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This is a Jiuta piece in the Tegotomono style from the Ikuta Ryū school . This piece was composed for koto by Yaezaki Kengyo . This piece was composed for shamisen by Matsūra Kengyo in cir. 1790 .

History (from Tsuge Gen'ichi)
This piece was composed around 1790 by Matsuura Kengyo of Kyoto as a jiuta piece. Later, Yaezaki Kengyo (1766?-1848) arranged it as we know it today for koto and shamisen ensemble. This jiuta-sokyoku demonstrates an early tegoto-mono form of the Kyoto style.

'Sue no chigiri' means 'Pledge of Eternal Fidelity,' and the text is a courtesan's avowal of true love.

Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
A soul afloat
Am I.
How could I not have known?
I wander aimlessly
Like a small fisher's boat,
Rudderless in those shallow waters
Of ancient poems
Where lovers were wont to meet,
Rising, then falling on the waves.

Oh, forlorn crane,
Pacing the desolate shore,
Let us cry together.

But I must be braced
Like a resilient bow,
Filled with anticipation of spring.
Please do not forget me,
Even though I live in obscurity
For eight thousand years
As your mistress.
Do not break our sincere pledge
Of eternal fidelity.

Sue no Chigiri appears on the following albums:

Album	Shakuhachi	Koto	Shamisen
Abe Keiko Record Set - 05  (Listen)		Fujii Kunie	Abe Keiko
Araki Kodo III and Fukuda Eika - Collection of Famous Performances - 02  (Listen)	Araki Kodo III		Fukuda Eika
Ikuta Ryu Sokyoku Senshu Volume 02  (Listen)
Seiha Hogakkai Play Favorites 02 - Matsuura Kengyo  (Listen)
Seiha Hogakkai Sokyoku Meisakusen - Matsuura Kengyo  (Listen)
Shakuhachi Tokusen - Araki Kodo III  (Listen)	Araki Kodo III		Yes
Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 28  (Listen)	Araki Kodo III		Fukuda Eika
Sounds from Japan  (Listen)	Yokoyama Katsuya
The poem written by Jiroemon Takahide Mitsui alias Meikyo Korakuen of Kyoto, was composed by Matsuura Kengyo for "Sangen tune" and further, Yaezaki Kengyo changed it into Koto tune. This is said to be the best of Matsuura Kengyo's works. This poem expresses the sentiment of love on the plea of the boat drifting on the waves. The melody is graceful, natural and classical. This time, it is played only by Shakuhachi and Koto. (Mikiko Haga)
Togashi Noriko - 02  (Listen)			Togashi Noriko