Appreciate
53rd Gagaku Concert, Small Hall, National Theatre, Tokyo
Performed by musicians of Tokyo Gakuso
Outline
Pieces named Etenraku (meaning unclear; perhaps ‘Over Heaven’) exist in the three ritsu (minor) modes: hyōjō (on E), banshikichō (on B), and ōshikichō (on A).
It is not clear which is the original and which are the transposed versions (watashimono). The banshikichō and ōshikichō versions demonstrate the close melodic relationship expected of transpositions, but the distinctive melodic movement of the hyōjō version tells us that the watashimono relationship is a more complex matter than mere melodic transposition. There is no agreement about its origins; one theory suggests that it was composed by Emperor Wen of the Han dynasty (202–157 BC). There is no dance, so it is only formed in kangen (‘pipes and strings’) style.
Form of the Piece
All three versions of the piece are made up of repetitions of three sections, each comprising eight measures in 4/4 meter. If we label them A, B and C, both sections A and B end on the tonic, while section C cadences to the tone a fourth above. The sections are repeated in this order, and the piece always ends with the B section. The shortest performance style is AABB (ippen, ‘one time’); AABBCCAABB (nihen, ‘two times’) is perhaps the most common in performance, while the usual style for a performance in nokorigaku style is AABBCCAABBCCAABB (sanben, ‘three times’). It can be seen that the Japanese names for the forms refer to the number of times the repetition of section B comes around.
Points for appreciation
The melody of the AABB core of the piece in its hyōjō version is perhaps the best known of all gagaku melodies. It appears to have provided the melody for songs throughout Japan’s history, from medieval songs at court and temple to popular folksong (such as Kyushu’s famous Kuroda-bushi), and even Christian and Buddhist hymns in the modern era.
The simplicity of its structure and its memorable melody make Etenraku the most popular piece of the gagaku repertoire for music appreciation. It is also the best piece for examining the practice of watashimono (transposition from one mode to another), since the simple structure of the piece makes it easy to compare the different melodies of the versions in the three modes.
