East Asian Music

• Japan
• China
• Korea
 Japanese Music
“
Japanese vocal music is quite different from the Western
vocal music, and is based on the intervals of human
breathing rather than mathematical timing, and how
Japanese musicians show their spiritual self-mastery in
mastering his or her instrument more than simply perfecting
a technique of some sort and how they give value to their
performance and composure.
 Instrumental Music of Japan
A. Percussion Instruments (Membranophone)
Odaiko – (big drum) the physical energy and sheer excitement of an Odaiko performance
is an integral part of many Japanese matsuri (festival).

Tsuzumi (hourglass-shaped) – there are two varieties; the smaller Kotsuzumi

and the larger Otsuzumi. They are used in both Noh and Kabuki performances.
The Kotsuzumi is held on the right shoulder and the player alters the tone by
squeezing the laces. The Osuzumi is placed on the left thigh. Like all the other
traditional arts in Japan, there are several schools of Tsuzumimatsuri festivals.

Tsuri-daiko – is a large drum also known as Gaku-daiko. It is

hung on a wooden frame with legs and is played by two plectrums on
only one side.
Taiko – is a Japanese drum that comes in various sizes and is used to play a
variety of musical genres. It is essential element of Japanese festivals and
rituals. Drumming has always been connected with festivals and religious
events and ceremonies at shrines and temples, with the meaning of both
warding off evils and summoning the deities.
B. String Instruments (Chordophone)

Koto – is a 13-stringed zither, about two metes using picks on the thumb and first fingers
of the right hand, while the left hand can be used to modify pitch and tone. Koto is used in
an ensemble in Gagaku or as a solo

Shamisen – is a plucked stringed instrument. Its construction follows a

model similar to that of a guitar or a banjo, employing a neck, and strings
stretched across a resonating body. The neck of the Shamisen is fretless, and is
slimmer that of a guitar or a banjo.

Biwa – is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling.

The Biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, the goddess of music, eloquence, poetry,
and education in Japanese Shinto.
C. Wind Instruments (Aerophone)

Shakuhachi – the most famous flute made from bamboo. It has 4 or 5 finger holes on the
front face and a thumbhole on the rear face. As with other instruments above, it was
imported from China for Gagaku.

Sho – is a Japanese free reed musical instrument that was introduced

from China during the Nara period.

Nokan – a parallel, a bamboo flute (fue) is the only melodic instrument

used in Noh. The melody of the flute has no specific pitch relationship with
the melody of the chanting.

Shinobue – also called Takebue in the context of Japanese

traditional arts, is a Japanese transverse flute (fue) that has a high-
pitched sound.

Hichiriki – is a double reed Japanese flute (fue) used as one

of the two main melodic instruments in Japanese Gagaku
music, the other being the Ryuteki.

Ryūteki – literally means “dragon flute”, is a Japanese transverse

flute made of bamboo. It is used in Gagaku.
 Vocal Music of Japan
The main tone of Japanese music has two
modes; the Yo-sen and the In-sen. Both
consist of five primary tones based on a Yo-sen Mode
scale with seven tones. The two
remaining tones are considered as
auxiliary tones. The ancient melody of
Japanese music is commonly based on
these modes. However, one melody is not
always in one mode alone. The melody of In-sen Mode
Japanese music commonly shifts on both
modes. They often give emphasis on the
second to fourth tone of the mode.
 Chinese Music
“
For several thousand years Chinese culture was
dominated by the teachings of the philosopher
Confucius, he conceived music in the highest sense as
a means of calming the passion of dispelling of unrest
and lust, rather than as a form of amusement.
 Instrumental Music of China
Yueqin – moon-shaped lute with shorter neck and four
strings, played with a spectrum, used for accompanying local
operas.

Pipa – four-stringed lute with 30 frets and a pear-

shaped body. This instrument has an extremely wide
dynamic range and remarkable expressive power.

Erhu – two-stringed fiddle and one of the most popular

Chinese instruments. It is used as a solo instrument as
well as in small ensembles or large orchestra, and by
various ethnic groups.

Yunluo – literally “cloud gongs” or “cloud of gongs”, is a set of

ten small gongs mounted in a wooden frame. The Yunluo’s
gongs are generally of equal diameter but different thickness.
The thicker gongs produce a higher pitch.
Sheng – or Chinese mouth organ, looks like a set of panpipes,with 12 to 36 bamboo pipes.
Each pipe is of different length with a brass reed at the bottom and a hole that must be
blocked in order for the note to sound. This makes it possible to sound several notes
simultaneously, so chords and melody can be performed at the same time. Sheng is one of
the oldest Chinese musical instruments.

