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Lesson

Gagaku: Imperial Court Music of Japan

May it Please Your Highness: Music of the Asian Courts / Gagaku: Imperial Court Music of Japan

This lesson will open your ears to the music, instruments, and sounds of Japanese gagaku 雅楽, the classical music and dance of the Imperial Court of Japan. First, you will learn about the history of gagaku, which is recognized as one of the oldest living court traditions in the world. Next, you will identify and describe the sounds of different instruments played by members of the gagaku ensemble and discover the contemporary uses of this music. Finally, you will have a chance to sing along with a well-known gagaku song and play body percussion alongside drums.

Lesson Paths & Learning Objectives

  1. What Is Gagaku?

    • Explain the history, origins, purposes, and performance contexts of gagaku music.
    • Describe the musical sounds of gagaku music.
    • Identify where gagaku music can still be heard today.
    • 20+ minutes

  2. Sounds of Gagaku

    • Identify and describe the sounds of three instruments from the gagaku ensemble (shō, ryūteki, and hichiriki).
    • 15+ minutes

  3. Performing Gagaku

    • Engage with a famous gagaku song through singing and body percussion.
    • 15+ minutes

More +
Less -

Bibliography

Text and additional resources

Chapin, Parker. July 27, 2015. "A Look at the Music of Okami." Parker Chapin.

Shamoto, Rev. Masatoshi. 1963. "Gagaku." Music of Asia: Japan, China, Okinawa. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW08745.

Tan, Nicholas. December 12, 2006. "Gagaku and Japanese Indigenous Instruments in Game Design." Honest Gamers.

Terauchi, Naoko. 2011. "Surface and Deep Structure in the Tôgaku Ensemble of Japanese Court Music (Gagaku)." Analytical and Cross-Cultural Studies in World Music, 19–55. Oxford University Press.

0 FOKUS, filmmaker. "Strawhatz - A Concept," featuring the Strawhatz Dance Company, music by HIfana. YouTube video, February 9, 2013, 1:55. Uploaded to YouTube by TheQuickStyle.

Audio, video, and image credits appear in order of slideshow sequence

Audio

Matsumoto, Mirei. "Pronunciation Recordings: Lesson 2, Japan." recorded 2023. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, m4a audio.

Unknown artists. "Imperial Sho Koto Chant: Gagaku." On Music of the World's Peoples: Vol. 1. New York, NY: Folkways Records, FW04504_201, 1951, streaming audio.

The Wayland Consort Orchestra. "Handel's Water Piece." On Music for the Colonial Orchestra. New York, NY: Folkways Records, FW32380_101, 1978, streaming audio.

Inoue, Gordon K. "Etenraku." Jacob Feuerring, recorder and producer. On Festival of Japanese Music in Hawaii, Vol. 1. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW08885_104, 1964, streaming audio.

Video

Duoer, Daigengna. Gagaku Performance. Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Lindsay, Rory. Gagaku Sho Players. Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Lindsay, Rory. Ryuteki Player. Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Lindsay, Rory. Maestro Nagao Ōkubo, Hichiriki. Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Lindsay, Rory. Takao Matsuhisa (Gagaku Dancer). Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Duoer, Daigengna. Let's Sing Etenraku!. Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Rambelli, Fabio. Gagaku Drum Player. Recorded 2020. Personal Collection. Video.

Images

Unknown artist. A Group of Women in a Garden, Entertaining Themselves with Music and Dancing, mid-18th century, painting. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, H x W: 28.3 x 18.3 cm (11 1/8 x 7 3/16 in). Gift of Charles Lang Freer.

Piacquadio, Andrea. "Person with Toy Airplane on World Map," photograph. Pexels, 2020.

OpenClipart. "Political Map of the World," digital graphic. Free SVG, 2020.

Lindsay, Rory. "Gagaku Woodwinds," 2020, photograph. Personal Collection.

Duoer, Daigengna. "Gagaku Dancer," 2020, photograph. Personal Collection.

Ugoretz, Kaitlyn. "Karyobinga Illustration," 2020, digital image. Personal Collection. Based on Irasutoya style.

Havell, R. "Lesser Tern," color engraving. In The Birds of America, Vol. III, John J. Audubon, original drawing. London, UK: Elephant Folio, 1827 - 1838, pl. 319. Accessed via Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

Cacahuate. "Map of Asia," digital image. Wikimedia Commons, 2008. Amendments by Dsmccohen.

Knecht, Josef. "Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan," 2012, photograph. Wikimedia Commons.

Kasuga-Commonswiki. "Wikipe-tan Without Body," 2011, digital graphic. Wikimedia Commons. Vectorization by Gothika.

Jacoplane. "Video Game Barnstar Hires," 2010, digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Original design concept by Jacoplane. Remastering by Antonu.

Lindsay, Rory. "Gagaku Sho Players," 2020, photograph. Personal Collection.

Duoer, Daigengna. "Gagaku Performance," 2020, photograph. Personal Collection.

Mifune, Takashi. "Sho Illustration," digital image. Tokyo, Japan: Irasutoya.

Mifune, Takashi. "Phoenix Illustration," digital image. Tokyo, Japan: Irasutoya.

Mifune, Takashi. "Ryuteki Illustration," digital image. Tokyo, Japan: Irasutoya.

Mifune, Takashi. "Dragon Illustration," digital image. Tokyo, Japan: Irasutoya.

Unknown artist. Dragon and Waves, painting. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, 1907, 36.5 cm (14 3/8 in). Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer.

Mifune, Takashi. "Hichiriki Illustration," digital image. Tokyo, Japan: Irasutoya.

Walden, Jennifer. "Person Singing," 2023, digital graphic. Personal Collection.

Ties.yolta. "Hands Clapping," digital image. Wikimedia Commons, 2020.