Min'yo - Folk Song from Japan - Takahashi Yujiro and friends

Takahashi Yujiro
Nimbus - NI 5618
1999

Track	Title	Kanji	Length	Artist
1	Tsugaru Yamauta	津軽山唄	02'50	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	The "Tsugaru Mountain Song" was sung by woodcutters in the mountains, but in the late 1800s its beauty and dignity led to its use at banquets and celebrations. In Tsugaru, in winter pure white, in spring green, in summer black, in autumn brocade - how vivid and splendid is the seasonal changing of kimono. (At age fifteen, climbing deep into the mountains to cut trees, hungry, and night closes in - I'd like my parents to see what I'm going through. If you pray three times at the pine tree of the Temple of the 500 Bodhisattvas in Hyakuzawa, your grow young again. I'd like to pray at that pine tree.) Tsugaru ja / fuyu wa ma-shiroku, haru aoku / natsu wa sumizome, aki nishiki / koromogae suru azayakasa. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
2	Tsugaru Jongara Bushi	津軽じょんがら節	02'50
	"Jongara Song of Tsugaru"; jongara is meaningless but perhaps imitates the rhythm. As usual in Tsugaru songs, the virtuosic vocal is matched by pyrotechnic Tsugaru-jamisen accompaniment. The introduction and interludes are improvised. Verse 1 reflects the fierce pride in local songs. Verse 2 speaks from the standpoint of a touring professional folk singer. "Jongara Bushi", pride of the province: the young folks sing it, the master accompanies, and as the girls dance, the rice plants dance too. Parted for now; until we meet again, even if I travel a thousand miles, although the customers may change, my heart will remain the same. Okuni jiman no Jongara Bushi o / wakaishu utatte aruji no hayashi, musume odoreba inaho mo odoru / / ichido wakarete nido au made wa / tatoe kono mi wa senri no tabi ni, kayku ga kawaredo kokoro wa onaji. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
3	Yamanaka Bushi	山中節	02'35
	Yamanaka wa samong the best of numerous hot-spring resorts on the Noto Peninsula, thus a major domestic tourist attraction. This is a "parlor song" for geisha to sing to or with vacationing clients as intimate entertainment. Never forget the road to Yamanaka: to the east, Pine Mountain; to the west, Mt. Yakushi. In the valley, the sound of rushing water; on the peak, a storm; in between, at Yamanaka, the aroma of the hot baths. (From Mt. Yakushi I can see all of Yamanaka at a glance; why can't I see into his heart?) haa wasureshansu na Yamanaka michi o, higash'ya Matsuyama nish'ya Yakushi // tani n'ya mizuoto, mine ni wa arashi, ai no Yamanaka yu no nioi. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
4	Yagi Bushi	八木節	03'07
	This beloved Bon dance song from Yagi (Gunma Pref.) has a driving rhythm performed on a hand-gong and various drums - but most uniquely, on upturned sake barrels (here replaced by tsuzumi struck with beaters). Several long ballads are sung to this melody; this is a snippet from the start of the story of the Robin Hood figure Kunisada Chuji (1810-50). The lyrics end with one of several formulas. The famous Kunisada Chuji was born in renowned Kunisada Village, Sawagori District, Joshu Province. His father's name was Chubei; Chuji was their second son. Born with a chivalrous spirit, he would willingly fight to help others. He became a great gambling boss, envied by all. In 1846, mid-autumn, he built a gambling palace. There he passed each day in gaming battles - today, tomorrow, everyday. Well, I'd like to continue this tale further: a long and skilful performance would be wonderful. But a long and untalented one would upset the gathering, so as voices cry out "Stop! Stop!", I'll halt my tale right here. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
5	Kuroda Bushi	黒田節	03'15	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	The title, "Song of Kuroda", is a pun on the homophonous "samurai of Kuroda". The Kuroda clan once held northern Kyushu, whose culture was heavily influenced by court nobles who had fled there in the 12th century. The song's tune derives from the best-known court instrumental piece "Etenraku". Verse 1 commemorates a supposed event of 1590. The shogun Hideyoshi had just presented a famed spear to his general Masanori. The Kuroda warrior Mori Tahei then arrived with a message for Masanori, who insisted that Tahei join him in a celebratory drink. Forbidden to drink "on duty", he refused; Masanori insisted, and finally offered him a gift of his choice if he would drink. Tahei drank - and claimed the spear! - Verse 2 reaches back to the 12th century: the emperor's concubine had, through court intrigue, been banished to a hidden hut in the woods. The monarch sent a servant to find her. From a distance, he heard her playing on her koto zither a tune that confirmed she still loved her man. Drink, dink sake! If you drink, you'll win this, the best spear in all Japan. If you drink enough to win it, you're a true Kuroda samurai. Is it a storm in the mountains, or the wind in the pines, or the person I'm seeking playing the koto? Stopping his horse to listen, [he heard] the clear sounds of the plectrums playing "Longing for Her Husband". Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
6	Sōran Bushi	ソラン節	01'24
