IB Music Investigation
Comparison of Frederic
Chopin to to the
Traditional Music of
Japan
By Michaella Mannix
Japanese Demographics
● Current population: 127.3 million
people, 8th most populated country
● Ethnicities: 99% Japanese; Korean,
Chinese, other constitute 1% of the
population
● Religions: mainly Shinto & Buddhism
● Size: 145,925 sq. mi.
● Geographically, a little less than 4% of
the USA
Geographical Influences
● Geography: shimaguni (island
country) with four main islands,
covered by heavily forested
mountains, temperate climate,
abundant rainfall
● Result: rice and fish are staple foods;
hard to invade; only mildly influenced
by other civilizations for a long time
Political Influences
● the Emperor of Japan symbolizes the state and
the unity of the people
● The current imperial family emerged in about
700, maintaining high prestige but little power.
● 1550: political power was subdivided into
several hundred domains controlled by local
daimyō, each with his own force of samurai
● 1854: with the Convention of Kanawaga, Japan
was forcefully opened to the outside world
Socioeconomic Influences
● Sado - Japanese Tea Ceremony: influenced
by Zen Buddhism, portrays Japanese
ritualistic practices
● Geisha: traditional Japanese female
entertainers, skilled in the performing arts
"A land of incredible diversity: modern yet steeped in
custom; home of the friendliest of welcomes. A country of
blazing neon lights and rugged mountains, coasts and valleys."
● poor in natural resources, but is currently a
powerful economic force in the global
economy
Religious Influences
● Shinto: as old as Japan itself
● Buddhism: imported from China in
the 6th Century
● co-exist together, account for the
majority of the Japanese population
● many festivals held at local shrines
to celebrate the shrine’s deity, a
season, or a historical event
Traditional
Japanese
Music
Features of Japanese Music
Earliest forms: kagura shrine dancers would
be accompanied by drums & flute
● attempts to mirror the behavior of nature
● sparse rhythm, regular chords are
absent
● highly ritualized: musicians must show
spiritual self-mastery in their performance
● pieces start off slowly & increase speed
as they progress
Japanese Culture’s Influence on Music
● highly influenced by Chinese &
Buddhist elements, but still manages to
create a distinct sound
● Gagaku: imperial court dance; an
orchestra that accompanies court
dances
● Shomyo: a type of Buddhist chanting;
used in religious ceremonies,
portraying a melodic interpretation of
shingon chants
Primary Instruments
● most popular Japanese instruments 1st came from
China
● Shamisen: resembles a guitar, 3 strings, the strings are
struck by a large triangular plectrum
● Shakuhachi: flute made of bamboo, 5 holes that
complete a range of sounds, distinctive poignant tone
● Koto: large, wooden instrument with 13 strings, played
with picks worn on the fingers, the left hand presses
down on the strings to bend notes and create effects
Primary Instruments
● Shamisen
● Shakuhachi
● Koto
Musical Example
●
●
●
●
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ImvrPNHVTl8
Sakura, Sakura
played on the koto
hirajoshi scale, a
type of Japanese
pentatonic scale
illustrates image of
cherry blossoms
popular melody of
the Edo Period
The Life and
Works of
Frederic Chopin
The Life of Frederic Chopin
-Polish-born piano genius (b. 1810, d. 1849)
-suffered from tuberculosis, but still managed to
create many magnificent masterpieces
-uniquely devoted to the piano & his solo pieces
are improvisatory of nature
-invented the ballade & reinvented the scherzo
The Studies of Chopin
● studied piano with Wojciech
Zywny & harmony with Jozef
Elsner in Poland
● outdistanced his teachers by the
young age of 8
● debuted at the Salle Pleyel in Paris
among artists like Liszt,
Mendelssohn, & Cherubini
Chopin’s Influences
● At a 17 years of age, Chopin became famous with
his Variations on Mozart’s “La ci darem la mano”
● After moving to Paris, the European cultural hub
of the 19th C, Chopin began to expand the
barriers of Romanticism
● Chopin’s music was largely inspired by Romantic
Conquests: Comtesse Marie d’Agoult & George
Sand
Chopin’s Greatest Works
● Explored new realms with his
numerous Nocturnes, Preludes,
Etudes, Waltzes, and Ballades
● His work is still regarded as
magnificent today, centuries after his
death
● Some of his most famous
compositions: Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2,
Prelude in e minor, Op. 28 No. 4
Features of Chopin’s Music
● Chopin’s pieces tend to be short in form
● 20 nocturnes, 25 preludes, 17 waltzes, 15 polonaises, 58
mazurkas, & 27 etudes
● emphasis on capturing the emotion behind the
composition
● combined impassioned enthusiasm & melodic
sensitivity; subtle execution & captivating
melodies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5qeuVOIbHk
Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor Op. Posthumous
● Epitomizes the sound of emotion in times of
sorrow
● Combination of a tender melody with dramatic
passion in measures 32-43
● Presto tempo & key change to Major
juxtaposes with the lento, melancholy mood
“con gran espressione” in the rest of the piece
Comparisons: Sonata No. 3 Op. 51 - 1st Mvm. vs.
Tegoto by Michio Miyagi
Similarities:
● Programme Music: written about people, places, time, etc.
● Complex Harmonies & Themes: colorful, unconventional
notes in chords & recognizable themes repeated
throughout the pieces
● Lyrical Melody: singing melodies reflecting sounds of
nature (like running water)
● Complicated Rhythm: sixteenth note patterns
● Similar Structures (the Tegoto is similar to the Western
Sonata form)
Disparities/How They Contrast
● Tegoto was publisheded by Miyagi Michio in 1946 to
honor the Edo Period (1603-1868) while Chopin published
the Sonata in 1844
Sonata: varying tempos & modulates throughout; varying
dynamics; Tegoto: same tempo & key throughout
● Tegoto: Hirajoshi Pentatonic Scale
● Tegoto tends to be more repetitive, while the Sonata is
constantly evolving throughout the 1st movement, let alone
the whole piece
Primary Link
Both pieces utilize the Sonata form: an
exposition, a development, and a
recapitulation.
Secondary Link
Both use complicated rhythms and complex
sixteenth note patterns.
The Musical Examples
●
Sonata No. 3 Op. 58 in b minor - 1st Movement
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EepqjsizD8
●
Tegoto by Michio Miyagi, performed by Kaori Kimoto
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L24Nb4CJzV4
Works Cited
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Works Cited Page Continued
"Photo: Japanese Musicians." Wikimedia. N.p., n.d. Web.
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Trainers USA Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
Foguel, Itamar. "Shakuhachi." Shakuhachi Sketch. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
"Traditional Japanese Woman."
:. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.