12/25/08

Japanese Hymns in English

Click on title

12/21/08

Singing and Identity

Twenty years ago, when I lived in Kyoto for the first stint, I remember being stunned by Scottish bagpipers in Hankyu (or was it Takashimaya) Department store. Of course I was surprised to chance on them, but more profound was the impact of their (huge) sound on my heart. I'm not Scottish by the way, but they were from near enough to where they suddenly, screamingly, made me feel I belonged. Even now I often think of that musical encounter as a seminal moment in my sense of identity.

These days, having moved around a lot and now living in Kyoto for a second stint, I often ponder the idea of belonging to a geographical place, and I wonder if it is a not-good thing. I wonder if the idea of belonging somewhere smacks of refusal, rewinding, recoil from broadening horizons and fuels the narrow mindedness behind many social problems of our time. But certainly we are formed by what we grow from; by the sights and sounds on which we honed our senses and the frames up which we climbed. And since we carry those senses and frames of reference with us, wherever we are, we can freely revisit them in our minds and affirm our foundations.

There are some songs I feel I have always known, and when I sing them I find a thread that links my life together. When I hear, or even imagine, other people singing the same and different songs, I know that music connects us to eachother across space and time. Then I believe that, besides proving my own origin, path and continued existence, the act of singing witnesses an internal/eternal place that somehow we all belong to, wherever we come from.

Afterthoughts -
My Mum tells me that the first tune I could sing by myself was Blaydon Races, so I put some words from it as a footer to this blog page. Come to think of it, I have never actually learned the words - I just sing da da da, which may well be exactly how I did it as a baby.

My Granddad could play harmonica and piano, and he had an accordion (a Honer Double-Ray Black-dot which is currently in my parents' loft). Although he had 8 children, none of them played any instrument. But my Mum could pick out Annie Laurie on it, so when he was old he gave it to her. I never thought to ask her how Annie Laurie went - I wonder if she can still play it. Now I am doing singing workshops in Japan I find that the melody of Annie Laurie is well known here. So I have learned Annie Laurie recently, aged 44, in Japan.

12/14/08

Song related Japanese vocabulary

Source: Websters Online Dictionary et al

by kanji
(uta) : song
歌謡 (kayou) : song
演歌 (enka) : enka
歌詞 (kashi) : lyrics
歌手 (kashu) : singer (lit. song hand)
(kyoku) : tune/number
民謡 (minnyou) : old/trad folk song
by sound (incl. homophones)
ぞくよう (zokuyou) : ditty, folk song, popular song, wordly matters
ぞっきょく (zokkyoku): folk song
ぞっか (zokka) : ditty, folk song, popular song, popularization, secularization, vulgarization
かよう (kayou) : available, caring for the sick, comely face, floral leaf, in such a manner, like this, lotus leaf, lower leaves, solubilizing, soluble, song, taking care of oneself, to attend, to commute, to go back and forth, to ply between, Tuesday
りよう (riyou) : application, barbering, folk song, haircutting, hairdressing, popular song, use, utilization

12/11/08

Mine at Field 13 Dec.

This Saturday....
みなさまこんにちは。アイリッシュバンドMineの笛吹き清水です。
今週末12月13日に久しぶりにアイリッシュパブ:Fieldにてライブやります。ぜひお越し下さい
〒604-8144京都市中京区烏丸錦東入る烏丸錦ビル2F
20:00~22:00 No charge! 投げ銭制 (Pass the Hat)
笛:清水俊介
バイオリン:田村晃司
ウッドベース:建部剛
パーカッション:守崎肇
ゲスト:Felicity Greenland(song)

12/4/08

Dale Russ, Japan, Nov-Dec 2008

This from Shiori-chan at the Gael:
We are pleased to announce that the Seattle's Best fiddler, Dale Russ, is coming back to the pub. He is a fantastic fiddle player, played as a member of Suffering Gaels, Setanta, etc. His performance is well known in the U.S and across Japan. Splendid melodies he creates is completed temperament and also elegant and modesty, softly comes to your heart.
Dale's dates:
Nov 30 Brick-One, 5-15-7 Sendagi bunkyo, Tokyo. Solo concert and short lecture 2pm start, 3500 yen.
Dec 4, 5, and 12 The Gael, Shijo Kawabata agaru, Kyoto, 8:30 -11pm.
Dec 7 Gnome, Nijo Kawaramcahi sagaru, Kyoto 7:30 start.
Dec 13 Blue Monk, Hommachi.