Composition of new pieces

During the Nara period (8th century), music and dance from the Asian mainland was mainly performed in ceremonial and religious contexts, but it gradually attracted the interest of emperors and other members of the noble class. The range of performers spread from the official performers of the Bureau of Music, and the music and dance became more important in daily life at court. A wider appreciation and understanding of how the imported music and dance worked grew among the Japanese.

By the early Heian period (9th century), it became common for Japanese to compose new pieces or rearrange those that seemed incomplete to them in some way. The reign of Emperor Ninmyō (810–50, r. 833–50) is particularly notable in these terms; the emperor himself composed, and many other composers and choreographers were active. Indeed, this period represents the climax of creative activity in the field of gagaku.

First peak and Left-Right division

As understanding of the imported music and dance forms deepened, they were gradually reorganized in a distinctively Japanese way.

First, the imported dance and music was organized into two broad classes: Chinese-related forms became Music of the Left (Dance of the Left; tōgaku or ‘Tang music); while Korean-related forms became Music of the Right (Dance of the Right; komagaku or ‘Korean music’). This appears to be related to the fact that members of the Left and Right Konoefu, or Inner Palace Guards, became involved in the performance of music and dance.

It became customary for dances to be performed alternately, with a Left dance followed by similar one from the Right repertoire, in a system known as tsugaimai (‘pair dances’). This too appears to derive from the performance practices of the Left and Right Inner Palace Guards, whose selections of pieces and costumes were conditioned by the fact that they performed dances alternately.

In this way, the forms and practices of Left and Right Dance that lead to today’s bugaku were born.

The beginnings of instrumental ensemble performance and court song

Performance by nobles at court brought birth to new forms of gagaku. First, the instrumental performance of pieces without dance, or kangen (‘pipes and strings’), became popular. Instruments were selected for their suitability to the indoor, or chamber-music-like context. Concerts of kangen, called gyoyū when participated in by emperors or other nobles of extremely high rank, came to be associated with many annual ceremonies and events celebrating the natural beauty of the seasons, thus becoming an indispensable part of court life.

Second, two forms of court song were born: saibara, incorporating folksong of the provinces; and rōei, settings of Chinese poetry to formulaic melodies. These too were performed widely at court, and highly appreciated by members of the noble class.

Musical performance thus became an indispensable accomplishment at court, along with the ability to compose Chinese and Japanese poetry. In this way, the phrase shiika-kangen (‘Chinese poetry, Japanese poetry, pipes and strings’) was born.