Tsuru no Sugomori - Komuso Shakuhachi

Zenyoji Keisuke
Northern Lights Records - NLRCD-5100

Track	Title	Kanji	Length	Artist
1	Sagari Ha (Nezasa Ha)	下り葉 (根笹)	06'35	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	Nezasa-Ha Kimpu-Ryu is a shakuhachi school in Tsugaru-Han (Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture) and is also called "Oie-ryu" (Tsugaru family school). It is said that Yasuchika, 9th century feudal lord of Tsugaru family sent Yoshizaki Kodo Hachiya ( 1778-1855) to learn from Kurihara Kimpu in Edo (Tokyo) and that Yoshizaki returned to Tsugaru and taught this style of Shakuhachi playing. Kimpo-Ryu is also called "Dai Nezasa-Ryu" or "Nezasa-Ha". It is said to have roots in the Nezasa-Ha school based in Jijo-ji temple, a Komuso temple in Takasaki of Gunma Prefecture. However the relationship to Nezasa-Ha in Fuke sect is unclear. There are two distinctive techniques of the school, that is "Komi-Buki;" and "Tsugiri (chigiri)". Komi-buki is a strong breath vibrato by pulsating the breath to blow into shakuhachi and can not be found in other schools. The "Komi-buki" technique is used in the entire repertoire of the school and shares same rhythmical feeling as in Tsugaru-shamisen (percussive shamisen music popular in Tsugaru). "Tsugiri" is a consequent note pattern from Tsu to Ro with special color sound and timing which can be achieved using jaw movement. An example can be found at 0' 57" or 2' 27" on this album. "Shirabe" is a prelude to all the Kimpu-Ryu tunes except "Matsukaze" and means to tune the flute, the sound, the space and the player's state of mind "Sagariha" is an independent tune from "Shirabe", but has a structure and feeling to he played together with "Shirabe". Indeed these two are quite often played together.
2	Choshi (Fudaiji)	調子	04'24	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	Fudaiji was a komuso temple in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. The "Choshi" is a traditional piece not from Tohoku (northern Japan) area where all pieces on this album are from. Like "Shirabe", it means to tune the playing condition. Different from Tohoku style this Choshi is relatively simple and is performed with very little technical; virtuosity and is typical of the Fudaiji shakuhachi tradition. This simple piece is nothing but crystallized essence of Komuso (Zen) Shakuhachi.
3	Tsuru no Sugomori (Renpoken)	鶴の巣籠	17'25	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	Jimbo Masanosuke, (1841 - 1914) was a shakuhachi master born in Oshu (Tohoku) area. This version of "Tsuru no Sugomori" was passed down from Jin Nyodo (1891- 1966) who learned from several students of Jimbo including Hikichi Kozan. Nyodo defined this piece, as Rempo-ken komuso temple tradition (Fukushima city) or Kizen-ken temple tradition (Soma city). There are many different versions of "Tsuru no Sugomori" which use Tabane technique, (Vibration of the palate - throat area, also called flutter tonguing) imitating the sound of the crane. In Jimbo's version, numerous techniques are utilized to describe not only the voice but also the cranes flapping - dancing in all over the piece. 1 from beginning This part corresponds to "Shirabe". It first describes an atmosphere before appearance of the crane and then she flies down. One breath from 2' 2" indicates the flying down until landing. 2 from 2' 51" From 2 to 5 is called "San'ya". This is the scene where the crane looks for the place of nesting. Repeat of motif expressed by two breathes indicates the careful search of the appropriate nesting place by repetitive short flights and landings. 3 from 5' 40" Repeating highest tone called "Takane" is the cry of delight by finding the nesting place. 4 from 7' 20" "Sanjuroku Yusuri" (36 times shakes), a technique of repeatedly shaking jaw represents the endless nest making operation. 5 from 8' 53" This is the scene of laying an egg and called "Hachigaeshi". The transition from a brutal high tone to peaceful low notes describes the pain of birth in erotic pleasure. 6 from 10' 49" 6 and 7 correspond to "Sugomori ". The imitative tone of crane voice "Tabane" express tender love between the parent and baby clans. 7 from 12' 19" This is a scene called "Kowakare" (Leaving child). The first breath shows the parent's flying away and the following tones (a minor 3rd below) are from the baby. The parent first shows how to fly and the baby try to imitate. The baby's awkward flying gradually turns to be firm. This is expressed by the repeat of the two notes, a minor 3rd lower. The melody including half note in the ending part, shows strong sadness of child's leaving. 8 from 13' 21" Reflection part. The slightly fast repeat of the aforementioned "Takane" and "Hachigaeshi" indicates the parent's emotion of remembering the past. 9 from 16' 7" The last part called "Oomusubi" describes aging of the parent left alone. The soundless note expressing the very end moment of sunset would be the last breath in "Oomusubi".
