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The Journal of New York Folklore was published 1975-1999. Back issues are still available.  The New York Folklore Quarterly was published 1946-1974. Back issues are still available. New York Folklore Society P.O. Box 764 Schenectady, NY 12301 518/346-7008 Fax 518/346-6617 nyfs@nyfolklore.org |
NEW YORK FOLKLORE PUBLICATIONS | VOICES | BACK ISSUES | FOLKLORE IN ARCHIVES | FOLK ARTISTS SELF-MGT | ORDER PUBLICATIONS | SEARCH TRADITIONAL JAPANESE MUSIC IN NEW YORK STATE In present day Japan, genres of traditional Japanese music are commonly categorized as either “classical” or “folk” in nature. So-called “classical” genres consist of various forms of vocal and instrumental music, both solo and ensemble, which have evolved over the past 1,300 years. Gagaku — frequently called the oldest form of orchestral music in the world — is a form of court music that was imported from China during the Tang dynasty, in approximately the seventh century (A.D.). The instruments used in this ensemble are derived from Chinese models and the music itself is said to be influenced by Chinese, Indian and Korean music of that period. Narrative music from the Middle Ages describes the battles between the Genji and Heike families that took place during the twelfth century, to the accomplishment of the biwa, a four-stringed lute. The most commonly used instruments today include the koto (a thirteen-stringed zither), the shamisen (a three-stringed lute) and the shakuhachi (a vertically held bamboo flute). Together, these instruments are sometimes used to form a trio known as sankyoku, for which many chamber pieces were written in the Tokugawa period (1600 to 1867). The major theatrical forms, noh, kubuki and bunraku, rely heavily on music to convey dramatic action, and are generally classified as “classical.” Noh, a slow-moving form of theater which uses elegant gestures and sophisticated, though archaic, language, reached its zenith in the fourteenth century. Often featuring ghosts and spirits as main characters, noh developed under the sponsorship of the aristocracy and has retained its elitist connotations through the years. Kabuki and bunraku, or puppet theater, on the other hand, gained popularity among the townspeople of Edo (present day Tokyo) and Osaka during the Tokugawa period, and is still popular with lower middle-class merchants in those two cities. “Folk” and “Classical" Music” Music labeled “folk” in Japan includes folk songs (minyo); and the predominantly instrumental music associated with Shinto or Buddhist ritual and celebration (minzoku geino). Folk songs are often associated with a specific geographical region of Japan and, indeed, the style of singing and melodic structure differs widely from region to region. For this reason, in large cities there are groups such as “The Preservation Society of Aomori Folk Songs,” organized by people from that region who gather and perform their own folk songs....
 BACK TO NEW YORK FOLKLORE, Vol. 14, No. 3-4 — Table of Contents.NOTE: The New York Folklore Society Newsletter and New York Folklore Journal were replaced by Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore which debuted in December, 2000. Membership in NYFS includes a subscription to Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore. HOME | ABOUT NYFS | PROGRAMS & SERVICES | MUSIC | PUBLICATIONS | RESOURCES | CALENDAR | WHAT’S FOLKLORE? | MEMBERSHIP | GALLERY | SHOP | SEARCH | CONTACT US © 2012, 2011, 2010 New York Folklore Society |
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