Art of the Koto - Volume III
"This recording comprises five works written between 1969 and 1989 for the nijugen, a version of the koto with 21 rather than the traditional thirteen strings."
Yoshimura Nanae
Celestial Harmonies - CD 0 1371 13188 2 1
Track | Title | Kanji | Length | Artist | |
1 | Tennyo | 天如 | 17'22 |
Koto: Yoshimura Nanae | |
Miki’s Tennyo, gains this place of honour by virtue of the fact that is was the first ever composed for the instrument. | |||||
2 | Itsutsu no Shohin - Nishikigi ni Yosete | 錦木 | 13'58 |
Koto: Yoshimura Nanae | |
This piece, as set of five sketches named after traditional colours, was written in 1973 by Katsutoshi Nagasawa. Their warm and approachable melodies have contributed much to developing a fan base for the instrument, while the comparative simplicity of the techniques required to play them means that most nijugen players study them as part of the learning process. | |||||
3 | Aki no Kyoku (Modern) | 秋の曲 | 13'32 |
Koto: Mitsuhashi Kifu Koto: Yoshimura Nanae | |
Miki’s Aki-no-kyoku (Autumn Fantasy) of 1980 was chosen for its fresh approach toward melody for the nijugen and shakuhachi, and its exploration of the limits of virtuosity on the former. | |||||
4 | Nanae | 七重 | 12'12 |
Koto: Yoshimura Nanae | |
Nanae, by Akira Nishimura, freely explores the historical roots of the flat zither, outside the restraints of the Japanese koto tradition. | |||||
5 | Kamu Ogi Guoto | 神招琴 | 13'12 |
Koto: Yoshimura Nanae | |
Kamu-Ogi-Guoto, by Somei Sato, travels back to the ancient world of Japan’s mythological age, when the koto was used as a medium of communication with the gods. It was written with the sincere wish that the ancient gods would deign to dwell in this modern incarnation of this instrument. |