I’m wondering a thing. On NHK blends, I listened some stuff featuring the kokyu, and I was impressed by Misirlou, a soundtrack of a film directed (apologizing!) by Jean Pierre something. I felt like the kokyu sounded like the Middle Eastern Brother of kokyu, the rabab (or rebab…). So I’m wondering: what do they have in common?
Also I wanted to write connections. I’m using laptop… so yeah, I am fast at writing with the key! Some letters can be missing, and I sometimes don’t pay attention to it!
A lot of instruments from the Middle East are related to Japanese instruments, so that would make sense. The kokyu comes from the Chinese erhu, which I believe goes back to the Middle East. Similarly the shamisen comes from the sanshin which comes from the sanxian, which also goes back to present day Iran.
Also, I discovered that biwa has similar sound to the tar. Do you know what’s the tar? Iranian instrument. Well, not really know so much about this instrument… have to know more!
And I also discovered another connection between setar (not sitar!) and the sawari of shamisen/biwa (especially when biwa players play stuff like… well… part of the poems who are instrumentals and go like 2/4). Listening to an epic recitation of the master (maybe one of the most excellent) of setar Sharam Nazeri (and I bought this on iTunes…), the setar makes multiple sounds… maybe it’s like struked… nah… English!
Yeah I’m adventuring on Persian music not so long ago
That’s cool!
I love seeing how connected world music is, even when you least expect it. Even the sitar (not setar, this time haha) is connected. The Hindi word “javari” meaning “buzz” is the root of the Japanese sawari.
Yeah, I remember it… but sitar is a bit different, for me. I mean, there are the sawari-like resonances, bu the players use that them to create like an atmosphere. Yeah, don’t think it’s like “yeah, she wants to talk”. I don’t know how to explain this fact… When listening to setar, a habit (sooooooooo familiar with Westerners) is based. Imagine like when a John Lennon (or like American singers) o concerts live with their guitars, when they don’t know so well how to play it… I mean, they do quite only chords. Setar is in a certan way connected! Sitar, instead, uses the resonances more to create like an accompaniment… not that I explained well ahahah… well, please try to get it, and I know it’s a bit difficult… since there are things I’m thinking in my Language and I have to transport them in English. Fortunately I don’t use any translation app
Not sure if you got…
Ian, can you please drop a message in PM to me? I want to make you listen to some stuff I made
Yeah, I use a lot of Japanese websites but it is pretty hard to think in another language. I know what you mean!
I do play guitar as well as shamisen, but I always found chords the hardest part, actually.
With setar I guess it takes the stage a little more than the sitar, kind of like how with Tsugaru shamisen it’s right up front where nagauta is accompaniment to kabuki. Is that what you mean?
I didn’t got what you said
Ah yes yes Ian