Izumi-Kai: Classical Japanese Koto Music

Title: Classical Japanese Koto Music
Artist: Izumi-Kai
Label: Essential Media Mod
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS
UPC: 894231376528
Genre: Folk

Japan owes it's music, as it's culture in general, to the Chinese. Not only, however, have the Japanese actively developed this heritage, but they have also preserved many elements of older Chinese music which have been lost in it's home country. The most important instrument of Japanese art-music is the koto, the Japanese variety of the Chinese ch'in. Other instruments directly taken over from China are the sho (Chinese sheng), the biwa (Chinese pip'a). More strictly indigenous instruments are the samisen, a guitar used by street singers and geishas; the hichiriki, an oboe (not a flute) with a characteristic metal disk encircling the mouthpiece; the kokyu, similar in shape to the samisen, but bowed; and the shakuhachi, a long flute of ancient origin which calls for an especially difficult technique of blowing. Presented here is one of the finest Koto ensembles, playing the ancient music as it has sounded for centuries, with great respect for tradition, providing one of the best representations of the music available on recording anywhere. Classic recording, digitally remastered.

Tracks:
1.1 Rokudan
1.2 Midare
1.3 Godan-Kinuta
1.4 Chidori
1.5 Haru-No-Kyoku

Audio Sample:
All soundclips are provided by Tidal and are for illustrative purposes only. For some releases, the tracks listed may not accurately represent the tracks on the physical release.