Kurokami - The International Shakuhachi Society

Kurokami

"Shakuhachi, koto, shamisen and vocals."

Clive Bell
Saydisc Records - CD-SDL 367
1988

Track	Title	Kanji	Length	Artist
1	Haru no Umi	春の海	07'47	Shakuhachi: Clive Bell
	This is the best loved piece composed by Miyagi in 1929 who was renowned as a koto player as well as a composer. This work is in ternary form (A-B-A): A (Andante) describes the seagulls playing on the waves; B (Allegro) a gay sea song and the joy of Spring.
2	Kurokami	黒髪	07'04	Shakuhachi: Clive Bell Koto: Yanagisawa Rie
	I tied up my black hair with strong feelings in my heart. My hair was loose on the pillow at night. I was alone. He never truly loved me. Only the temple bell was heard in the still night. This morning I left my love still dreaming. The snow is getting deeper, deeper and does not feel my sadness.
3	Disguised As A Silverer Of Mirrors		05'14	Shakuhachi: Clive Bell
	This is a shakuhachi improvisation. The tile comes from a Chinese song in which a young scholar called Ch'en the Third disguises himself in order to be allowed to enter his lover's house. I feel that to make a good improvisation also requires some cunning.
4	Midare Rinzetsu	乱輪舌	10'00
	This melody was a decisive factor in establishing the Koto as a solo instrument. It demands a free and unrestricted interpretation, and shows that although the composer lived in a feudal society he possessed a freedom which makes his composition almost modern.
5	Yūgao	夕顔	12'10	Shakuhachi: Clive Bell
	This was made into a song about Yugao from the Tale of Genji. The story is about the daughter of the third lieutenant general (Sane-chujo) who was hiding in a villain's house to get away from the head lieutenant-general's wife's jealousy. Prince Genji was visiting this lady's house where a lot of moon-flowers were in bloom. However on the night of the 15th August, Genji went out with the lady to his country house. The next night she was cursed with an evil spirit and finally died. The first song is about the scene at the house of the lady, and the last song is expressing the tragedy after the lady's death. The middle part is a lonely scene of Autumn night and expressing serenity.
6	Esashi Oiwake	江差追分	05'48	Shakuhachi: Clive Bell
	This is a rather free version of a very well-known folk song from north Japan. It would normally be sung in a florid style accompanied by the shakuhachi. Every year in Japan a competition is held at which hundreds of singers perform this song to a panel of judges with stop-watches, sitting beneath the stage and measuring the length of each phrase. The lyrics of the song deal with a love in which marriage is impossible: You are there, I am here, and the wind blows between us.
7	Aki no Shirabe	秋の調	12'29	Shakuhachi: Clive Bell
	This is a serenade for voice, koto, and flute, composed in 1918 by Miyagi Michio, a very popular composer in Japan. He was greatly influenced by western impressionist music, and thus revolutionized the old style of Japanese music. The sung poem depicts tender thoughts for a young woman and a longing to be with her. The koto introduction hints at leaves falling onto a stream and floating to where the lover lives. The sigh of autumn If I were a leaf floating on the river I would drift to your dwelling. The autumn night becomes darker. If I were a cricket in the grass I would sing by your window Throughout the night. Words from a poem by Kobayashi Yoshio, Translated by Clive Dunkley.