Dizi – is the traditional Chinese flute. It can have a

membrane over an extra hole to give the characteristic rattle
effect. The player plays the Dizi by blowing across the
mouthpiece and produces the different notes by stopping the
six holes found in the rod.

Zheng – an ancient Chinese instrument that has an arched

surface and elongated-trapezoid with 13 to 21 stretched over
individual bridges. It’s playing range spans three to four
octaves.
Penling – these are two small bells made of high-tin bronze, without internal
clappers, and hemispheric or bottomless gourd-like in shape. The instrument
has a delicate, clarion and melodious tone. It is a coloring rhythmic
instrument, either in ensembles or in theater music, bringing an effect of
peaceful dreams.
 Vocal Music in China
Chinese Vocal Music has traditionally been sung in a thin, non-resonant voice or in falsetto and is
usually solo rather than choral. All traditional Chinese music is melodic rather than harmonic. Chinese
vocal music probably developed from sung poems and verses accompanied by music.
Mo Li Hua – is a traditional Chinese song with a
beautifully gentle and lyrical melody. The lyrics
about the jasmine flower also turn it into a love
song. The song describes a custom of giving Jasmine
flowers, popular in the southern Yangtze region of
China. Another version describes the fear of
plucking the flower.
Mo Li Hua (English Translation)

What a beautiful jasmine flower

What a beautiful jasmine flower
Sweet-smelling, beautiful, stems full of buds
Fragrant and white, every praises
Let me pluck you down
Give to someone’s family
 KOREAN MUSIC
“
Korea’s folk music tradition, with its generous use of bright
rhythms and melodies, offers a more energetic and capricious
contrast to the nation’s collection of classical music works. Folk
music represents the soul and sound of traditional Korean villages
with an eclectic array of music forms including numerous folk
songs, various forms of instrumental pieces, pansori, and shaman
ritual music.
Sog-ak or minsogak is a category of Korean
traditionally associated with the lower classes of for the
general public and is vibrant and energetic. It includes
genres such as pansori and minyo. Pansori is a kind of
music presented to audiences by skilled vocal singers and
drummers. But even the unskilled could sing these songs.
They sang when they worked in the rice paddy or fields,
sang when they went off their lover and sang when their
life was troubled and weighing them down.
 Musical Instruments
Chordophones
Kayagum (Gayageum)– is a traditional Korean zither-like string
instrument, with 12 strings, although more recently variants have been
constructed with 21 or more numbers of strings. It is probably the best-known
traditional Korean musical instrument

Geomungo – six-string plucked zither is a traditional Korean

instrument of the zither family with both bridges and frets.
Scholars believe that the name refers to Goguryeo and
translates to “Goguryeo zither” or that it refers to the color
that translate to “black crane zither”.

Haegum (two-string vertical fiddle) – it has a rod-like neck, a hollow

wooden soundbox, two silk strings, and is held vertically on the knee of
the performer and played with a bow.
Aerophone

Piri – used in both the folk and classical (court) music of

Korea. It is made of bamboo. Its large reed and cylindrical
bore gives it a sound mellower that that of many other types
of oboe.

Membranophone

Changgo – is the most widely used drum used in the traditional music of
Korea. It is available in most kinds, and consists of an hourglass-shaped body
with two heads made from animal skin. The two heads produce sounds of
different pitch and timbre, which when played together are believed to
represent the harmony of man and woman.
 Music Vocals
Arirang – is a Korean folk song. It is sometimes used as a symbol of Korea and Korean culture. Arirang is in
essence a song of farewell. The word “Arirang” means “the hill”. It pertains to the foothills of Korea where most
Koreans had parting on. An emotion of deep regret is imbued in the rhythm of Arirang. The song evokes the
feeling of the tears shed by Koreans and the remembrance of their sad stories.
Korean Romanization English translation
아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요... Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo... Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo...
아리랑 고개로 넘어간다. Arirang gogaero neomeoganda. You are going over Arirang hill.

나를 버리고 가시는 님은 Nareul beorigo gasineun nimeun My love, you are leaving me
십리도 못가서 발병난다. Sibrido mosgaseo balbyeongnanda. Your feet will be sore before you go ten ri.

청천하늘엔 잔별도 많고, Cheongcheonhaneuren janbyeoldo manko, Just as there are many stars in the clear sky,
우리네 가슴엔 희망도 많다. Urine gaseumen huimangdo manda. There are also many dreams in our heart.

There, over there, that mountain is Baekdu

저기 저 산이 백두산이라지, Jeogi jeo sani Baekdusaniraji, Mountain
동지 섣달에도 꽃만 핀다. Dongji seotdaredo kkotman pinda. Where, even in the middle of the winter days,
flower blooms.
Happy
Till next time!
Thank
you!