	(Work Song Version) Herring fishing brought thousands of migrant workers to Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, each spring until early this century. Songs accompanied each stage of fishing, such as rowing and net-hauling. "Soran Bushi" was sung while transferring the herring from large drift-nets into small taxi-boats with giant hand-nets. The abundant lyrics are often improvised, erotic or comical - helping to keep workers awake during several days without sleep. This recording - which eschews the bawdier verses - gives an idea of how "Soran Bushi" would have sounded as a functioning work song, as opposed to the following track: rough-edged, spontaneous, in a northeastern accent. (introduction: meaningless rhythmic calls) (chorus:) Ee yaren soran soran soran soran soran (hai hai) Yoichi's a fine place - come visit sometime: flames of gold shoot up from the waves. If you ask the seagull, "Have the herring come?", "I'm just a migrating bird; ask the waves". (Tonight, for one night I sleep on a damask pillow; tomorrow, on shipboard, the waves are my pillow.) Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
7	Sōran Bushi	ソラン節	01'26	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	(Stage Version) Contrasting with Soran Bushi (Work Song Version), here is the same song in its typical stage version, with instruments, female chorus, and a clean, polished vocal in a standard Japanese accent. Women were not involved in herring netting. However, either men or women may sing any folk song. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
8	Tsugaru Sansagari Kyokubiki	津軽三下り	02'07
	This virtuosic shamisen improvisation (kyokubiki) is based on the song "Tsugaru Sansagari". (Sansagari is a shamisen tuning.) Tsugaru-jamisen is one of the few Japanese traditions that allows significant improvisation, which comes to the fore particularly in the solo style. Tsugaru-jamisen contests small and large have long been common. In one early format, two or three players each improvised for a couple of minutes, continuing until all but one had run out of new ideas. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
9	Akita Ondo	秋田音頭	02'43
	This Japanese "rap" song unites spoken lyrics with lively dance music. Akita is renowned for its folk songs, women, mines, forests and numerous other products, often mentioned in this most thorough of local praise songs. Ono no Komachi, a 9th-century court lady, was the first famous "Akita beauty". The last verse refers to the mythological incident seen as the birth of all Japanese dance, when the sound of boisterous dancing tempted the Sun Goddess out of the cave where she had hidden, thus restoring light to the world. The added verse, which has the ring of truth, is of the cheerily bawdy sort often sung but almost never recorded. Professionals today struggle against a lingering image of drunken partying and degeneracy. This image was only ever partly accurate, but in defense today's artists generally avoid such lyrics. Yaatose, This is the "Akita Dance Song". Well anyhow, please forgive me as I launch into the Ondo's nonsense. There may be some objections from your ears, but here I go. Akita's a fine place, full of famous spots, Number 1 in the northeast. Mountains of ore, mountains of trees, blooming gardens with beautiful girls dancing. You guys watching the girls dancing, don't open your mouths so wide. It's ok now, but in spring the sparrows will build there nests there. Akita's famous products: Hachimori butterfish, Oga yellowtail, Noshiro lacquerware, Hiyama fermented soybeans, and Odate birchbark vessels. Why are Akita girls so pretty? What a stupid question! This is the birthplace of Ono no Komachi - didn't you know that? Whatever the problems and events of the world today, dancers, just keep dancing: at the dawn of Japanese history, at the Door of the Celestial Rock Cave, the gods danced all night long! (My sister and the guy next door went into a squash field for a quickie. No paper to wipe with, so they grabbed a squash leaf-and were sore for three days.) Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
10	Esashi Oiwake	江差追分	04'01	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	When the herring suddenly vanished from the sea off Esashi, Hokkaido in 1900, townsfolk struggled to replace their major industry with tourism, using this local song for advertising as it was already famous throughout Japan. Some call it a "classical folk song", because its form has become grigidly fixed down to the last ornament. Since 1965, an annual contest has been devoted to this one song! The highly melismatic "main song", hon'uta (only 26 syllables in over 2 minutes) is here followed by an "aftersong" with more rapidly flowing lyrics. The main song migrated from the village of Oiwake in central Japan, but as the Esashi version gained renown, the town's name was prefixed to the original title. The seagull's cries awaken me. Are those the mountains of Ezochi [Hokkaido]? (Aftersong:) The light of the moon is dimmed by haze, and someone is crying; are the waves also stifling their tears, that the sea is so calm? Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
11	Kagoshima Han'ya Bushi	鹿児島はんや節	01'36
