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Zen Music

Zen Music

Yamaguchi Gorō
JVC - SJL-2094

Track Title Kanji Length Artist
1  Play Button Kumoi Jishi 雲井獅子 08'30 Shakuhachi: Yamaguchi Gorō
Shakuhachi: Matsumura Hōmei
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  Play Button Azuma no Kyoku (Kinko Ryu) 吾妻の曲 05'39 Shakuhachi: Yamaguchi Gorō
Shakuhachi: Matsumura Hōmei
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  Play Button Sugagaki 菅垣 04'30 Shakuhachi: Yamaguchi Gorō
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  Play Button Kokū Reibo 虚空鈴慕 28'20 Shakuhachi: Yamaguchi Gorō
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.