Tamagawa
玉川
[Genre] | Jiuta |
[Style] | Tegotomono |
[School] | Ikuta Ryû - 生田 |
[Composed] | Kuniyama Kōtō - Shamisen |
History (Tsuge Gen'ichi):
Tamagawa ('Jade River') is a relatively early jiuta piece composed in the tegoto-mono form. There are several versions for koto and shamisen arranged by different masters. The text sings praises of the six renowned rivers known collectively as Mutamagawa ('Six Jade Rivers') in classical Japanese poetry (waka). These are the Tamagawa (s) of Ide (Kyoto), Settsu (Osaka), Noji (Shinga Prefecture), Noda (Miyagi Prefecture), Musashino (Chofu, Tokyo) and Takano (Wakayama Prefecture). This elegant and poetic subject was often treated in the song-texts of traditional Japanese music, there being at least three different pieces under the title Tamagawa or Mutamagawa. Besides the present jiuta piece, there is one koto kumiuta composed by Mitsuhashi Kengyo, and a Yamada style piece, derived from tomimoto-bushi. (see Mutamagawa) |
Poem (translated by Tsuge Gen'ichi)
At dusk in Yamashiro I dismount from my horse To view the Jade River of Ide, And while he drinks I watch dew Falling from the yamabuki (1) Into the spring river. Summer is on its way. In the distance I can see the rising river Flowing against the new weirs In the Jade River of Settsu. This is the season Of the white mayflower (2). Before I know it Autumn has arrived And with it soon will come The sightseers To the Jade River of Noji In the province of Omi. The bush clover Is past its prime. The moon lodges in the jeweled water, And the sky is pregnant With signs of winter. Snow clouds are brought By winds from the sea And as evening falls The lonely cries of plovers Are heard along the banks Of the Jade River of Noda. Along the Jade River of Musashino, Renowned for its beauty, Women bleach linen by hand. Clean, white cloth In pure, flowing water. Drawn to the haunts Of ancient travelers I have come into the mountain. Certainly those hardy souls Made this journey Just to drink the refreshing water From the Jade River of Takano Oblivious of the difficulties. Rightfully is this river Praised by the poets And included as one Of the Six Jade Rivers. (1) The yamabuki is a spring flower of golden-yellow color related to the rose. (2) The unohana or deutzia crenata. | Yamashiro no ide ya mimashi to koma tomete nao mizu kawan yamabuki no hana no tsuyu soo haru mo kure (ai) Natsu kinikerashi miwataseba nami no shigarami kaketekeri unohana sakeru tsunokuni no sato ni tsukihi wo okuru ma ni Itsushika aki ni oomi naru noji ni wa hito no asu mo kon ima wo sakari no hagi koete iro naru nami ni yadorinishi tsuki no misora no fuyu fukami (ai) Yukige moyoosu yuuzareba shiokaze koshite michinoku no noda ni chidori no koe sabishi yukashi nadataru mushashino ni sarasu (tegoto) Sarasu tezukuri sarasara ni (ai) Mukashi no hito no koishiki ni ima hata soete okuyama no sono nagare wo ba wasurete mo kumi ya shitsuran tabibito no (ai) takano no oku no mizu made mo na ni nagaretaru mutsu no tamagawa |
Tamagawa appears on the following albums
Album | Artist | |
Fujii Kunie, The World of Shamisen and Jiuta Singing 2 |
Shamisen : Inoue Michiko Voice : Fujii Kunie Shamisen : Fujii Kunie | |
Revived - The Art of Tomii Shunzan |
Shamisen : Miyoshi Atsuko Shakuhachi : Tomii Shunzan Koto : Fujita Kazuko | |
Sankyoku Gassō Dai Zenshū (zoku) vol. 15 (続三曲合奏大全集15) |
Voice : Inoue Michiko Shamisen : Inoue Michiko Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō Voice : Togashi Noriko Shamisen : Togashi Noriko | |
Shakuhachi no Shinzui-Sankyoku Gasso - 02 |
Shakuhachi : Yamaguchi Gorō | |
Sō to Sangen no Shirabe - Sōkyoku to Jiuta |
Voice : Matsuo Keiko Shamisen : Matsuo Keiko Koto : Mori Yūji | |
Sokyoku Jiuta Taikei 21 |
Shamisen : Inoue Michiko Voice : Fujii Kunie Shamisen : Fujii Kunie |