	A song from the pleasure district of Kagoshima, southern Japan. Its lyrics largely speak for the geisha whose romantic travails are depicted therein. This song belongs to a large extended family which traveled on sailing ships all over Japan, with gradual changes in melody, mood, tempo and lyrics - leading also to the song in Tsugaru Aiya Bushi. The ship that we saw off this morning to the sounds of "Han'ya" - I wonder what harbor it's reached? I spend half the year singing "Han'ya", and the other half sleeping. (spoken:)That young man who's just come in, isn't he good-looking? I try to talk to him, but he runs away. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
12	Tsugaru Aiya Bushi	津軽あいや節	04'38
	As in Tsugaru Jongara Bushi, an improvised shamisen opening leads to the melismatic main song. The trickily elusive, uneven pulse suits the song's frequent function accompanying a bouncing solo dance. "Yosare Bushi" and "Jongara Bushi" are other favorite Tsugaru songs. Aiya na Aiya, you can hear a song, a Tsugaru song: "Yosare", "Jongara", Aiya Bushi". This evening, how auspicious appears the flowery bride. Her parents, gazing on in enraptured admiration, cry tears of happiness. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
13	Nanbu Ushioi Uta	南部牛追唄	02'11
	This "Nambu Oxherd Song" from the north was sung while leading oxen carrying rice from the mountains to the sea, then bringing back salt and fish. Singing would soothe the oxen, as well as keeping away bears, boars and boredom. Here Yujiro is accompanied by the sound of his whip and by shouts to the cattle. Verse 1 has a pun on the word ki meaning both "spirit, will" and "tree"; such puns, frequent in all Japanese poetry, defy translation. My cattle, I know it's hard for you now, but the spirit/tree of perseverance will bear the fruit of wealth. Ekari and Kuzumaki are the home towns of the oxherds: we always set out in spring and return in autumn. (spoken:) Why does this ox just keep eating grass all the time? Com on, get moving faster! Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
14	Shinjō Bushi	新庄節	03'11	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	Shinjo town (Yamagat Pre.) had a flourishing pleasure district called Bambacho. The verses here are from the viewpoint of a man eager to visit his favorite courtesan - and reluctant to leave her before dawn. That mountain's too tall - I can't see Shinjo. I love Shinjo, I hate that mountain. Crossing Mt. Sabane, passing Funagata, I've come to see you in Bambacho. At dawn, the day breaks, the sparrows cry chun chun, the crows cry kaa kaa, the kites in the sky cry hyorohyoro, and the temple fish gong sounds sukopon sukopokoponpon - would you send me home before then? Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
15	Akita Nikata Bushi	秋田荷方節	04'24	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	A party song from Niigata Prefecture spread to Akita, where Asano Umewaka wed the free-rhythm song to a driving, rhythmic shamisen part, elaborated and accelerated to become one of Japan's most virtuosic instrumentals. The shamisen, as the "star", is usually mixed louder than the voice. Like "Esashi Oiwake", this song's title contains two place names, revealing its present and previous locales: "Nikata" is a corruption of "Niigata". In Niigata's Yamamachi, the old granny flower seller doesn't sell flowers, she sells oil. The cherry tree in the manor on the high mountain: its seven branches bloom eightfold. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
16	Hakata Komoriuta	博多子守唄	01'10
	One of Japan's numerous traditional lullabies (komoriuta). Young village girls from impoverished families were often sent to rich homes in nearby villages as nursemaids (komori), thus reducing the number of mouths to feed at home. They were generally treated poorly and looked forward to returning home twice a year - at the Bon festival and New Year's. While the gentle music may soothe a crying child, the lyrics may express the self-pity or anger of the nursemaid, as in this one from the Hakata in Kyushi. My mistress is like a bad persimmon: she looks good, but she's really sour. Mistress, listen well; master, listen too: if you mistreat the nursemaid, the baby will suffer. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
17	Takeda no Komoriuta	竹田の子守唄	01'00
	This lullaby, from the village of Takeda near Kyoto, was "discovered" in the 1970s by members of the foku songu (Western-style folk song) group Akai Tori, who arranged it with vocal harmonies, guitars and cell. Their version was a hit throughout East and Southeast Asia. From that version, sung in gentle Western vocal style, the song has entered the world of popular min'yo. I hate being a nursemaid: after Bon the snow flutters down, and the baby cries. Though Bon has come, why should I be happy? I don't have a hempen robe, no waist sash either. (I want to go soon, back to my native village; way over there I can see my parent's home.) Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
18	Edo Komoriuta	江戸子守唄	01'12
	This is a widely known lullaby. Edo is the old name for Tokyo. Slee, sleep - you're a good little boy, sleep now. Little boy, where's your nursemaid gone? Across that mountain, back to her home. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
19	Tsugaru no Komoriuta		01'06
	This lullaby, opposing sting words to gentle melody, attempts to threaten the baby into sleeping. Good luck! Sleep, sleep. If you cry, the Mongols will come down from the mountains to get you. Sleep, child, sleep. Sleep, sleep. If you cry, a devil will come from the village to get you… Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
