Home People Pieces Recordings Bibliography Schools Glossary Sites & Events Teachers Join the ISS Log In

Sangai Rinten - 1

Sangai Rinten - 1

Yokoyama Katsuya
Denon - OX-7193
1980

Track Title Kanji Length Artist
1  Play Button Sangai Rinten 三界輪転 18'57 Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
Shakuhachi: Iwamoto Yoshikazu
Shakuhachi: Tajima Tadashi
Composed in 1980, the title of the composition is literally "three-worlds rotation." Sangai is a Buddhist term referring to the three worlds in the transmigration of the soul, but it also has the meaning of the past, present and future, as well as that of the wide-world or universe. Here it is intended to symbolize the desire to fly and play in a huge space.

The chanting at the beginning and end of the piece is of a part of a Zen chant written by the Zen priest, Hakuin. It is chanted by Kinshi TSURUTA accompanying herself on the biwa with a background of the intoning of OM which gradually changes to the "OM" of the shakuhachi. The rhythmical. and melodic section which follows with seven shakuhachi mixes the feeling of a repeating Buddhist chant with the frolicking of a children's game song as each performer plays his own improvised pattern. The koto solo which follows is by Yokoyama using a striking technique with rubber-tipped drumsticks which he himself devised. Next, there is a shakuhachi-biwa improvisational duet followed by the last part of the Zen chant.
2  Play Button Sesshin 接心 21'02 Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
Shakuhachi: Iwamoto Yoshikazu
Shakuhachi: Tajima Tadashi
Composed in 1979, the title of the piece means "joining hearts" referring to the coming together and separating throughout the piece of various musical flavors and qualities. It uses shakuhachi honkyoku ("original pieces") style in places with percussion interludes including the use of the uchiwadaiko set, the marimba, and at the end the vibraphone in quiet duet with the shakuhachi.