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Floating Clouds

Floating Clouds

"Shakuhachi honkyoku."

Michael Chikuzen Gould
Equilibrium - EQ13

Track Title Kanji Length Artist
1 Bosatsu 菩薩 15'55 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
A song expressing great compassion. This combines elements of classical honkyoku and a lullaby type recurring melodic theme.
2 Ukigumo 浮雲 05'21 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
Here the performer becomes free like the playful clouds high above the wold of pain, suffering, happiness, ecstasy, disappointment, greed, ambition, etc., of human life.
3 Tamuke 手向 05'55 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
This is a requiem piece. Several melodies sad, but friendly or approachable are played around a familiar lullaby.
4 Daha 打波 05'15 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
A steady, pulsating rhythm is produced by the breath to imitate the natural sound of waves striking the shore as the tide comes in. Another explanation is that the will tries to transcend the realm of the material world, and its ambitions and desires are reflected through this pulsation.
5 Sokkan 息観 07'03 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
The performer here must lose himself in contemplation of breath or soul until it appears in the mind's eye.
6 Shirabe (Nezasa Ha) 調 (根笹) 03'47 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
The breathing technique employed here imitates the sound of the wind blowing across the sasa bamboo leaves in a grove; a favorite technique of performers originally of the Tsugaru district of Japan.
7 San'ya (Fudaiji) 三谷 08'02 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
One of many songs of similar titles coming from different areas and different schools of Shakuhachi. San Ya no Kyoku, San Ya Sugagaki, Jinbo San Ya, Echigo San Ya, etc. are titled similarly, but really are very different.
8 Hon Shirabe 本調 03'51 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
This song actually contains the basic elements of all the honkyoku. It is said that this song was the only one practiced during the whole lives of some of the Fuke sect monks for training.
9 San'an 産安 07'26 Shakuhachi: Michael Chikuzen Gould
Long ago, when one's wife went into labor for childbirth, the husband would let grains of rice flow through the shakuhachi. Then, while cooking the rice, he would play this song as a prayer for safe birth, then give the rice to his wife after she bore the child.