4	Sagari Ha Urajoshi	下り葉 (裏調子)	04'24	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	Urachoshi Shirabe, Sagariha (Nezasa-Ha Kimpu-Ryu) Different from modern western flute, Shakuhachi does not have homogeneous tone color among notes in the scale. Therefore, transposition of a song within an instrument provides different expression for the same melody. It is said Nezasa-Ha Kimpo-Ryu tradition of Choshi consists of five, namely, "Hon-Joshi", "Akebono-joshi", "Kumoi-joshi", "Yugure-joshi" and "Taikyoku-joshi". But only "Hon-Joshi", "Akebono-joshi", and "Kumoi-joshi"" are practiced. All other Choshi than "Hon-joshi" are called "Ura-joshi" (secondary-choshi). The piece recorded here is "Akebono-joshi". This piece is a perfect 5th higher transposition from, "Hon-joshi", and therefore a duet with "Hon-joshi" is possible by using a shakuhachi of a perfect 4th higher. It is said senior plays "Ura-joshi" customarily in the school. The "Ura-joshi" by Jin Nyodo, however, has modifications by rather decorative techniques while its fundamental structure is same as "Hon-joshi". The "Uru-joshi" is therefore not simple transposition of "Hon-joshi" and rather independent piece. For example, the same melody created by jaw movement is reproduced using only fingering technique and effective partial replacement to octave of the notes which would be difficult from instrumental restriction without losing the expression. Uchiyama Reigetsu, author of "A commentator of Nezasa-Ha Kimpu-Ryu honkyoku" said "The duet using only transposition of the melody is uninteresting. Delicate modifications make "Ura-Joshi" excellent. Koyama Yuzo was a master player who used the delicate modification but no score describing the modification is found except in the (Onto) Nyogetsu school. "Ura-joshi" solo can excel "Hon-joshi" for its sad atmosphere." "Ura-joshi" indeed has a stronger touch of pathos.
5	Reibo (Shôganken)	霊慕 (松巌軒)	12'58	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	The piece was handed down around Meiji 20 to Orito Nyogetsu (1865 - 1947) from Onodera Genkichi (1859-1928) when he was a traveling komuso (wandering monk). Nyogetsu called it "Miyagi Reiho" but Jin Nyodo, his student called it "Reibo" of Shoan-ken temple (Hanamaki. Iwate Prefecture) tradition. (There are many shakuhachi pieces with the title Reibo.) The piece consists of "Take-shirabe", low tone (from beginning), a motif, "Honte" (from 2' 59"). "Takane", high notes' (from 5' 45"), "Takanegaeshi", a variation of "Takane" (from 7' 53") and "Hachigaeshi" (from 10' 7" to 12' 26") which begins with a melody of changed key and ha a typical Oshu style structure. The sorrowful melody which first emerges in "Honte" is repeated with the amplified sadness in the following two sections. Jin Nyodo defines the last two breaths as final phrases. It is the same phrase as in the beginning of "Hachigaeshi" with Kan-Ro (an octave higher from the lower Ro with all finger holes closed). It may sound too simple as a finale but the lingering sound caused by the abrupt ending presents total sadness even more impressively.
6	San'ya Seiran	三谷清攬	08'49	Shakuhachi: Zenyoji Keisuke
	There are many tunes with same name "San'ya" (mountain field) in other schools. The "San'ya Seiran" of Nezasa-Ha has almost same melody structure as "San'ya" (three valleys) of Seien-Ryu in Nagoya Prefecture. It begins with quiet low notes, and the beginning melody repeats with octave high pitch after the 4 indicative phrases at 1' 26". "Takane" from 2' 55" is the phrase with highest notes in the piece and effective combination of earlier phrases is repeated four times as a total. In "Musubi" from 6' 23", the beginning phrase is again used effectively and ends with lower notes. In general, "San'ya" type tunes have an attitude of strictly suppressing emotion in comparison with "Reibo" types. "San'ya Seiran" of Nezasa-Ha, however, has natural flowing melody while retaining the dignified "Sanya" style.