Reigakusha Gagaku Concert no.42 Listening to The Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji, a masterpiece of classical literature known to all, contains many scenes related to music. In the tale, the aristocrats of the Heian period (794-1185) were very familiar with wind instruments and dance music, and the enjoyment of musical instruments in their daily lives is depicted in a very impressive manner. We have selected some of the most fascinating musical scenes that color the story. The Tale of Genji has been the talk of the town this year, and we hope that through Gagaku, you will be able to experience the story more deeply.

The bugaku "Haruyingsutsu" is a dance piece in which Hikaru Genji danced in incomparable splendor ("Hanaye"), and is still a masterpiece that is performed today as a large-scale piece. The "Onna-gaku" is a kangen (stringed instrumental) game performed by Genji, and features a koto (Onna Sannomiya), a wagoto (Murasaki no Ue), a biwa (Akashi no Mikoto), a koto (Akashi no Onna), and a sho (Japanese free reed instrument), as well as a flute and flute.
The koto, also known as the seven-stringed koto or kokoto, is an instrument that is not used in Gagaku today, but appears in the Tale of Genji, and we have asked koto player Ryoko to be our guest performer.

Hosoro Kuseri" ("Momijiga"), in which Genji plays the flute and teaches the koto to young Wakamurasaki, is a piece from the Koryogaku "Chohoraku-ba" tradition, which today is performed exclusively in bugaku, but this time it will be performed with strings. Aoyagi" is sung in Funaraku ("Butterfly") and in Genji's 40th birthday song ("Wakamurashigami"), which will be performed in a reconstructed version by Shiba Yuyasu. The "Autumn Wind Music" was danced by children ("Momijiga") and played on the wagoto ("Otome"), but this time we will present a reconstructed version by the Reigakusha (with 16 kangen players) with the addition of the wagoto.