8.The Stage of Noh

The Noh stage is the space that was completely simplified and here are not curtains between a seat and a stage. Originally the Noh stage was out of a field. At the present when it came to be performed in a Noh theater, the stage has a roof, and the roofed passage with the railing lengthens, and Matsunoki stands. This is because it reproduces the stage of the outdoor Noh. In the Noh stage, such a various devices are done.

(The stage of Noh)

The stage is made with a hinoki tree. Behind the stage center "Kagamuita". And there is a curtain to the left, "Hashigakari" to the depths. It is supposed that this form was established may be slightly before the times when Nobunaga Oda played an important part. The oldest stage which became the current structure is north Noh stage of west Honganji that Hideyoshi made. In others, various laborer are carried out. For example, three pines gradually become small from this side. This is a device using the perspective drawing. The illumination becomes modest to create states like the natural light. Four pillars stand on the stage. “Shite” who attached a Noh-mask is extremely one of narrow outlook, and the pillar becomes the important mark.

(the Noh theater)

The Noh was staged in old days in the outdoors, but it is wide and is staged on a Noh theater and a public hall, the temporary stage now. In the Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine having the outdoor stage from old days, Ii may be dedicated to play Noh by annual festival, and bonfire Noh may be staged in the outdoors. The national Noh theater of the public theater in Tokyo stages the Noh of the five kinds of styles and the Noh comedy of two kind of styles through the year. It can be looked at a relatively low rate. There is an open lecture about the Noh, and a various plans exhibition about attire and the Noh is carried out in the exhibition room. The documents are substantial in the book reading room, too.

(the bonfire Noh)

The bonfire Noh is ability to be performed in the outdoors. It came to be performed flourishingly now in various places. It is often held in the precincts or the park of a temple and the Shinto shrine. The event "firewood party" of Nara, Kofuku-ji Temple performed in the Heian era has the origin of the bonfire Noh. Noh and the Noh comedy including "Okina" are dedicated as Shinto ritual of Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Kofuku-ji Temple now for two days of May 11th and 12th.

References

http://www.the-noh.com/jp/sekai/stage.html

Breaking News:Amiri Baraka was died

Yesterday, the great person Amiri Baraka was died at 79. He was well known person that African – American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essay and music criticism. He wrote 11 famous poetries during life time and he taught at a number of universities. After that, his achievement was accepted and he received the PEN Open Book Award.

He was born in Newark, New Jersey on October 7, 1934. He left the Howard University without obtaining a degree. In 1958, he married and he founded Totem Press which was literary magazine and he wrote the first poetry “Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note” in 1961. Amiri Baraka criticized the opinion of the black of middle class people and black of the side of white afterwards. Because, their opinions have deception and hypocrisy and those opinions do not contribute to realize society that black is not suppressed. So, he criticized those black using various way, for example poetry, drama, fiction, non-fiction, essay, and music criticism. After he got old, he supported the people who inherits the exercise that he did. In presidential election, he supported Barack Obama recently. 

He left those grand achievements, but in Beth Israel Medical center of Newark(New Jersey), Amiri Baraka died on January 9, 2014. The cause of death was not reported.

7.Constitution of Noh #2

The next of "Shitekata" and "Wakikata ", introduce "Hayashikata".

 

In Noh, it is “Hayashikata" to be in charge of the music of the chanting of a Noh text. “Hayashikata” consists of four kinds of musical instruments, for example, a flute (“Nohkan”), a small hand drum, a hand-drum (“Odutumi”) and a drum. These are called “Yon Byoshi” (it means Four beats). The performance plays a position by one. Players cannot play other one's charge. Each musical instrument is divided into each specialty, and traditional technic is inherited and succeeds to a high technique and style. By the performance, a drum takes the lead of the time. However, the performance that a drum is not contained in, a hand-drum leads a small hand drum. Not only percussionist play a musical instrument, but also they shout, for example, "yo-i", "ya", "ha" and "iyaa". At the time of the presentation of the Noh, the charge of each musical instrument sits in "Hayashiza" of the stage rear one by one and plays percussionist.

 

O.K. then, move to the introduction of each musical instrument. At first, about a flute.

 

 

A flute used with Noh is called a Noh pipe and made of the bamboo. Though it is the only melody musical instrument, in “Yon byoshi”, it mainly play rhythm than a melody in the Noh. The technic of such a flute is a characteristic of the “Hayashikata” of the Noh. Because percussionist do not make much of a melody, the Noh pipe is different in the position of length and the hole in each one. Because it is not tuned, pitch and musical scales are different. Styles that exist now are “Morita style” and “Fujita style”.

 

The next about a small hand drum.

 

 

This is so-called "Tutumi" and controls time. Because moisture is indispensable to leather, for the beautiful tone, percussionist breathe during a performance and soak saliva. The small hand drum is a musical instrument needing the attention consistently.

 

The next is about a hand-drum “Odutumi”.


