The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-30

Instruments The number of Instruments
ordinarily heard is not very large, and
wien we have mentioned samsenS, kotos
ana flutes the list is exhausted.
i ne baad OF Court Music has full set of
musical instruments, many OF which are
very uncommon. These musicians are, of
course, not heard by the vulgar pablo. One
OF tue most solemnly comical performances
they go through is the silent concert. Mr..
Chamberlain gives very good account of
ms singular Ceremony. which Is part OF the
regular programme of certain Shinto cele-
brations. The full orchestra is in attend
anee, but 1t is held that the sanctlty of the
occasion would be profane were any sound
10 TALL upon unworthy ears. Therefore
though all the motions are gone through
not single sound is heard"
There Is tile same distinction in Japan be-
tween classical and popular music as there
Is with Us. The music which accompanies
the No dances is classical and though the
singing % Is enough to rasp the nerves for
q month the effect of The whole is dramatic
in the extreme.
The japanese themselves are not. as
people, great lovers Of music. nor is it held
In very high esteem by many.
The oriental scale for classical music is
like the modern European scale, save that
the major third is SHARPER and the seventh
Is Halter. The samlSen scale, which is of
course mol classical resent les the European
scale of the middle ages, which is one rea-
son why this Instrument Is supposed to have
been imported from Manila. The Japanese
have only one kind of time, that is what we
call common time, and they have no dis
tlnetlvely major and minor modes, all of
which lends TO lack OF variety.
When member of the imperial family
dies all sound of music is forbidden through
out the whole land for three days and longer
II the deceased person is closely related to
the Emperor
The biwa is an instrument played princ-
paily by priests. One of the Mikados in the
ancient days, Murakami Tenno by name
was very fond of the biwa, upon which it is
SAID he was skilled performer.
MOrokoshi of China sent him three mag
nihcent instruments as r present, and ac-
cording to the usual japanese custom they
were gwen names, being called respectively
the KENO, Selzan and the Shish-Mar
These three biwas are as well known to the
japanese as King Arthur's famous sword,
ExcalDar, is to the British.
Very few japanese musicians play more
than one instrument or more than one style
on that, as having studied one method they
declare 1t very difficult to learn another.
The girls in the western schools in Toxic
always say that when they have once ac-
CURED the European method of singing they
md 1t almost impossible to sing according
to the native style, and vice versa.
A pupil who wishes to become teacher
must attain a certain proficiency and be
given name by the master who instructed
hun or her Without this name, which is
frequently compounded from some part of
the teachers own appellation. the intended
master would fnd it impossible to secure
pupils. as he would have no reputation to
sustain him.
The modern japanese girl is beginning to
play the piano instead of the kotn, but the
samiSen is still n general favorte.
HELEN GREGoRY-FL EsHER, MA