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Gagaku
Gagaku (雅楽, lit. "elegant music") is a type of Japanese classical music that was historically used for imperial court music and dances. Gagaku was developed as court music of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and its near-current form was established in the Heian period (794–1185) around the 10th century. Today, it is performed by the Board of Ceremonies in the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Gagaku is performed using wind, percussion, and string instruments. Each piece is based on a main melody which each instrument embellishes.
Gagaku consists of three primary repertoires:
Gagaku, like shōmyō, employs the yo scale, a pentatonic scale with ascending intervals of two, three, two, two, and three semitones between the five scale tones. Artistically it differs from the music of the corresponding Chinese form yayue (雅楽) which is a term reserved for ceremonial music.
The term gagaku originated in Japan in the year 701 when the Gagaku-ryō, a government bureau which oversaw music education and performance in the Japanese Imperial Court, was established. The word gagaku comes from the Chinese word yayue, originally meaning Confucian ritual music. Gagaku is the Japanese reading for yayue, but by the time the word was introduced in Japan, its meaning had changed to be Chinese popular music and foreign music. Because gagaku was built on elements from foreign music, the Japanese application of the term gagaku to this repertoire aligned with how the word was being used in China at the time.
The prototype of gagaku was introduced into Japan with Buddhism from China. In 589, Japanese official diplomatic delegations were sent to China (during the Sui dynasty) to learn Chinese culture, including Chinese court music. By the 7th century, the koto (the 13-stringed zither) and the biwa (a short-necked lute) had been introduced into Japan from China. Various instruments, including these two, were the earliest used to play gagaku.
Even though the Japanese use the same term, 雅楽 (yǎyuè in Mandarin Chinese), the form of music imported from China was primarily banquet music (engaku) rather than the ceremonial music of the Chinese yǎyuè. The importation of music peaked during the Tang dynasty, and these pieces are called Tōgaku (Tang music). Gagaku pieces that originated at a time earlier than the Tang dynasty are called kogaku (ancient music), while those originating after the Tang dynasty are called shingaku (new music). The term gagaku itself was first recorded in 701, when the first imperial academy of music Gagakuryō was established.
Music from the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo had been recorded as early as 453 AD, and komagaku was eventually used as a term that covered all Korean pieces, the Goguryeo kingdom being referred to as Koma in Japanese. Komagaku and Tōgaku became established in southern Japan during the Nara period (710–794). In 736, music from India and Vietnam were also introduced, known as Tenjikugaku (天竺楽) and Rinyūgaku (林邑楽) respectively.
During the Nara period in the 8th century, gagaku was performed at national events, such as the erection of the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple, by organizing gagaku performance groups at large temples.
Gagaku
Gagaku (雅楽, lit. "elegant music") is a type of Japanese classical music that was historically used for imperial court music and dances. Gagaku was developed as court music of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and its near-current form was established in the Heian period (794–1185) around the 10th century. Today, it is performed by the Board of Ceremonies in the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Gagaku is performed using wind, percussion, and string instruments. Each piece is based on a main melody which each instrument embellishes.
Gagaku consists of three primary repertoires:
Gagaku, like shōmyō, employs the yo scale, a pentatonic scale with ascending intervals of two, three, two, two, and three semitones between the five scale tones. Artistically it differs from the music of the corresponding Chinese form yayue (雅楽) which is a term reserved for ceremonial music.
The term gagaku originated in Japan in the year 701 when the Gagaku-ryō, a government bureau which oversaw music education and performance in the Japanese Imperial Court, was established. The word gagaku comes from the Chinese word yayue, originally meaning Confucian ritual music. Gagaku is the Japanese reading for yayue, but by the time the word was introduced in Japan, its meaning had changed to be Chinese popular music and foreign music. Because gagaku was built on elements from foreign music, the Japanese application of the term gagaku to this repertoire aligned with how the word was being used in China at the time.
The prototype of gagaku was introduced into Japan with Buddhism from China. In 589, Japanese official diplomatic delegations were sent to China (during the Sui dynasty) to learn Chinese culture, including Chinese court music. By the 7th century, the koto (the 13-stringed zither) and the biwa (a short-necked lute) had been introduced into Japan from China. Various instruments, including these two, were the earliest used to play gagaku.
Even though the Japanese use the same term, 雅楽 (yǎyuè in Mandarin Chinese), the form of music imported from China was primarily banquet music (engaku) rather than the ceremonial music of the Chinese yǎyuè. The importation of music peaked during the Tang dynasty, and these pieces are called Tōgaku (Tang music). Gagaku pieces that originated at a time earlier than the Tang dynasty are called kogaku (ancient music), while those originating after the Tang dynasty are called shingaku (new music). The term gagaku itself was first recorded in 701, when the first imperial academy of music Gagakuryō was established.
Music from the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo had been recorded as early as 453 AD, and komagaku was eventually used as a term that covered all Korean pieces, the Goguryeo kingdom being referred to as Koma in Japanese. Komagaku and Tōgaku became established in southern Japan during the Nara period (710–794). In 736, music from India and Vietnam were also introduced, known as Tenjikugaku (天竺楽) and Rinyūgaku (林邑楽) respectively.
During the Nara period in the 8th century, gagaku was performed at national events, such as the erection of the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple, by organizing gagaku performance groups at large temples.