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Index of pieces for Honkyoku

Old Honkyoku

Compositions for traditional Japanese instruments, from the ancient to the modern.

About Honkyoku Music...

Shakuhachi Music

In spite of its simple construction and specific nature of music, the instrument often charms western music lovers. The Shakuhachi is an end blown bamboo flute with four holes on the front and one on the back. The standard length of 1.8 Japanese feet (54.5 cm) is found in the name of the instrument -shaku-foot and hachi-eight.

In the Nara Period, there was an end blown flute called Shakuhachi, but it had six finger-holes, five on the front and one on the back. This was introduced from China and then disappeared in the Heian Period. In the Muromachi Period, another end blown bamboo flute from China, called hsiao, was brought to Japan and modified into the Hitoyogiri, literally meaning one joint bamboo. This is a smaller flute, 1.1 feet (33.3 cm) in length with five finger-holes. This was first favored by mendicant friars and later became in fashion among the lower class Samurai and merchants.

In the beginning of the Edo Period itinerant Buddhist priests (Komuso) of the Fuke sect who were employed by Samurai began to use a 1.8 feet long Shakuhachi for their mendicancy. This was called the Fuke Shakuhachi.

A retired Samurai, Kurosawa Kinko (1710-1771), who was the teacher at a temple of the sect, established a style of art music on the instrument by composing new pieces based upon the repertoire of the Fuke Shakuhachi.

At the end of the Edo Period musicians of the Kinko school began to participate in the ensemble of Koto music, taking the place of the Kokyu, together with the Koto and Shamisen. The repertoire of the original solo pieces of the Kinko school is called Honkyoku (original pieces) while the repertoire of Koto pieces in which the Shakuhachi participates is called Gaikyoku (outside pieces).

Since the Shakuhachi was played with the Koto it became fashionable with men of every social class and in the middle of the Meiji Era (1896), Nakao Tozan established another school. Today the Kinko and Tozan schools dominate the Shakuhachi music, while the Fuke Shakuhachi declined since the Fuke sect was abolished by the Meiji government in 1871, when the organization for protection of blind Koto musicians, called Shokuyashiki, was also abolished.

The instrument is made from the lowest section of the bamboo. The average diameter of the pipe is 4-5 cm, and the inside of the pipe is almost cylindrical. The length varies according to the pitch of the ensemble of Koto and Shamisen. A difference of 3 cm renders a half tone. The standard length of 1.8 (Japanese feet) or 54.5 cm is used for solo pieces and the pitch of the open pipe, d, is regarded as the standard pitch. Five finger-holes, four in front and one on the back, give the following six tones in the standard pipe, d (closed), f, g, a, c, d'. By various fingerings, half holing, and controlling the angle of the mouthpiece against the lip, all of the twelve tones can be produced. The mouthpiece at the top of the pipe is made by cutting the edge diagonally toward the outside.

This type of mouthpiece makes it possible for the player to control the pitch by changing the angle, which in turn produces a delicate change in intonation not possible on a Western recorder (Blockflote) having a whistle type of mouthpiece.

As well as the delicate changing of intonation and various kinds of portamento, the noise of blowing on the edge of the mouthpiece creates an artistic effect. Of course the mellow timbre of the rather thick bamboo pipe is the basic characteristic of the instrument. To give the best possible sound the inside of the instrument is carefully lacquered, as in the case of the transverse flutes of Gagaku and Noh.

The musical form of solo pieces (Honkyoku) does not show fixed forms. Different melodic lines are placed in a row. Many stereotyped intervallic units occur here and there.

The more important musical element is free rhythm. There is no piece of Honkyoku that is written in fixed rhythm. The basic mode is the In-mode, the most common mode of Shamisen and Koto music.

The Honkyoku pieces of the Fuke sect (30 to 40 pieces) are based on the religious ideas of Zen Buddhism. Honkyoku of the Kinko School took over the repertoire of the Fuke Shakuhachi, but modified into a more artistic style. Then, too, new compositions not religious in nature were added to the repertoire of the Kinko-ryu Honkyoku (36 pieces).

