Tenri Gagako Japanese Music Concert

I got notified about this concert to be held in SOAS in London. I have attended japanese plays and opera before, but this was a completely new one to me. Tenri is a place which hosts Tenrikiyo, a new religion of Japan. Very nice one. They utilise traditional Japanese instruments in their religious ceremonies. And they are the foremost proponents of the ancient Shinto court music of Japan also known as Gagaku. Tenri University has a link up with SOAS and this dance/music troupe of current students is touring Europe giving these performances. It was bloody amazing. The concept of rhythm that i have grown up in India and what I have learnt here in the West is totally different in this form of music and dance. But I will let you judge for yourself. Thankfully they allowed photography but I only had my little dinky camera with me, plus there was this large bald fellow in front of me (grumbles), they should put some kind of anti light scattering on their bald pates, created havoc with the damn photos. Anyway, here we go.

The stage was tiny, and dressed up as one of the willow houses that I have seen in Rippongi in Japan.

The official Japanese photographer. Interesting band he was wearing.

Then this chap who is a professor of musicology came up to explain the background as I have noted above.

Then these chaps started to file in from both sides.

They then climbed up very deliberately up on the stage. The music is nothing like I have ever heard before.

And played the flute and the drum and and and. Impassive Inscrutable faces. Never saw them smile. Ever. Throughout.

This is a farmer and another farmer are farming their fields to music. Digging the farrow, planting the seeds, patting the soil down, watering it, etc. etc. I couldnt understand the significance of the face mask. The facemask had faces drawn on it.

But then a giant bird appears

And it ruins the crop, it digs the seeds out, destroys the farm.

Then the farmers hit the bird with a blow and break its wing. It flutters around in panic and pain.

Then a good samaritan comes and fixes its wing. Its ecstatic.

It is very happy and then flies away.

After this, we have an instrumental session.

They walk in sonorously and stolidly. Settle down with their instruments.

Then disappear

The main drum.

A cymbal like instrument

Two stringed instrument and a small drum

They walk back again

Settle down

And start playing

Very formalised movements

Very deliberate indeed

This was a combo pipe kind of instrument.

And a flute

The big drum was quite loud, I was surprised that its kept in the front. But yes, even though it hides the player.

They finish it and then just the chap in the right hand side front bows.

Then they go off, come back wearing different hats.

Settle down.

Quietly

It was an interesting chant

And the flute was part of it as well.

And finished this session.

Then a bunch of the chaps came in from both sides and sat at the ends. Then two extraordinarily dressed characters walked in.

And then they danced,

Slowly, but very stylistically. Fighting of course.

Mirror Images

With a face that only a mum can love

Very richly embroidered outfits.

I loved this dance the best, it was spectacular.

Then this group of absolutely amazingly armoured soldiers turned up

Just look at their clothes. And their helmets

With a spear like weapon.

Those are quivers in the back.

They are doing what looked like martial arts, very very slowly and deliberately.

Then the katanas came out

Stylised and formalised movements.

Broke into the four directions.

Dancing slowly

I guess you have to be very careful with this stuff.

The swords go back into the scabbard, pick up the spears again.

Then they walk off. Lovely. But very much like puppets.

Then this fellow turned up.

Frikking hell. What a face.

Then the director of the institute was called on the stage and she was gifted this mask. Nice one.

She said thanks.

The students bowed

 

A basket of flowers was presented by this kimonoed lady to the director.

Some more bowing.

 
And that was the end.

It was fascinating to see the whole thing. It was completely foreign to my experience. Very formalised and stylistic court performance. My experience has been either ballet or the other western dances, or then the various Indian dance forms. This was gobsmacking. And to think this is hundreds of years old in making. Plus few women in there as well. But the music was totally different – the rhythms and tones and breaks and gaps and and and were strange and unique to me.

One day I have to learn more about them. So much to learn and know, and so little time.