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Okayasu Ginuta

岡康砧

[Genre]Sokyoku
[School]Yamada Ryū - 山田
[Composed]Okayasu Kosaburō - Koto

History (Tsuge Gen'ichi):

The origin of this kimuta-mono piece is unclear. 'Okayasu' is said to refer to the name of the alleged composer, Okayasu Kosaburo, a shamisen virtuoso of the early eighteenth century. 'Ginuta' comes from kinuta, a wooden block used in former times to press and soften newly woven cloth. An earlier version of the present piece is found in the repertoire of the Fujie School kokyu (Japanese fiddle). Towards the end of the nineteenth century, it was arranged for koto and shamisen ensemble by Yamamuro Yasuyoshi (1839-1907), who was head of the Fujie School and at the same time, expert in the performance of Yamada School sokyoku. Since then, it has gained popularity in the Yamada School sokyoku repertoire.

In this composition the sound of the kimuta is conveyed in the long tegoto (interlude). The soft tapping of this block on autumn nights was a favorite musical and poetic symbol.

Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)

In the moonlight
The fulling block
Sounds out the evening chill.
Against the clouds
Wild geese trace
Bridges of the koto.

Fulling block in the night,
Through a cold autumn drizzle -
Fulling block in the night,
Through a cold autumn drizzle -
Harmonizes
With my playing.
Tsuki no mae no
kinuta wa
yosamu wo tsuguru
kumoi no kari wa
kotoji ni utsushite
omoshiro ya

(tegoto)

Yowa no kinuta no
shigure no ame to
yowa no kinuta no
shigure no ame to
uchi-tsuredachite
kyoo no asobi wa

Okayasu Ginuta appears on the following albums

Album Artist
Play ButtonAraki Kodo III and Fukuda Eika - Collection of Famous Performances - 01 Shakuhachi : Araki Kodō III

Kinko Ryū Shakuhachi Sankyoku Meikyoku Sen - Dai Ichi Shū - Vol 1 Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Fujii Chiyoga II
Koto : Fujii Chiyoga II
Voice : Nakanoshima Keiko
Koto : Nakanoshima Keiko
Voice : Yamase Shōin II
Koto : Yamase Shōin II

Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū vol. 11 (三曲合奏大全集11) Koto : Enomoto Keiju
Shamisen : Irie Shōju
Shakuhachi : Ishigaki Seizan
Koto : Fujita Misuzu
Voice : Suzuki Seiju
Koto : Suzuki Seiju
Play ButtonShakuhachi Tokusen - Araki Kodo III Shakuhachi : Araki Kodō III

Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 58 Voice : Nakanoshima Kin'ichi
Koto : Nakanoshima Kin'ichi
Shakuhachi : Nōtomi Judō I
Koto : Nakanoshima Keiko
Koto : Ichimura Ayano
Play ButtonYamada Ryu Sokyoku Meikyoku-shu Voice : Nakanoshima Kin'ichi
Koto : Nakanoshima Kin'ichi
Koto : Nakanoshima Keiko
Koto : Ichimura Ayano
Shakuhachi : Nōtomi Judō II

Yamada Ryū Sōkyoku Tokusen 2 - Okayasu Ginuta (山田流箏曲特選 二ー岡康砧) Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō
Voice : Nakanoshima Keiko
Koto : Nakanoshima Keiko
Voice : Fujii Chiyoga II
Koto : Fujii Chiyoga II
Voice : Yamase Shōin III
Shamisen : Yamase Shōin III

Yamada-Ryū Sōkyoku no Shirabe volume 8 Koto : Hagioka Shōin IV
Voice : Hagioka Shōin III
Koto : Hagioka Shōin III
Shamisen : Fukuchi Masue