Japon: Musique du Kabuki et du Jiuta-Mai

Nagauta (literally “long song”) is a classical Japanese shamisen-and-voice genre that developed as the principal lyrical music for Kabuki dance (shosagoto). It features a lead singer (uta), multiple shamisens in rich unison/heterophony, and a Kabuki hayashi ensemble of flute (fue) and drums (kotsuzumi, otsuzumi, and occasionally taiko). Musically, nagauta draws on Edo-period aesthetics: flexible rhythm, careful use of silence (ma), and modal colors associated with the in/yo (miyako-bushi) modes. It can be highly pictorial, cueing stage action with instrumental passages, shouts (kakegoe) from drummers, and timbral effects. While deeply theatrical, nagauta also exists as a concert tradition performed independently of the stage.

Jiuta (地歌) is a refined chamber vocal-and-instrumental genre from Japan’s Kansai (Kamigata) region, centered on the shamisen and often performed in the sankyoku ensemble with koto and shakuhachi (originally kokyū). It emerged in the early Edo period among professional blind musicians (kengyō) and emphasizes nuanced vocal delivery, subtle ornamentation, and flexible phrasing. Pieces range from lyrical utamono (song-centered works) to tegotomono, which intersperse sung sections with substantial instrumental interludes (tegoto) showcasing intricate shamisen and koto technique. Typical performance aesthetics follow the Japanese jo–ha–kyū arc (introduction–development–rush to conclusion), favoring measured tempos, timbral delicacy, and poetic texts imbued with seasonal imagery and wistful sentiments.