Koto (instrument): Difference between revisions

For the special ward located in Tokyo, Japan, see Koto, Tokyo.

Masayo Ishigure plays the koto

The koto (箏) is a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument derived from Chinese zithers. Koto are about 180 cm long and have 13 strings that are strung tautly across 13 movable bridges along the length of the instrument. Players make base pitches by moving these bridges before playing, and use three finger picks (on thumb, forefinger, and middle finger) to pluck the strings.

The character for koto is also read as sō in certain contexts. Though often called by a number of other names, these terms almost always refer to similar, but different instruments, such as the Chinese guzheng (箏) or qin (琴, called kin in Japanese).

History of the Koto

The koto was introduced to Japan in the 7th to 8th century from China, and largely derived from the Chinese guzheng. It was initially played only in the royal court, but this situation changed in the 17th century -- primarily because of the influence of Yatsuhashi Kengyo (1614-1684). Though the koto, like many Japanese instruments derived from Chinese ones, has likely not changed much over the centuries, the guzheng has, and thus it is no longer valid to call them the same instrument.

Yatsuhashi Kengyo was a blind shamisen player who learned koto from an "official" court player named Hosui, in defiance of the rules which then stated that koto could not be taught to blind people (or women, incidentally). Possibly because of his personal experience with these restrictions, Yatsuhashi spent the rest of his life making the koto more accessible.

He invented a new "plain tuning" (hira jōshi) to play the common peoples' songs more naturally. He composed (or is credited with composing) songs that are still irreplaceable staples of the koto repertoire today, including Rokudan and Midare. (These compositions were partly responsible for the koto becoming respected as a solo instrument in its own right.) Perhaps most importantly, his example led other non-elite, including women, to learn the koto too.

Koto in the Modern Era

Since the Japanese music scene was made over in Western pop music's image, the koto has become less prominent. However, it is still developing as an instrument; works are written for and performed on 20-stringed and bass kotos, and a new generation of players such as Sawai Kazue, Yagi Michiyo (who studied under Sawai) are finding places for the koto in today's jazz, pop and even experimental music. June Kuramoto, of the jazz fusion group Hiroshima, was one of the first koto performers to popularize the koto in a non-traditional style. David Bowie used the koto in the instrumental piece "Moss Garden" on his album "Heroes". Paul Gilbert, a popular shred guitarist, recorded his wife, Emi playing the koto ont his song "Koto Girl" from the album "Alligator Farm". JRock / Visual Kei band Kagrra, are well known for using traditional japanese musical instruments in many of their songs, an example being Utakata (うたかた), a song where the koto has a prominent place. Other performers outside of Japan include koto master and award-winning recording artist Elizabeth Falconer, who also studied for a decade at the esteemed Sawai Koto School in Tokyo, as well as koto master Linda Kako Caplan, the sole Canadian representative of Fukuoka's Chikushi Koto School for over two decades. David Horvitz pioneered the instrument into the contemporary indie rock scene playing on Xiu Xiu's new album, The Air Force.

Koto also come in larger sizes, the most popular of which is the 17-string bass koto, called jūshichi-gen. The members of the band Rin' are perhaps some of the more famous jūshichi-gen players in the modern (pop/rock) music scene. The koto used in gagaku is called gakuso.

The influence of the koto on Western music is also evident in jazz. The "in-sen" scale, a five note scale, was first introduced to jazz by John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner (another koto player) and is based on the tuning of the koto.

The progressive rock band Queen used a koto to great effect in their eight minute epic "The Prophet's Song." on their 1975 album A Night at the Opera.

Incubus used the koto as the main instrument their song, "Aqueous Transmission," off of their 2001 album Morning View.

See also

• Gayageum
• Đàn tranh
• Se (instrument)

External links

• Reiko Obata - koto performer in California and information on the koto
• Detailed history of the instrument
• Articles on Koto Masters Sawai Tadao and Sawai Kazue
• Article on Koto Master Chikushi Katsuko
• Linda Kako Caplan - The World of Japanese Koto and Shamisen - Linda Kako Caplan - The World of Japanese Koto and Shamisen : textbooks, CD and online video resources for koto, plus useful links and general info on the instruments
• Koto World.com - Koto World : online CD store and koto information site
• Koto no Koto - Koto no koto: the website with ALL the info you need about US and Canadian teachers, recordings, and the instrument.
• [1] Enjoy Japanese Music.com - Website of the koto/shakuhachi duo EN.
• O-koto Culture of Japan Play the "Sakura" tune on a virtual koto.
• New koto – Doremi Pop Corn.

Bibliography

• The Koto: A Traditional Instrument in Contemporary Japan, by Henry Johnson (Hotei, 2004).
• The Kumiuta and Danmono Traditions of Japanese Koto Music, by Willem Adriaansz (University of California Press, 1973).