Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

dstone wrote:

There is no correct answer to this question.  But maybe you have an interesting one...

How important is it to you that you match all of 1) your flute, 2) your piece, and 3) your school or techniques?

For example...   Azuma Jishi and Tamuke on the same flute?  A Kinko piece played with muraiki or komibuki?  Old tunings for contemporary pieces?  Dokyoku pieces on a modern (or vintage) Tozan flute?  Jinashi choukan or hardwood hassun for <X>?

Nails on a blackboard or just good fun?  Missing the point or essential explorations? 

-Darren.

The flute doesn't matter. Modern Kinko and Tozan makers make flutes which are identical except for the shape of the utaguchi. I know great Kinko players who use Myoan flutes and vice versa. Some Myoan flutes are suitable only for Myoan music. The more important distinction is whether or not they have ji. Myoan music should be played with jinashi flutes, but honestly good jinashi Kinko flutes can usually do the job. Kinko music can be played with either jinashi or jiari flutes but they have to be good. I've been playing a lot of Kinko gaikyoku lately with a koto player and I'm using strictly jinashi flutes but they're exceptional. The case of the "Dokyoku" players is a quandary because Watazumi played raw jinashi flutes whereas the disciples of Watazumi's most famous student, Yokoyama Katsuya, favor very refined jiari shakuhachi. You decide by listening and deciding which tone you prefer.

As far as the music is concerned of course you are supposed to play the songs in their original style. There are a few pieces like "Azuma no Kyoku" and "Kumoijishi" which have the same melodies but different articulations and are played by Kinko, Myoan and "Dokyoku" players. But most of them are related to a specific school and the techniques of that ryu are part of the composition. For example many Myoan pieces are supposed to be played sans vibrato, so when certain Kinko players play them with characteristic Kinko vibrato a la Yamaguchi Goro it just sounds wrong.

Personally I like the sound of excellent jinashi shakuhachi for all the music I play, which is Myoan, Kinko, rock and jazz and I don't care what utaguchi the flute has. I only use jiari shakuhachi when I can't find a jinashi one that plays as well in that particular length or pitch. Which is seldom and only in the shorter (1.8 and shorter) lengths.

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If such a thing existed, it would probably be on sale...

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eB

I played couple of very expensive shakuhachi...They were amazing.
They were not 1000$ instrument.
the first one was 8000$ ,the second 10000$  and the third....up.

I am trying to get them out of my mind:-)