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

Iso Chidori

磯千鳥

[Genre]Jiuta
[Style]Tegotomono
[School]Ikuta Ryû - 生田
[Composed]Yaezaki Kengyō - Koto
Kikuoka Kengyō - Shamisen

History (Tsuge Gen'ichi):

A typical example of the Kyoto style tegoto-mono genre which thrived during the first half of the nineteenth century. This piece was originally composed for voice and shamisen as a jiuta; however, later it was arranged by Yaezaki Kengyo (1766?-1848) of Kyoto, as a jiuta-sokyoku piece with an elaborate koto part, since then this version has become popular.

The title Isochidori means a 'beach plover,' and is taken from the last word of the text. The song deals with the disappointed love of a betrayed bride and the transience of this world. Because of its sorrowful mood, this piece is sometimes used in Japan for performance in memory of the departed.

Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)

My uneasy doze
Was broken at dawn
By the temple bell.

Indeed to what can I compare
This world
Of empty wishes?
In Tomorrow River
Yesterday's deep pool
Is today's shoal.
Despite the vicissitudes of life
We took the pledge of eternal love.
But unawares
I have been adrift,
A floating boat without a rudder,
Can I find shelter
In the white waves?

Are they drops from a pole?
A rain of tears?
Drenching my robe
Drenching my robe through.

The chilly coastal wind
Pierces my body this morning-
Does the beach plover too
Cry in despair?
Utatane no
makura ni hibiku
ake no kane
(ai)
Geni mamanaranu
yononaka wo
nani ni tatoen
asukagawa
(ai)
kinoo no fuchi wa
kyoo no se to
kawariyasuki zo
kawaruna to
chigirishi koto mo
itsushika ni
(ai)
mi wa ukifune no
kajio wo tae
ima wa yorube mo
shiranami no

(tegoto)

Sao no shizuka ka
namida no ame ka
eureni zo nureshi
nuregoromo
(ai)
mi ni shimu kesa no
urakaze ni
wabitsutsu ya naku
isochidori

Iso Chidori appears on the following albums

Album Artist
Play ButtonAbe Keiko - 02 Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Abe Keiko
Shamisen : Abe Keiko
Voice : Fujii Kunie
Koto : Fujii Kunie

Abe Keiko Record Set - 06 Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Abe Keiko
Shamisen : Abe Keiko
Koto : Fujii Kunie
Play ButtonFujii Kunie Sokyoku Jiuta No Sekai 2

Ikuta Ryu Sokyoku Senshu Volume 02 (上) Koto : Miyagi Kiyoko
Voice : Miyagi Kazue
Shamisen : Miyagi Kazue

Ikuta-Ryū Sōkyoku Senshū - volume 4 Voice : Matsuo Keiko
Shamisen : Matsuo Keiko
Koto : Matsuo Kazuko

Inoue Michiko no Shigei - Volume 3 Shamisen : Inoue Michiko
Koto : Mori Yūji

Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 7 (三曲合奏大全集7) Shakuhachi : Kitahara Kōzan II
Koto : Tomiyama Seikin II
Voice : Tomiyama Seikin I
Shamisen : Tomiyama Seikin I

Sankyoku Home Practice - Chuden 2 Shakuhachi : Aoki Reibo II
Play ButtonShakuhachi no Shinzui-Sankyoku Gasso - 02 Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō

Sō no Shiori (Ikuta Ryū) vol 4 Voice : Inoue Michiko
Shamisen : Inoue Michiko
Koto : Nakashima Yasuko
Shakuhachi : Yamamoto Hōzan

Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 34 Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Abe Keiko
Shamisen : Abe Keiko
Koto : Fujii Kunie