Lecture & Demonstration: Noh as Intermedia

Dinkelspiel Auditorium
Tuesday, 25 April 2023
7:30-9:30 pm

Presenter: Professor Takanori Fujita
Kyoto City University of Arts
Research Centre for Japanese Traditional Music

This event's livestream is archived here.

P R O G R A M

I. Excerpts from Kokaji

1. Nori-ji 1
2. Hayafue
3. Nori-ji 2
4. Maibataraki

Tatsunori Kongō, Norishige Udaka, Tadasuke Sōmyō, Diego Pellecchia — chorus (ji-utai),
Tomonori Sadamitsu — nohkan
Yamato Hayashi — kotsuzumi
Satoshi Watanabe — ōtsuzumi
Mitsunori Maekawa — taiko

II. Demonstration of the Index of Intermedia,
with excerpts from Hashitomi

Nanori

Norishige Udaka — actor (waki)
Tomonori Sadamitsu — nohkan

Kakeai

Tatsunori Kongō — actor (shite)
Norishige Udaka — actor (waki)

Kakaru

Tatsunori Kongō — actor (shite)
Norishige Udaka — actor (waki)
Yamato Hayashi — kotsuzumi
Satoshi Watanabe — ōtsuzumi

Issei

Tatsunori Kongō, actor (shite)
Norishige Udaka, Tadasuke Sōmyō, Diego Pellecchia — chorus (ji-utai)
Tomonori Sadamitsu — nohkan
Yamato Hayashi — kotsuzumi
Satoshi Watanabe — ōtsuzumi

1. Ageuta
2. Rongi

Norishige Udaka, Tadasuke Sōmyō, Diego Pellecchia — chorus (ji-utai)
Tomonori Sadamitsu — nohkan
Yamato Hayashi — kotsuzumi
Satoshi Watanabe — ōtsuzumi

Kiri (nori-ji)

Tatsunori Kongō, actor (shite)
Norishige Udaka, Tadasuke Sōmyō, Diego Pellecchia, chorus (ji-utai)
Tomonori Sadamitsu, nohkan
Yamato Hayashi, kotsuzumi
Satoshi Watanabe, ōtsuzumi

III. Maibayashi from Hagoromo

1. Sashi
2. Kuse
3. Ei
4. Jo-no-mai
5. Kiri (nori-ji)

P R O G R A M N O T E S

I

Kokaji
This is the story of a swordsmith, Kokaji, who is ordered by the emperor to forge a most powerful sword in the land. Without the presence of a skilled assistant to help him create the sword and unable to refuse the imperial order, he finds himself in a bind. Thus, he goes to the Inari Shrine to pray and ask for divine assistance.

Noriji
The ji-utai (chorus) sings a chant as Kokaji prays for divine assistance to help him complete the ordered sword.

Hayafue
This lively music is for the entrance of auspicious creatures such as dragons, spirits, or deities. In this play, Kokaji’s prayer is answered with the appearance of the Inari deity who comes to assist him in making the sword. The nohkan congruent solo is performed with the three percussion instruments.

Maibataraki
The nohkan and three percussion instruments perform the accompaniment to a virile and animated dance that is well suited for several types of characters, including dragon gods, goblins, or a deity as seen in Kokaji. In today’s performance, this excerpt is performed without the dance.

II

Nanori
A non-congruent nohkan solo part (nanoribue) introduces the nanori, a spoken monologue.

Kakeai
A spoken dialogue.

Kakaru
A non-congruent chant with drums in flexible rhythmic mode.

Issei
Starts with a non-congruent nohkan part that leads to a non-congruent chant, performed with drums in strict rhythmic mode.

Ageuta
A congruent chant with drums in strict rhythmic mode and a non-congruent nohkan part.

Rongi
A congruent antiphonal chant with drums in strict rhythmic mode and a non-congruent nohkan part.

Kiri (nori-ji)
A congruent antiphonal chant in ō-nori rhythm between the shite (main actor) and ji-utai (chorus) with drums in strict rhythmic mode and a non-congruent nohkan part.

