Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Tairaku wrote:

It's pretty safe to say that nobody plays the way they played 2 or 3 hundred years ago. So we are all "inauthentic". or we're authentic modern players.

Still there's a probably enough recorded material to give some kind of indication how modern players differ from approx 100 years ago. An eye opening experience I had some years back was when Ardal Powell put together a compilation of early 1900's silver and classical wood flute recordings. Apparently people played a lot differently then. There were many recordings that displayed incredible technique that would make Galway proud, however most of these players never made much of a mark, if any, in flute history. What happened is that recording technology changed what became "good". Then, a few good tunes worked up to a virtuosic display would get you pretty far. In this modern era of recording technology, to get any recognition an artist has to record every masterwork written for flute better than anyone else attempting to record every master work written. Take a look at what at the repertoire a high school age flute student has "learned". The standard is several pieces each from the baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary era. Including some very difficult pieces that are deserving of many years of study. Contrast that to a time when it was difficult to find new material and the emphasis was to play your limited repertoire as virtuosically as possible, often taking a short piece and repeating it with more and more each time through with (seemingly) improvised ornamentations and variations. That's kind of similar to what I hear on recordings of many modern shakuhachi folk songs, but my point is  I wouldn't be surprised if recording technology had a similar effect in Japan on shakuhachi players. And,... to never underestimate your musical fore-fathers, because no matter what era they were from they could probably crank out a mean tune.

Kiku Day wrote:

We all know that the authenticity debate is a ticking bomb of a discussion....
...
Anyway, I agree and I really don't understand the use of bathroom-like echo on recordings. Either you hear more sound  bouncing back from the walls than the sound coming from the flute... or you just hear reverb added... horrible! Just a personal opinion.

I have now listened to quite some recordings on SP and also recordings done on wax cylinders. Unfortunately, when these early recordings were done it was more trendy to play sankyoku so there is unfortunately not an abundance of honkyoku recordings.

Right. I'm not making an argument for any one person or group being "authentic." I'm making a case to seriously question any one person or group claiming "authenticity."  Marketing oneself with the window-dressing and affect of being The Real One & Only True Blue Fuke.

Tradition is another animal.

I'd love to hear any old Japanese music on wax! What a treat!

Last edited by Chris Moran (2010-03-26 02:08:45)

edosan wrote:

Who cares?

I do.

I wanna fight.

Tairaku wrote:

Chris Moran wrote:

Tairaku wrote:

I also like the recordings of Sakaguchi Tesshin, he rocks.

Are his recordings available for mere mortals?

CDs? In print? 'Have the ability to order in English?

I got it at the '98 Boulder festival from Mejiro. I don't know if it's still in print. Very nice music, raw and pretty intense.

Yeah, that's the kind of stuff that falls off the radar. I'm sure its out of print now.

I'm still looking for recordings of Sudo Shuho sensei of the Nezasa Ha.

Chris Moran wrote:

Here is another Meian CD in print which Mejiro has:

Ichion Jobutsu by Matsumoto Kyozan

1.Saji 2.Kyushu Reibo 3.Hachigaeshi no Kyoku 4.Kyorei 5.Futaiken Reibo 6.Jimbo Sanya 7.Hifumi Hachigaeshi 8.Tsukushi Reibo 9.Kyo Joshi 10.Koku 11.Yamato Choshi 12.Ajikan

I've got it, it's good.