Appreciate
Outline
Anatō (‘How Felicitous!’) is typical saibara song in the ryo (major) mode, tonic sōjō (G).
Nothing is known about the author of the text, or of any particular source. It was sung as a congratulatory, felicitous song, originally sharing the same melody with the saibara songs Aratashiki toshi (‘New Year’) and Umegae (‘Branch of the Plum’). Unlike both of these songs, which are only suitable for singing in the first month of the year, Anatō could be sung in any season, and was often used as the first song at gyoyū concerts held by emperors and retired emperors. Scenes using it in this way occur repeatedly in Genji monogatari (‘The Tale of Genji’).
The piece was lost, with the saibara repertoire as a whole, in the early 16th century. It was revived in the late 17th, but problems with the interpretation of mode in the piece make it rather problematical, and, though part of the official modern repertoire, it is rarely performed.
The lead singer plays the clapper shakubyōshi. One each of the winds, mouthorgan shō, reedpipe hichiriki, and transverse flute ryūteki,, as well as multiple players (usually two each) of the lute biwa and zither sō make up the accompaniment.
Form of the piece (text and translation)
Anatō belongs to the metrical type go-hyōshi (shakubyōshi struck 5 times in each cycle), with 5 cycles in verse 1, 5 in verse 2, and 4 in verse 3.
| [1] | ana tōto | How felicitous! |
|---|---|---|
| kyō no tōtosa ya | Today’s felicity! ya | |
| inishie mo hare | In the past, too, hare | |
| [2] | inishie mo | In the past, too, |
| kaku ya arikemu ya | It must have been just like this. | |
| kyō no tōtosa | Today’s felicity! | |
| [3] | aware soko yoshi ya | aware soko yoshi ya |
| kyō no tōtosa | Today’s felicity! |
This is a setting, with text repetitions and hayashi-kotoba (shown in bold italics), of the following waka poem. Although not of any particular literary merit, it is certainly felicitous in content.
| ana tōto | How felicitous! |
|---|---|
| kyō no tōtosa | Today’s felicity! |
| inishie mo | In the past, too, |
| kaku ya arikemu | It must have been just like this. |
| kyō no tōtosa | Today’s felicity! |
Points for appreciation
The saibara Anatō was originally a very popular song. Its text is an exclamation of delight in a peaceful world.
In the Heian period (9th to 12th centuries), it was one of the saibara most often performed, rivaling the ritsu (minor) mode song Ise no umi.
