Zenyoji Keisuke
Northern Lights Records - NLRCD-5103
2001

Track	Title	Kanji	Length	Artist
1	Mukaiji (Fudaiji)	霧海箎	11'35	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	One of the three most important classical pieces Mukaiji, Koku and Kyorei. These are the most fundamental and oldest shakuhachi pieces. Mukaiji transmitted by Fudai-ji temple uses the Kusabi-buki technique where the blowing starts strong and becomes thinner gradually like Kusabi (wedge). This is a subdued and quite refined piece. Mukaiji has also different names such as Reibo or Renbo but the name is said to be originated from Zen vocabulary Mukai Nanshin. According to Kyotaku Oenki Kokujikai, Hottoh-Kokushi name it after the Kichiku's dream - a flute sound in fog on a small boat. Some Komuso-monk continued to play this piece even in the Edo period when musical performance was banned, by claiming Mukaiji deserves special exemption, although it was forbidden eventually. The Komuso temple Fudai-ji was banned in the first year of Meiji period and the land was used as the first organ factory in Japan which turned out to be the birth place of the Yamaha music industry.
2	Reibo (Futaiken)	霊慕 (布袋軒)	12'36	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	The most popular Reibo among the ones with the same name. This piece has a typical Ohshu-style structure where it begins with Takeshirabe and leads to Honte (Takiotoshi), Takane, Hachigaeshi and Musubi. The lingering and breathing are very refined and typical for Ohshu-style. Sokoyuri, vibrato by breathing, dynamic Tsutsune, breath narrowing technique Shiori, Takeshirabe played with only Otsu notes so as not to wake up a sleeping baby, Takane with high tone representing the excitement, and Hachigaeshi on a changed key - This is truly a masterpiece representing Ohshu style where strong and weak, hard and soft modes are intermixed organically. Futai-ken was located in Natori-shi, south part of Sendai and an important komuso temple in Ohshu. There have been many Shakuhachi players from the temple even after the Meiji period, but they did not have written notation. From bamboo to bamboo, from era to ear, the pieces have been transmitted. Jin Nyodoh (1891-1966) learned this piece and Sanya from a virtuoso Konashi Kinsui (1867 - 1931) in Sendai.
3	Nagashi Reibo	流鈴慕	11'38	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	Ban Yuzoh (1798-1875), the progenitor of Kimpu-Ryu school taught this piece only to Ishioka Yoshitaro, and then Nyuui Getsuei (1822-95) and others learned from Yoshitaro to pass down to later generations. The notation currently played was established by people around Getsuei. Jin Nyodoh was second generation lineage from Getsuei. Reibo was called as Renbo and its another name is Mukaiji. These are the oldest name among Komuso shakuhacbi pieces. The introductory melody in this piece can be categorized as same one as in Renbo (Reibo) Nagashi or Mukaiji which are transmitted in many different parts of Japan. Nagashi means playing on the street. We see the same melody lines as in Toori or Kadozuke of the same Nezasa-Ha school pieces which reminds us of Takuhatsu (mendicancy) by Shakuhachi, and the piece indeed gives such impression of Nagashi-buki playing. There is no Komuso temple in Tsugaru, therefore it is imagined that the piece was brought in Tsugaru by a Komuso from some other Tohoku area and refined there.
4	Kyorei (Fudaiji)	虚鈴	10'52	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	Kyorei is said to be the most important piece among the three authentic classical pieces Kyorei, Koku and Mukaiji. The piece is said to be created by copying the sound of the bell by Fuke-Zenji, the progenitor of Fuke-shu, the religion of Komuso monks. This piece is transmitted to Seien-Ryu and Myoan Taizan-Ha schools. Kyosui, extremely simple, strictly prohibiting any technical loquacity, this simple playing style provides the Zen flavor in the piece. Jin Nyodoh plays the begining part with Otsu note although the original one suggests to play with Kan note. This may be the result of his effort to make the piece sound more profound. Despite the legend, the piece is originated from Banshiki-Cho, a prelude song to Shinkyorei of Kinko school and refined in Zen style after played many times in Nagoya area. Such is a typical loose characteristic, yet attractive feature of Shakuhachi Honkyoku.
5	Taki Ochi (Ryogenji)	滝落	11'39	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	This piece describes the falling water of a waterfall. Starting from slow current over rocks in the mountain, the water goes through many small waterfalls. Gradually increasing the water amount and the speed, it reaches to Takane representing Ootaki (great waterfall) in the second half. The piece is consisted of a mixture of straight and curved lines describing the flexible movement of water. Although this piece is said to be composed at Ryuugen-ji temple, a Komuso temple near Asahi-daki (Asahi waterfall) in Izu Shuzenji-cho, the original song was Takiotoshi of Koto music and was metamorphosed into Honkyoku style after it was taken into Shakuhachi repertoire. The naming of the piece is Takiotoshi in Kinko school while in Seien school an its derivative, Myoan Taizan-Ha, this is called as Takiochi. In the latter schools, the introductory notes are played with Kan note, but Otsu note is used in Kinko school. Jin Nyodoh seems to borrow the idea. Nyodoh claimed he learned the piece from Horiuchi Zekuu (1858-1942) in Hamamatsu, but his playing is clearly different from Zekuu's score.