Music from the Tang Court

This fourth fascicle publishes fourteen items, from the second scroll of pieces belonging to the Ichikotsu-cho mode-key group.

Laurence Picken (Author)

9780521318341, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 26 November 1987

152 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 0.8 cm, 0.23 kg

During the two centuries before 841, the Japanese Court borrowed a large amount of secular entertainment music from China, chiefly music of the Sui and Tang Courts. This music, known as 'Tang Music' is preserved in manuscripts written between the eighth and thirteenth centuries and to be seen today in the library of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and in other Japanese libraries. Fourteen items, from the second scroll of pieces belonging to the Ichikotsu-cho mode-key group (Mixolydian on D), are offered in this fourth fascicle of Music from the Tang Court. With the exception of two items, each consisting of Prelude and Broaching, all are single movements. The first piece, in two movements, is overtly linked with Sogdiana, the Central Asian State which exerted so great an influence on the entertainment-music of the Tang Court. That some of the Togaku repertory had its roots in popular music is plainly shown by the title of this piece: 'Sogdians Drinking Wine'.

Glossary
Abbreviations
1. Sogdians Drinking Wine
2. Miss Ka's Piece
3. The Northern Courtyard
4. Responding to the Shao
5. One time
6. All gold
7. Continuing Harmony
8. River-Waters
9. Bodhisattvas
10. The Wine-Puppet
11. The Wine is Clear
12. Drinking Wine
13. A Bevy of Beauties
14. Martial Virtue
Appendices.

Subject Areas: Folk & traditional music [AVGH]