III

Hagoromo
This is the story of a celestial maiden coming from the moon. She lost her beautiful feather robe by the seaside, but the robe is returned to her by a fisherman who found it, on the condition that she performs a dance of the moon. She returns to her celestial home after performing a beautiful dance of the moon.

Sashi
This is the first module leading to the dance of the celestial maiden, performed by the shite. To introduce herself, she explains that celestial maidens like herself are responsible for the waxing and waning of the moon and announces that she will perform a dance for the moon. This is a non-congruent chant with drums in flexible rhythmic mode and a non-congruent nohkan part. The ji-utai (chorus) sings for the shite.

Kuse
This is the second and main module leading to the dance performed by the celestial maiden. Like in sashi, the ji-utai (chorus) sings for the shite, the celestial maiden. Kuse is a congruent chant with drums in strict rhythmic mode and a non-congruent nohkan part. The lyric describes the beauty of the coastal scenery in spring and celebrates the eternity of the land and the emperor.

Ei
This is an introduction chant to the two-set dances (jo-no-mai and ha-no-mai). It is a short prayer to the gods of the moon. Ei is a non-congruent chant with drums in strict rhythmic mode. The taiko joins and leads the two other drums.

Jo-no-mai
The nohkan and three percussion instruments perform the accompaniment to an elegant dance of the celestial maiden. Jo-no-mai starts with a non-congruent nohkan with drums in flexible rhythmic mode. After several phrases, both nohkan and drums turn into strict rhythmic mode. Starting in slow tempo, jo-no-mai gradually accelerates to the end of this module.

Ha-no-mai
The nohkan and drums perform the accompaniment to a lively dance by the celestial maiden in strict rhythmic mode. The jo-no-mai in Hagoromo is sometimes abridged and connected directly to the latter half of the ha-no-mai, as performed tonight. Thus, the lyric between the two instrumental dances is omitted.

Kiri (nori-ji)
As the dance goes on, the celestial maiden presents treasures to the land and promises that it will prosper. Then she flies over Mt. Fuji and gradually disappears in the sky. Kiri is a congruent chant in ō-nori rhythm with drums in strict rhythmic mode and a non-congruent nohkan part. The ji-utai (chorus) sings for the shite, the celestial maiden.

A B O U T T H E A R T I S T S

Actors

Tatsunori Kongō
Born in 1988, Tatsunori Kongō is the son of the current headmaster, Hisanori Kongō, of the Kongō shite school. He studied acting and singing under the instruction of the current and former headmasters, Iwao Kongō, 2nd. 

Norishige Udaka
Born in 1985, Norishige Udaka studied acting and singing under the instruction of current headmaster, Hisanori Kongō of the Kongō shite school. He was trained by his father, Michishige Udaka in his childhood.

Tadasuke Sōmyō
Born in 1987, Tadasuke Sōmyō has studied acting and singing under the instruction of current headmaster of the Kongō shite school, Hisanori Kongō, and Michishige Udaka.

Diego Pellecchia
Born in 1979, Diego Pellecchia is a nō scholar and a licensed instructor of the Kongō school. He studied chant and dance with Michishige Udaka and is currently training with his older son, Tatsushige.

Musicians

Tomonori Sadamitsu
Born in 1992, Tomonori Sadamitsu is a nōhkan player of the Morita school. He studied nōhkan under the instruction of his grandfather, Yoshiaki Sadamitsu.

Yamato Hayashi
Born in 1982, Yamato Hayashi is a kotsuzumi player of the Kō school. He studied kotsuzumi under the instruction of his father, Kichibei Hayashi, and the late Hiroshi Sowa, a national treasure. 

Satoshi Watanabe
Born in 1979, Satoshi Watanabe is an ōtsuzumi player of the Ishii school. He studied ōtsuzumi under the instruction of Masaru Kawamura, Masatoshi Taniguchi, and the late Masaki Taniguchi.

Mitsunori Maekawa
Born in 1979, Mitsunori Maekawa is a taiko player of the Komparu school. He studied taiko under the instruction of his father, Mitsunaga Maekawa; his late grandfather, Mitsutaka Maekawa; and the late Sōemon Komparu, a living national treasure.