Atsumori について・・・
Atsumori (The Death of Atsumori). Traditional, after 12th century; voice, biwa.
Ayako Handa: Biwa and voice
The Biwa -- a plucked, pear-shaped lute with four or five strings -- is a seminal force in Japanese music, standing at the head of the great narrative tradition. Originally part of gagaku court orchestra which came from the mainland to Japan in the 7th century, the biwa later was used by itinerant Buddhist monks as an aid to their chanting of sutras and narration parables. The biwa has influenced the development of shamisen music, and its tales have flowed into the plays of noh, bunraku and kabuki. In the 13th century, the biwa became the prime vehicle for narration of the great military epic, the Tale of the Heike, one episode of which is given here. Atsumori tells of the tragic death of a young Hike warrior at the hands of Kumagai, an older Genji warrior. This excerpt takes the story up to the point where Atsumori and Kumagai face one another at the water's edge. The scene is set both in words and descriptive music. The early morning wind off Suma bay is simulated in a long shimmering tremolo. After a short interlude, the text tells of a defeated Heike warship in the distance. Following the next interlude, Kumagai appears, searching the beach for a worthy opponent. A portentous biwa tremolo: he spots Atsumori heading into the water after his ship: Kumagai calls him back to do battle. The excerpt concludes with an instrumental depiction of Atsumori kicking his way through the surf to meet his opponent and death.
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