Take Ippon II - Die internationale Shakuhachi Gesellschaft

Take Ippon II

Yokoyama Katsuya
Ongaku No Tomo Sha - OCD 0950
1985/1998

Track	Titel	Kanji	Länge	Künstler
1	Reibo (Don't know which version)	霊慕	14'35	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	This piece seems to preserve a melodic line of original Reibo, from which all the variants, including Shoganken-Reibo, have stemmed. The music itself also tells that this tune has been passed down by the most profound thinkers of nature, raison d'etre of human being, mind and death.
2	Koden Sugomori	古伝巣籠	05'09	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	From ancient times, tsuru (crane) has been esteemed as a sacred bird. Since parent crane protects its fledgling children at the risk of its life, tsuru has become a symbol of "perfect mercy." As a prayer to the creator of such mercy, this piece "Sugomori (or Tsuru no sugomori)" was composed and handed down from generation to generation. Many variants of Sugomori melody exist in several districts, and it suggests that this tune was so much loved by our precursors. This particular version recorded here is specified in its title as "Koden ('of old tradition')": it makes us assume that this melody is fairly close to the original of all the variants of "Tsuru no Sugomori".
3	Taki Ochi (Ryogenji)	滝落	07'35	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	This melody has been transmitted with the title "Takiotoshi" or "Takiochi" which means "waterfall". Kinko Kurosawa, the founder of Kinko school, once visited Ryugenji-temple (a Fuke temple which existed in Izu-Shuzenji), and there he composed this piece looking at a waterfall called "Asahi-taki". As an old cliché "Ichi-ji ichi-ritsu ('each temple has its own tune')" suggests, every temple used to have its characteristic melodic style, and the Fuke priests, who made a travel of pilgrimage from temple to temple across the nation, learned and mastered each temple's repertoire. Today, Ryugenji temple is already ruined and we have no chance to listen to the priests who play their original repertoire at the temple; only the melody of Takiotoshi is transmitted and tells us about the people who once played it.
4	Azuma Jishi (Taizan Ha)	吾妻獅子	02'37	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	One of the Gaikyoku (outside pieces) included in the Honkyoku repertoire along with another similar sample Kumoi jishi. Piece for consolation.
5	Daha	打波	04'48	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	Origin unknown. Shirabe (melody) by a mendicant priest standing at a crossroads.
6	Reibo (Shôganken)	霊慕 (松巌軒)	12'54	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	This is a Reibo melody transmitted by Fuke priests of Shoganken temple which once existed in Hananomaki-city, Iwate Prefecture. Originally. Reibo was a piece to commemorate a prominent Chinese master priest. Fuke-zenzi. who is believed to have tinkled a bell during his religious mendicancy. Reibo. which literally means 'yearn for the bell,' was composed in Japan by the priest(s) who wished to follow the spirit of Fuke-zenzi, and it is considered to be the oldest melody in the Fuke-repertoire (composed 700 years ago). Later, many variants of Reibo melody came to be played in various districts and they are known with the name of the place, like "Oshu Reibo (San'an)", "Izu Reibo", "Yoshino Reibo", and "Kyushu Reibo." Among such variants, "Shoganhen Reibo" is famous for its lonesome tune. This piece has something in common with the folk melody of Tohoku district: however, in this kind of music especially, we must be aware all the more, how honkyoku is different from the folk music, and we must consciously express its originality in our performances. ...now I hope that this piece will be challenged constantly by more shakuhachi players and given ever higher interpretations.
7	Shirabe (Nezasa Ha)	調 (根笹)	03'42	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	From the repertoire of Nezasa-school of Tsugaru district: this is one of the representative pieces of the school (other famous pieces being "Sagariha no shirabe" and "Matsukaze"). A special effect called komibuki, which depicts a north wind blowing through a bamboo grove, is the characteristic of Nezasa-school. This school does not exist today: though we had 16 schools when Fuke-shu was at the zenith, now there exist only 2 major schools (Kinko-school and Tozan-school) and 3 more schools (Ueda-school, Yoozan-school, and Chikuho-school).
8	San'an	産安	06'42	Shakuhachi: Yokoyama Katsuya
	A piece of Niigata district origin. From old times this piece was a prayer for easy delivery of baby. This piece is also called "Jimbo-sanya" or "Oshu-sanya" since the master player, Masanosuke Jimbo (active in the last years of Tokugawa shogunate period) transmitted the piece.