By Dr. Shigeo Kishibe

A

B

C
Chikugo Sashi
Rinseiken Chikugo Sashi
筑後薩字
Chikushi Reibo
筑紫鈴慕
Choshi (Myoan Shinpo Ryu)
Kyo Choshi, Choshi (Kyoto Meianji), Honshirabe (Shinpu Ryu), Honte Joshi (Shimpo Ryu)
調子
Choshi (Taizan Ha)
Shirabe (Meian), Honte Choshi
調子
Chôshi (Yamato)
調子 (大和)

D
Daha
打波
Dako no Kyoku
Daha no Kyoku
打鼓の曲
Darani
San'ya no Kyoku (Shinpo Ryu), Kyoto Myoanji Darani, Konpon Darani, San'ya-kyoku
陀羅尼

E
Echigo Reibo
越後鈴慕
Ekoh
回向

G
Ginryu Koku
吟龍虚空
Godan Reiho Nagashi
五段鈴法流
Gyô Kokû
行虚空
Gyô Kyorei
行虚霊
Gyô Mukaiji
行霧海箎
Gūtai Kyoku
遇対曲

H
Hachigaeshi (Echigo)
鉢返 (越後)
Hi Kyo Chou
秘虚調
Higo Sashi
Chikushi Reibo
Hime Matsuri
比女祭
Ho Rai
蓬莱
Hokkoku Reibo
Toppikipi
北国鈴慕
Hon Shirabe
Watazumi no Shirabe?
本調
Honte Shirabe
Honte Choshi
本手調子
Hoshosu
鳳将雛
Hôkyô Kokû
鳳叫虚空

I
Igusa no Kyoku
葦草の曲
Igusa Reibo
葦草鈴慕
Iyo Renbo
伊予恋慕
Izu Reibo
伊豆鈴慕

J

K
Kadozuke (Nezasa Ha)
門附 (根笹)
Kaikoge Onritsu no Kyoku
開口下音律曲
Kakusui Reiho
覚睡鈴
Kanshinji
感心じ
Kinsan Kyorei
琴三虚霊
Kocho no Kyoku
小蝶之曲
Koden Sugomori
Godan Sugomori, Koten Sugomori
古伝巣籠
Kokû (Nezasa Ha)
Shin Kokū (真虚空)
虚空 (根笹)
Kokû Reibo (Ikkan Ryu)
虚空替手 (一関流)
Kokū Reibo
虚空鈴慕
Kosho Koku
虎嘯虚空
Koto Sugagaki
箏菅垣
Kotoji no Kyoku
琴柱の曲
Kumoi Jishi
Akebono Jishi
雲井獅子
Kumoi Jishi (duet)
雲井獅子
Kumoi Jishi (Itchoken)
Niagari Jishi
雲井獅子
Kumoi Jishi (Taizan Ha)
Kumoi no Kyoku
雲井獅子
Kumoi Netori
雲井音取
Kuyō no Kyoku
供養之曲
Kyo Reibo
京鈴慕
Kyotaku
Hotaku
鳳鐸
Kyûshû no Kyoku
旧州の曲
Kyō Chōshi
明暗調子 (Meian Chōshi)
京調子

M
Matsukaze (Nezasa Ha)
松風 (根笹)
Matsukaze Urajoshi
松風 (裏調子)
Meguro Jishi
目黒獅子
Miyagi Reibo
宮城野鈴慕
Monbiraki
門閲
Monkai no Kyoku
Kado Biraki
門開の曲
Muchu no Kyoku
夢中之曲
Mukaiji Reibo
霧海箎鈴慕
Mukakoku
霧霞谷
Murasaki Reibo
Murasakino no Kyoku (Tokuyama)?, Shrinpo
紫鈴慕
Musho Sugagaki
夢正菅垣
Mutsu Reibo
陸奥鈴慕

N
Nagashi Reibo
流鈴慕
Namima Reibo
波間鈴慕
Nankô Fushi Sôbetsu no Kyoku
楠公父子双別曲
Ni Agari Netori
二揚音取
Nidan Sugagaki
二段菅垣
Nyoi
如意

