kabuki drama played by a flute and percussions, there is a stereotyped pattern called by the same name, which might have had some connection with the present piece. The tradition says that this is a very old piece arranged more than 300 years ago by a samurai who learned its prototype from a komuso.
3 (Listen)	Taki Otoshi no Kyoku	瀧落の曲	14'53	Yamaguchi Goro
	Often called 'Takiochi,' which means a waterfall. There is a waterfall called Asahidaki in the Izu peninsula. It is said that this piece was composed by a komuso belonging to a temple near the waterfall. There is an old koto piece bearing the same title, which is suspected to have had something to do with this piece.