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This is a Sokyoku piece
from the Yamada Ryű school
.
This piece was composed for koto by Yamada Kengyo
.
History (from Tsuge Gen'ichi)
This lovely song was composed by Yamato Kengyo, the leading disciple of Yamada Kengyo. The text appears in the second edition of Azumakoto-uta, published in 1824. The 'ancient poet' referred to is Yamanoe no Okura (660?-733?), a celebrated poet whose verses have been preserved in the Man'yoshu. The title Shin-nanakusa ('New Seven Autumn Flowers') means a new set of 'Seven Wild Flowers' (nankusa), different from Okura's 'Seven Flowers' which are universally known in Japan. (See Aki no nanakusa).
Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
A certain ancient poet
Looking over an autumn field
Once selected
The seven best wild flowers.
But no less beautiful
In hue and fragrance
Is the white dandy flower (1)
Which, in the presence
Of wild moonlit chrysanthemums (2),
Makes a vow
Of eternal love
To a gentian (3),
Whose blossoms last the longest.
The graceful aster (4)
Bends in the breeze
Toward the bell flower (5).
'In the future
I, too, will be as light-spirited
As pampas grass (6),'
Says the bashful brunette (7).
Truly a sight.
To make love bloom
In the hearts
Of lovers:
The seven flowers of autumn.
(1) Otokoeshi or patrinia villosa.
(2) Nogiku.
(3) Rindo or gentiaea scabra.
(4) Shion.
(5) Kichiko or kikyo.
(6) Karukaya or anthistiria arguens.
(7) Waremoko.
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