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Kyorai

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[Genre]Modern
[Composed]Kineya Seihō - Shamisen - 1976

Kyorai appears on the following albums

Album Artist
Play ButtonNew Spirits of Sangen Shamisen : Nishigata Akiko
The unique tension that characterizes traditional shamisen music is used to express various states of mind in this work of alternating tranquility and movement. "Kyorai" draws on the classical shamisen tradition in the use of the pentatonic honchoshi tuning (tuned to a perfect fourth and perfect fifth), and in the use of the small nagauta or Yamada style bachi (plectrum). Traditional playing techniques employed include tataki - bachi (swift downward stroke), sukui - bachi (upstroke), and hajiki (pizzicato).

But unlike other contemporary pieces which often tend to be no more than classical music arrangements, this work displays a creativeness not found in the older tradition. The rhythmic and melodic phrasing, for example, are totally independent of traditional shamisen music.

Nishigata has performed "Kyorai" at the beginning of each of her recitals, and has come to me for instruction on the finer expressive points each time. As this recording reveals, she is able to best express what the piece intends to convey. In this sense, it gives me great pleasure that Nishigata has recorded this work on CD.
(Seiho Kineya)