 

 “Odutumi” is a hand drum of the closing a bargain to control time. The sound of “Odutumi” is fixed at the strength and weakness when beat and whether control leather after having beaten. Hand-drum is hit with the finger of the right hand putting the left knee. It is necessary to dry leather to make a firm sound and roasts it by a charcoal fire before a performance for approximately one hour. “Kazurano style”, “Takayasu style”, “Okura style”, “Ishii style” and “Kanze style” are exist now.

 

 

References

http://www.the-noh.com/jp/

Breaking News: South Africa's Nelson Mandela dies in Johannesburg

Nelson Mandela died at 95 years old.  He instructed an apartheid abolition campaign as the South African first black president and won Nobel Peace prize. It was this month 5. After his spending three months at a hospital, and having left the hospital in November of this year, he received concentrated treatment because of lung infections at home. The person given Nobel Peace prize honor was one of a politician respected most in the world that preached a settlement of black with a white in spite of having been shut in in the prison by white for 27 years.

 

Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa as a child of the chief of the people of Tenbu on July 18, 1918. He entered the law department in Witwatersrand University. He worked on an anti- apartheid campaign while he was in the university attendance at school and joined African National Congress (ANC ) in 1944 at school. After he was graduated, he founded a young man alliance and took office as the young man alliance member of the executive committee and worked on an anti- apartheid campaign. In 1,950 years, he took office as the ANC young man alliance chairperson. He was contained in the prison for 27 years in 1964 by imprisonment for life of the national treason. He abolished a law about the apartheid by talks with the political power of white after he was released in 1990 and played an active part as a leader of the African National Congress (ANC ). In 93, those activity was accepted and won Nobel Peace prize.

 

Nelson Mandela attended at various activity energetically after a retirement. He made a speech for the first time in United Nations Security Council on January 19, 2000. However, prostate cancer was detected in July, 2001 and received 7-week radiation therapy and disappeared from the public place at one time. And he sent a video message to the opening ceremony of FIFA World Cup South Africa meeting held on June 11, 2010. In addition, he attend at a closing ceremony. He do not appear in the public place after this time. And his physical condition let aggravation, an infectious disease recur from June, 2013 and took the rehospitalization from June 8. He left the hospital and underwent medical treatment at home afterwards.

 

 

 

 

(Nelson Mandela  Source:http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB%E3%82%BD%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%83%A9)

 

His activity is considered to be a symbol of all ethnic harmony. And those activity is shown as "A nameless prison guard of Mandela" of 2007 and "Invictus" of 2009. His activity will be handed down forever from now on.

 

 

References

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25249520

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8D%E3%83%AB%E3%82%BD%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%83%A9

6.Constitution of Noh

The Noh is a drama made from complete division of labor. The duty consists of three roles “Shitekata”, “Wakikata” and “Kyogenkata” in charge of the chanting of a Noh text and performance. The “Hayashikata” in charge of the accompaniment is comprised of four positions of flute, small hand drums, hand-drums and drums. And each position is divided into some styles.

("Shitekata" http://www.bunka.go.jp/1hogo/shoukai/geinou/site.html ) 

 

Until the Edo era, “Wakikata”, “Hayashikata” and “Kyogenkata” called “the three key posts”, and the school of “Shitekata” came to have contracted the three key posts. However, the organization collapsed by the Meiji Restoration. When it is now, 24 styles is included in seven positions.

 

These styles are different in a literature, sing and conduct. In addition, Beating time with hands and the technic of the musical accompaniment are different every each style in a musical accompaniment. The combined team of the different styles is not made basically. However, the combination of styles while the position becomes free now.

 

“Shitekata” is the leading role of the Noh, and a child's play, the chorus are the role of “Shitekata”, too. In addition, waiting in the hinder part of the stage and carry some things such as small tools and repairing disorder of the attire is important work of “Shitekata”. The role of “Shitekata” is very extensive. Therefore, the number of people increases predominantly in comparison with “Wakikata”, “Kyogenkata” and “Hayashikata”.

 ("Wakikata"http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/topics/nou/25/2949.html )

It is the duty that "Wakikata" becomes independent from “Shitekata” in the Muromachi era, and established a specialized field. It has been succeeded as speciality. After the long times, it become independent now in every style. There are “Takayasu-style”, “Hukuo-style”, and “Shimokakehosyo-style”. “Wakikata” has some rules. At first, “Wakikata” is the co-star of “Shitekata” who is the leading role. And it is almost a trouser part and must not attaches the mask. While the Noh is a masque, “Wakikata” who is an important actor of the stage who is fixed that “Wakikata” rather do not hang a mask. This is because “Wakikata” is drawn as a living person practically. It is a person standing opposite to a protagonist and, so to speak, takes a role to stand on the side same as the audience. The program of Noh expresses a great variety of views of the world. “Shitekata” sometimes appears as the existence in the impractical dream and illusion. And sometimes act with great tact as a real human being intensely. In this way, by the difference in role of “Shitekata”, the stage of the Noh changes variously. The reason why it is established as a series of stage dramas is that “Wakikata” helps to share the world between made on the stage and audience.

