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A Comparison of: Japan’s Gagaku, and American Armenian Alan Hovhaness’s Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints

A Comparison of: Japan’s Gagaku, and American Armenian Alan Hovhaness’s Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints. By Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, Period 6. Japan’s Demographics. 127,078,679 (July 2009 est.) Ethnicities : Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%

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A Comparison of: Japan’s Gagaku, and American Armenian Alan Hovhaness’s Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints

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  1. A Comparison of: Japan’s Gagaku, and American Armenian Alan Hovhaness’sFantasy on Japanese Woodprints By Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, Period 6

  2. Japan’s Demographics • 127,078,679 (July 2009 est.) • Ethnicities : Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6% • Religions : Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8% • Land Mass : 377,873 km² • Geographical Influences : Influenced by Asia, Europe, North America • Political Influences : Democratic Party of Japan and Liberal Democratic Party Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, World Music Presentation

  3. Music • Idiom : Folk • Japanese Imperial Household • Primary Instrument : Zithers, Wind Instruments, Strings, Drums • Three Variants • “Yo” Scale Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, World Music Presentation

  4. Alan Hovhaness • Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston • Began playing Piano from the age of four (his first lesson, at least!) • Influenced by nature: he quite enjoyed long walks in the mountains and hills of New Englad as a child • His first trip to Japan was in 1960, and in 1962 he returned to study the arts Ah-ak, Bunraku, and Gagaku Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, World Music Presentation

  5. Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints • Written as a Xylophone Concerto • Inspired by the Gugaku elements: the “Yo Scale”, Tempo, and Dissonance • “Modal theory: based on ancient Chinese theory • 12 pitches as a foundation for 7-note scales. • two scale structures (ryo and ritsu); six modes. • Rhythmic theory: rhythms based on 8, 4, and 2 beats • 8 beats (nobebyoshi); 4 (hayabyoshi); 2 (osebyoshi) • Mixed: 2 and 4 (tadabyoshi); 2 and 3 (yatarabyoshi) • Form: Jo-ha-kyu (first appears in gagaku, applied to later Japanese music) • Applied at all levels: structure of musical phrase, composition, concert • Jo - introduction (slow or free rhythm) • Ha - breaking apart; exposition (establishment of rhythm) • Kyu - rushing to a finish (acceleration to a climax, return to Jo). • Jo-ha-kyu in gagaku: • Jo - free meter tuning piece (netori), instruments enter one at a time. • Ha - main body of the composition begins, all instruments enter. • Kyu - gradual increase in tempo until coda, return to free meter.” Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, World Music Presentation

  6. Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints Compared to Gagaku • Similarities: • Influences by Japanese Culture, and inherently Chinese and Korean culture • At times some will play a Solo • These solos may be heavily interpreted, or not at all… • At many times improvisation will be asked of certain voices • Dissonance creates an eerie tone • Both have been written for group performance • Use Rubato but still stay on tempo with the rest of the group • At times it is pure chaos, but from it the melody emerges in that suddenly familiar Yo Scale • Contrasts: • Fantasy: • More usage of western instruments • Was made to tell of a certain feeling when looking at Woodprints • Only instrumental, percussion does not find a major role • Gagaku: • Usage of traditional Japanese Instruments • Percussion plays a greater role as accent • Music of the Royal Family • Includes dance Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, World Music Presentation

  7. Works Cited Information Sources: On Hovaness: http://www.hovhaness.com/hovhaness-biography.html On Gagaku: http://stripe.colorado.edu/~keister/gagaku.html http://aris.ss.uci.edu/rgarfias/gagaku/music.html On Japan: http://www.facts-about-japan.com/ http://www.indexmundi.com/japan/demographics_profile.html Pictures: Japanese Culture: http://japanesesymbolsofpresence.com/images/image38.jpg http://www.gojapango.com/culture/images/geisha_maiko_kyoto.jpg http://assets.wexas.com/wexas/www/images/largeimages/destinations/Japan/Great-Buddha-Statue-Kamakur.jpg Gagaku Instruments: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d9/Tsuridaiko.jpg/250px-Tsuridaiko.jpg http://www.japansociety.org/resources/legacy/event/flute_wide2.jpg http://image.rakuten.co.jp/ontai/cabinet/00026104/img09889195.gif http://music.columbia.edu/drupal/files/biwa.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QHXa4MNMYqw/TnzPLCIp1pI/AAAAAAAABVU/zhv6s-EPz68/s1600/3.jpg Hovhaness: http://www.hovhaness.com/IMAGES/1935.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gH3DxCfopkA/TsHjREmQ8AI/AAAAAAAACTQ/qVLv2XY7hI/s1600/Hovhaness.jpg http://images.static.steveweissmusic.com/products/images/uploads/23098_20033_large.jpg Clifford Wu, IB HL Music Year 1, World Music Presentation

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