The International Shakuhachi Society
- Tamagawa -
玉川
This is a Jiuta piece in the Tegotomono style from the Ikuta Ryű school . This piece was composed for shamisen by Kuniyama Koto .
History (from Tsuge Gen'ichi)
Tamagawa ('Jade River') is a relatively early jiuta piece composed in the tegoto-mono form. There are several versions for koto and shamisen arranged by different masters. The text sings praises of the six renowned rivers known collectively as Mutamagawa ('Six Jade Rivers') in classical Japanese poetry (waka). These are the Tamagawa (s) of Ide (Kyoto), Settsu (Osaka), Noji (Shinga Prefecture), Noda (Miyagi Prefecture), Musashino (Chofu, Tokyo) and Takano (Wakayama Prefecture).
This elegant and poetic subject was often treated in the song-texts of traditional Japanese music, there being at least three different pieces under the title Tamagawa or Mutamagawa. Besides the present jiuta piece, there is one koto kumiuta composed by Mitsuhashi Kengyo, and a Yamada style piece, derived from tomimoto-bushi. (see Mutamagawa)
Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
At dusk in Yamashiro
I dismount from my horse
To view the Jade River of Ide,
And while he drinks
I watch dew
Falling from the yamabuki (1)
Into the spring river.
Summer is on its way.
In the distance
I can see the rising river
Flowing against the new weirs
In the Jade River of Settsu.
This is the season
Of the white mayflower (2).
Before I know it
Autumn has arrived
And with it soon will come
The sightseers
To the Jade River of Noji
In the province of Omi.
The bush clover
Is past its prime.
The moon lodges in the jeweled water,
And the sky is pregnant
With signs of winter.
Snow clouds are brought
By winds from the sea
And as evening falls
The lonely cries of plovers
Are heard along the banks
Of the Jade River of Noda.
Along the Jade River of Musashino,
Renowned for its beauty,
Women bleach linen by hand.
Clean, white cloth
In pure, flowing water.
Drawn to the haunts
Of ancient travelers
I have come into the mountain.
Certainly those hardy souls
Made this journey
Just to drink the refreshing water
From the Jade River of Takano
Oblivious of the difficulties.
Rightfully is this river
Praised by the poets
And included as one
Of the Six Jade Rivers.
(1) The yamabuki is a spring flower of golden-yellow color related to the rose.
(2) The unohana or deutzia crenata.
Tamagawa appears on the following albums:
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