Okayasu Ginuta
岡康砧
This is a piece of genre Sokyoku from the Yamada Ryû - 山田 School. This piece was composed for Koto by the person Okayasu Kosaburo.
History (Tsuge Gen'ichi):
| The origin of this kimuta-mono piece is unclear. 'Okayasu' is said to refer to the name of the alleged composer, Okayasu Kosaburo, a shamisen virtuoso of the early eighteenth century. 'Ginuta' comes from kinuta, a wooden block used in former times to press and soften newly woven cloth. An earlier version of the present piece is found in the repertoire of the Fujie School kokyu (Japanese fiddle). Towards the end of the nineteenth century, it was arranged for koto and shamisen ensemble by Yamamuro Yasuyoshi (1839-1907), who was head of the Fujie School and at the same time, expert in the performance of Yamada School sokyoku. Since then, it has gained popularity in the Yamada School sokyoku repertoire. In this composition the sound of the kimuta is conveyed in the long tegoto (interlude). The soft tapping of this block on autumn nights was a favorite musical and poetic symbol. |
Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
| In the moonlight The fulling block Sounds out the evening chill. Against the clouds Wild geese trace Bridges of the koto. Fulling block in the night, Through a cold autumn drizzle - Fulling block in the night, Through a cold autumn drizzle - Harmonizes With my playing. | Tsuki no mae no kinuta wa yosamu wo tsuguru kumoi no kari wa kotoji ni utsushite omoshiro ya (tegoto) Yowa no kinuta no shigure no ame to yowa no kinuta no shigure no ame to uchi-tsuredachite kyoo no asobi wa |
Okayasu Ginuta appears on the following albums
The International Shakuhachi Society - 2013