O
Oshu Reibo (Futaiken)
奥州鈴慕 (布袋軒)
Oshû Nagashi
奥州流

R
Reibo (Echigo)
Kitaguni Reibo
霊慕 (越後)
Reibo (Futaiken)
霊慕 (布袋軒)
Reibo (Shôganken)
Miyagi Reibo, Sendai Reibo, Oshu Reibo, Furin
霊慕 (松巌軒)
Reibo Nagashi
鈴慕流
Reibo no Kyoku
霊慕の曲
Renbo Nagashi
恋慕流
Rinzetsu no Kyoku
三十絃による輪舌の曲
Rokudan Jishi
六段獅子

S
Sabakusha
遮莫者
Sagari Ha (Nezasa Ha)
下り葉 (根笹)
Sagari Ha (Oshu)
下り葉 (奥州)
Sagari Ha no Kyoku
下り葉の曲
Sagari Ha Urajoshi
下り葉 (裏調子)
Saji
薩慈
San'an
Shunza
産安
San'ya (Echigo)
Echigo Myoanji San'ya
三谷 (越後)
San'ya (Futaiken)
鈴慕 (布袋軒)
San'ya (Jinbo)
神保三谷
San'ya (Oshu)
奥州三谷
San'ya no Kyoku
三谷の曲
San'ya Seiran
San'ya Sugagaki (Nezasa Ha)
三谷清攬
San'ya Sugagaki
三谷菅垣
Sandan Sugagaki
三段菅垣
Sankara Sugagaki
讃加羅菅垣
Sayama Sugagaki
佐山菅垣
Sen-ya
戰夜
Shimotsuke Kyorei
下野虚霊
Shin Koku
真虚空
Shin Kyorei
真虚霊
Shin Mukaiji
真霧海箎
Shin'ya
深夜
Shingetsu
心月
Shinseki Reiho
真蹟鈴法
Shinshichi Saji
新七薩慈
Shirabe (Kaete)
調 (替えて)
Shirabe Urajoshi
調 (裏調子)
Shishi
獅子
Shishi Odori
Shishi no Kyoku
獅子踊
Shizu
志図
Shizu no Kyoku
志図の曲
Shokomon
焼香文
Shura
修羅曲
Sokaku
巣鶴
Sokaku Reibo
Tsuru No Sugomori
巣鶴鈴慕
Sokkan
息観
Sugagaki
菅垣
Suzuru
巣鶴
Sō Kokū
艸虚空
Sō Kyorei
艸虚鈴
Sō Mukaiji
艸霧海じ

T
Taihei Manzai Raku
太平万才楽
Takane Aizu
高音合図
Taki Ochi no Kyoku
滝落の曲
Takuhatsu
托 鉢
Tamuke
手向
Tehodoki Reiho
手解鈴法
Toyo no Akita
Akita no Kyoku
豊之秋田
Tsukushi Reibo
筑紫鈴慕
Tsuru no Sugomori (Dokyoku)
Suzuru
鶴の巣籠
Tsuru no Sugomori (Futaiken)
鶴の巣籠 (布袋軒)
Tsuru no Sugomori (Kinko-ryu)
The Nesting of Cranes
鶴の巣籠
Tsuru no Sugomori (Renpoken)
San'ya Sugomori, Kisenken Hikyoku Tsuru no Sugomori?
鶴の巣籠
Tōri
通里

U
Uchikae Kyorei
打替虚霊
Ukigumo
浮雲

Y
Yachio Sugomori
八千代巣籠
Yobi Dake - Uke Dake
呼竹受竹(吹禅)
Yobi-bue
呼笛
Yoshitsune Reibo
義経鈴慕
Yoshiya
善哉
Yoshiya Reibo
吉野鈴慕
Yoshiya Renbo
吉野鈴慕
Yugure no Kyoku
夕暮の曲

Z
Zangemon
懺悔文

Ō
Ō-bue
応笛
Ōshū Sashi
奥州薩字
277 Pieces