20	Itsuki no Komoriuta	五木の子守唄	02'15
	Many variants of this lullaby existed around Itsuki village in Kyushu, in a loose duple or free rhythm. At some unknown point early in the 20th century, this version arose, with its Western-influenced triple meter. I'll only be here 'til Bon; if Bon comes early, I'll go home early. I'm just a beggar; these are goodly folk, with nice obi waist-sashes and nice kimono. If I should die, bury me by the roadside; offerings or water will come from the heavens. (If I should die, who would cry for me? Only the locusts in those pine mountains.) Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
21	Miyagi Nagamochi Uta	宮城長持唄	03'08	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	Village girls generally married into nearby villages, rarely returning home, just like nursemaids. A procession of men would carry the trousseau in heavy boxes (the nagamochi of the title), and the porters would sing standard songs describing the developments and mixed emotions of the day. Today is a good day, with good weather, for tying [two people/families] together in a bond. Don't miss your home village, daughter: it was only a temporary lodging. (This daughter we raised, beautiful as a flower or a butterfly, today passes into another's hands.) Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
22	Yasaburō Bushi	弥三郎節	02'19
	"Song of Yasaburo". In 1808 Yasaburo took a bride, but his parents treated her horribly - as often happens: a new bride is an outsider to be bent to her new family's will. In this case, his bride fled within a year, and villagers produced this song criticizing the family. The song takes the form of a traditional counting song, with puns on the numbers. One: In Kizukuri Newfields, off in a corner of Shimo-Aino Village is Yasaburo's house. Two: Asking a few people for help, he got a bride from Mankuro of Obiraki. Three: This bride brought the Three Objects [dowry] - Four: She weeded the fields morning and night, but when she came home late, she was scolded. Five: Scolded, picked on, scowled at - and denied her three meals a day. (Six: Used harshly by unreasonable parents-in-law - blood flowed from her ten fingers. Seven: No matter how hard she worked, the wouldn't rub soothing oil on her. Eight: The sun doesn't shine on Yasaburo's house, yet it even shines in Mogawa Forest.) Nine: All the parents here are devils; all the brides who come here are fools. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
23	Kokiriko	こきりこ	03'14
	This dance son's relatively simple structure aided its selection in 1971 by the Education Ministry as the first piece of Japanese music ever officially taught for performance in Japanese schools. This policy, however, was abandoned a few years later, when it emerged that Japan's school teachers, trained only in Western styles, could not cope with min'yo. Kokiriko are short lengths of thin bamboo struck together while dancing. The binzasara or sasara is another striking instrument, a string of wooden plaques which produce a pleasant rolling sound. (chorus:) mado no sansa mo dedereko den, hare no sansa mo dedereko den The bamboo kokirko are 7.5 sun long. Any longer and they catch in your sleeves. If you want to dance, dance - leave the crying child with me. The sasara is under the window. If you try to carry yonder mountain, the rope will break - you can't do it. The bulbul crying in yonder mountains cries while flying down, and cries while flying up: it wakes us for morning grass-cutting. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
24	Tsugaru Jongara Kyokubiki		09'40
	This flashy shamisen trio was arranged by Takahashi Yujiro based on the song "Tsugaru Jongara Bushi". The present recording features an improvised sols by Yujiro sandwiched by fixed sections. Often he and his students perform this with competing solos, in the spirit of earlier times. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
25	Akita Magouta	秋田馬子唄	03'51	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	"Akita Horse-dealer's Song". In the north until recently, men led strings of horses to or from distant horse-markets travelling through the night. As with "Nambu Ushoioi Uta", a song could ease the stress on both man and beast. At the markets, the horsemen exchanged songs like these, eventually creating local and individual variants. Keep moving, ponies, hurry along, Brownie: the sun is setting in the western mountains. It's lonely being a horseman, all alone on the road at night, with nothing but the sound of the bridle behind you. Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk
26	Donpan Bushi	ドンパン節	02'06	Shakuhachi: Takahashi Yujiro
	A lively dance and party song from Akita; title and chorus imitate percussion. (chorus:) dondon pan pan donpanpan etc. Talking about bragging rights, I won't lose: this is the heartland of rice, the heartland of sake; Akita's butterbur is the best in all Japan; and Ono no Komochi came from here. People are cute when they're drinking, cuter still when they babble drunken nonsense; strolling along nine abreast, four on the right and four on the left. When you listen to a song, keep quiet! Some people sing well, some don't. Go ahead and try singing yourselves - you'll find it's harder than you think! Copyright 1999 - Dr David W. Hughes e-mail dh6@soas.ac.uk