 

 

References

http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/topics/nou/25/2949.html

 http://www.bunka.go.jp/1hogo/shoukai/geinou/site.html

http://www.the-noh.com/jp/sekai/shite.html

 

 

5.The famous programs in Noh

  It is said that it is official that the event of the Noh plays five songs per day. First, the god become “Shitekata” (the chief character of the story). And the chief character of the second piece is a man (a man suffering from an armed fight), the third piece is a woman (a beautiful woman), fourth is a Mad (Madman or woman), fifth is an ogre (brutal person) as know-how to put the different atmosphere together effectively. But it is not completely  decided because it may be played in the first that an ogre is “Shitekata” (last piece) if its content is happy. Noh was played the fifth in a day in old days. However, it is rare that it organizes a program to the fifth in a day now.

 

The current music (music recognized as a program today) of the Noh is approximately 240 pieces. Probably it maybe be "Takasago" to be the most famous. In the banquet of a Japanese style wedding ceremony, Japanese cannot miss "Takasago" that is congratulatory address music. It is great as a program of the Noh, but is the certainly best of various Noh songs. Particularly, it may be “Hagoromo" to be known widely. This program appears in the textbook of the junior high school of Japan. This was based on a Hagoromo myth of Matsubara of Miho. In other, "Adachigahara Atsumori", "Aoinoue”, "Ukai", “Sotoba Komachi " are famous programs.

 

The Noh has one story that concluded every one program. Here, I make “Takasago” an example. Takasago is a story of the time that the Emperor Daigo lived in. The Shinto priest of Kyushu Aso-jinja Shrine drops in the famous spot of Harima country (Hyogo prefecture) Takasago with an attendant in the middle of capital sightseeing. A Shinto priest was waiting for a person, and an old couple appeared. They praised that the way of the 31-syllable Japanese poem prospered in the present times to a Shinto priest. After that, they told that they were the incarnation of the pine tree and Takasago, and the old couple disappeared from a Shinto priest before long. The party of a Shinto priest starts a boat with moonrise chasing after an old couple. Myojin Sumiyoshi of the male figure appeared when I arrived. And Myojin Sumiyoshi blessed the peaceful world. This is a story compiling Takasago. In this way, in a story, a message is put in each.

 

References

http://www.syuneikai.net/information.htm

http://okwave.jp/qa/q8094406.html

4.Various styles of Noh

The style of the Noh is divided in two kinds. The first is the style that is called Yamato medieval Noh farce fourth-important qualified actor(Yamato Sarugaku Yonza). The second is the Noh that is native thing of the various part of Japan except the Yamato medieval Noh farce fourth-important qualified actor. It is four styles, “Kanse-za”, “Syouho-za”, “Konparu-za” and “Kongo-za”. Furthermore, it may be called “Ichiryu-Yonza”. It puts the Kita-style divided from the Kongo-za in thr Edo era together. After the outbreak of the Kita-style, it continued extending the power, and it was said that it was equal with other four styles for the Meiji period. The Kita-style doesn’t make a system to call “Za” since the style was found, and it is called “Yon-za Ichiryu” not “Go-za” because it was not called Kita-za.

Hideyoshi Toyotomi let Yamato medieval Noh farce fourth-important qualified actor absorb other medieval Noh farces. Therefore it had most of the medieval Noh farces of Japan as an affiliate virtually when the Edo era began. Today, Noh players of the system of the “Yon-za Ichiryu” organize association of corporate judicial person Noh, and a person joining association of Noh is placed with the Noh player as the careerist. On the other hand, there is the area where the Noh which was not unified by the Yamato medieval Noh farce fourth-important qualified actor remains in and can whatch the program which is not played with the “Yon-za Ichiryu” and peculiar dance. For a famous thing, there is Kurokawa Noh handed down to Kasuga Shrine of Yamagata, Osudo Noh divided from Noh of Kurokawa district.

Then, I easily explain the forth-important qualified actor. Kanse-style is the  mainstream style which Kanami of Yamato medieval Noh farce that prospred in Nara early in the Muromachi era completed. It have an elegant, delicate style. Hosho-style was completed by Hoshotayu. It is said that it was protected in last years of Muromachi by Hojo of Odawara. It is a kinsman to Kanze-style for a long time, and the style is near, too. There is a base in Tokyo and Hokuriku and has the style which attached great importance to the splendid chanting of a Noh text. Komparu-style is the family’s social standing that is the oldest in four styles. It bases on Tokyo and Nara, and the relation with Kofuku-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisa Shrine is close. Its feature is free and easy conduct that left an old-fashioned way. Kongo-style’s source is considered that the Sakado-za vested in Horyu-ji Temple for a long time. It play an active part around Kyoto and Tokyo. The characteristic are Realism and daring dance “Kongo-mai”