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Hi everybody,
I often see the screen on the stage behind players. Something like this
http://www.d2.dion.ne.jp/~jamisen/P6240085.JPG
On the internet I can only find either shoji room dividers or smaller decorative screens with pictures. Only one place in Japan I found sells ceremonial golden screens with no painting.
So, I got questions:
1. What kinds of background screens are used by shakuhachi players? For what kind of music?
2. Where can one buy it?
Thanks a lot!
E.
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Yu-Jin wrote:
Hi everybody,
I often see the screen on the stage behind players. Something like this
http://www.d2.dion.ne.jp/~jamisen/P6240085.JPG
On the internet I can only find either shoji room dividers or smaller decorative screens with pictures. Only one place in Japan I found sells ceremonial golden screens with no painting.
So, I got questions:
1. What kinds of background screens are used by shakuhachi players? For what kind of music?
2. Where can one buy it?
Thanks a lot!
E.
Ok what you are talking about is a Byobu/屏風.
It has no direct relation with Shakuhachi and there is no special one for Shakuhachi itself. This thing is either purely decorative or relative to traditional performances. In the context of a traditional performance it will usually by golden or silver color. You can see some with or without design sometimes depending on the place and type of concert. As I wrote the place itself and type of concert is what will dictate what is of good taste.
Anyway be prepared to spend a couple of thousands dollars for any type of byobu.
Anyway here is a good article about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/By%C5%8Dbu
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Yu-Jin wrote:
Hi everybody,
So, I got questions:
1. What kinds of background screens are used by shakuhachi players? For what kind of music?
2. Where can one buy it?
Thanks a lot!
E.
Hi Yu-Jin,
As an artist who works in the theater, if you are just using it as a scenic element, I would suggest you contact the head of the theater department at your local college. Someone from the set department/scene shop will be able to whip one up for you at a very very reasonable cost.
I just did a show in NYC and they had a large golden folding screen in it. It was made in a few hours.
Hope this helps.
Break a leg!
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Thanks a lot!
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Seeing the gold screens behind the players makes me wonder if the screens are gold leaf. Gold or silver leaf would make an excellent reflector for the sound made by the instruments. Great for the players and the audience. A scene shop made screen with light plywood and a glossy surface would also be an excellent sound reflector (any hard, smooth, flat surface). Gold or silver paint with a gloss varnish on top would be cost effective. Best of luck with your project. The Metropolitan Opera House is covered in gold leaf and it sounds great. Here is a link to a gold leaf product supplier. http://www.seppleaf.com/
Last edited by indigo (2009-07-29 14:59:23)
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Thanks a lot indigo!
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indigo wrote:
Seeing the gold screens behind the players makes me wonder if the screens are gold leaf.
Yes, they are gold leaf. Interesting what you say about acoustic reasons for it (the gold and more simply the screens themselves). I had always thought of them in terms of visual projection, so to speak. It gives a lovely warmth.
I wonder the sound projection was considered, or just a happy coincidental benefit from a choice of visual aesthetics. Anyone know anything about the history of the use of byoubu for performance? For example, when sankyoku was played for small audiences in small rooms in the Edo period (where added projection might not be needed), did they use these (/any) screens behind them?
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indigo wrote:
Seeing the gold screens behind the players makes me wonder if the screens are gold leaf. Gold or silver leaf would make an excellent reflector for the sound made by the instruments. Great for the players and the audience. A scene shop made screen with light plywood and a glossy surface would also be an excellent sound reflector (any hard, smooth, flat surface). Gold or silver paint with a gloss varnish on top would be cost effective. Best of luck with your project. The Metropolitan Opera House is covered in gold leaf and it sounds great. Here is a link to a gold leaf product supplier. http://www.seppleaf.com/
Thanks Chris.
Gold leaf was indeed used on the older Byobu....I have this shakuhachi...
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