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AKABANAH (by Ryutaro Kaneko 1992)
CHONLIMA (by Roetsu Tosha 1983)
The piece features four drummers playing Okedo daiko (barrel) and Shime daiko (roped), and one drummer on a lager Miya daiko. The players pass the sounds from one to another, playing at a frenetic speed, mixing with traditional Japanese rhythms with more modern tempos, blending tense excitement with subtle humor. The title "Chonlima, - One Thousand League Horse" alludes to a stallion in a well known Korean legend who possessed great speed and stamina.
IRODORI (by Leonard Eto 1990)
JANG-GWARA (by Ryutaro Kaneko 1992)
Small metal cymbals are found in a region that runs from the Near East, through the Middle East to Asia, coming to Japan in the early days of Buddhism as religious instruments. Today, they are known as jangara, chappa and tebira and are used everywhere for accompaniment at festivals. In this place, five players use different playing techniques to show the range of rhythms and sounds that can be produced by this ancient instrument.
KENBAI
In olden days all things were considered to possess a spirit, whether they be animals, plants, mountains or rivers. Misfortune was believed to be caused by the defeat of good spirits by bad. In Kenbai the dancers cast a spell over the bad spirits with their stamping feet. The bad spirits are thus driven away and the good spirits at the same time strengthened. With this dance the villagers prayed for a peaceful, untroubled existence. This dance from Waga-Cho in Iwate Prefecture is highly representative of the Japanese festival performing arts.
KIYARI
Kiyari was a working song used to help co-ordinate the efforts of woodsmen as they were hauling huge trees. The song has also become popular for celebrating happy occasions. One singer would lead and the other workers would respond together in unison.
MIYAKE
On Miyake Island, one of the seven volcanic islands of Izu south of Tokyo, there is a festival centered on this very unique style of drumming. The drums are set very low to the ground, requiring the strenuous stance. The flamboyant technique is often compared to the martial arts. The drummers sing a traditional fisherman's song as a prelude to the piece.
MONOCHROME (by Maki Ishii 1976)
Weaving constant rhythmic patterns together with highly irregular ones, Monochrome develops spirally to an exciting climax. The listener might interpret the sounds as those of the changing of the seasons, or perhaps even the progression of life itself. The ambitious pace expands greatly the range and power of expression of the roped shime-daiko. A companion piece, 'Monoprism,' written for performance with full orchestra, was premiered at Tanglewood by Kodo and the Boston Symphony under Seiji Ozawa.
NANAFUSHI (by Tetsuro Naito 1996)
The beat is an important factor in creating the rhythm and music. This piece is composed of a 7/8 beat which is an unusual rhythmic pattern for our style. Another characteristic of Nanafushi highlights the performers improvising freely to show the range of unique rhythms and sounds that is produced by their individual personalities and inspirations.
NISHIMONAI
During the late summer festival held in Akita Prefecture, this dance is performed in remembrance of the dead, known as Obon Matsuri. The dancer wears a patchwork kimono and large woven straw hat tilted so low as to completely hide the face. The coquettish movements of the hat, leaving only the nape of the neck exposed to view, combine to create an atmosphere of mystery and shadow that seems in keeping with the mood of the Obon Matsuri.
NOBI (by Ryutaro Kaneko 1992)In the early spring, the weeds that over the fields are burnt off, the flames of the field burning, nobi, reawakening the ground from its winter slumber. With the crack of oke-daiko, the clashing of jangara (brass hand cymbals) and shouts of encouragement we open this evening's performance.
O-DAIKO
The story is told of a baby who upon hearing the thunderous sound of the O-daiko dropped off into a peaceful slumber. The powerful sounds emanating from the O-daiko possess a deep tranquility. The arrangement is simple. The drummer on one side beats out a basic rhythm while the main player improvises freely. When they become united with each other and the rhythm, both the drummers and the listeners find themselves wrapped within the embrace of the O-daiko. This miyadaiko carved from a single tree, measures about 4 feet across and weighs about 800 pounds.
SANKAN-SHION (by Eiichi Saito 1992)
Sankan - shion, meaning 'three cold days, four warm days', refers to a period towards the end of winter when a recurring pattern of three cold followed by four warm days is said to occur. Through the long severe winter Sado is surrounded by heavy grey seas and threatening skies and spring can seem a long way away. So, at this time , although they can still hear the whistling winter winds, the people of Sado begin to hope that spring really is just around the corner, This piece, expressing that hope, is played by both men and women on four miya-daiko
YAE NO FURYU
The origins of this piece are from a style of dance known as Jangara-Nenbutsu from the area around Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture. This dance is performed in remembrance of the dead during the late summer festival, known as Obon. With a drum slung around their waist, the performers play and dance interactively. The elegant handling of the drum sticks is also a characteristic of Kodo's arrangement of the piece.
YAMAUTA (by Motofumi Yamaguchi 1990)
During the 19th century, a trade ship known as the Kitamaesen ran the route from Osaka to Hokkaido via the Japan Sea.In addition to rice, herring and sake, the ship carried culture in the form of songs and dances. As a result, slightly different versions of this flute song are called 'Yama uta' (Mountain Song) in Aomori, but 'Mago uta' (Horseman's Song) in Shinshu, and 'Oiwake' (Fisherman's Song) in Hokkaido.
YATAI-BAYASHI
Every year on December 3rd in Saitama Prefecture, an all night festival is held featuring richly decorated two story yatai (carts) pulled from village to village. The people hauling the yatai are urged on by the powerful beating of the taiko, concealed in the cramped first story of the carts. This gave rise to a technique of drumming while seated. Turning the two-ton fixed axle carts at intersections requires complex team work, and is accompanied by precise and intricate tama-ire solos on the shime-daiko.
ZOKU (by Leonard Eto 1989)
'Zoku' can mean tribe, clan or family. The tribe in this case the people beating the drums. As you hear the rhythms, your body will start to move on its own. In the same way, perhaps there is a primal stirring within the subconscious.
