Midare: Kazue Sawai Plays "Koto" Classics

Danmono is a classical Japanese koto repertoire consisting of instrumental pieces built from successive sections called dan (“steps” or “stanzas”). Originating in the early Edo period, these works established the archetype of solo koto artistry that later became central to the broader sōkyoku tradition. Each piece unfolds through a chain of dan that articulate a clear sense of progression, often reflecting the Japanese aesthetic principle of jo–ha–kyū (introduction, development, and rapid conclusion). Canonical examples include Rokudan no Shirabe (“Six Sections”), Hachidan no Shirabe (“Eight Sections”), and Midare (“Disorder,” notable for its irregular sectional lengths). Musically, danmono favors pentatonic modal tunings such as hirajōshi and kumoi-jōshi, idiomatic arpeggiation and broken-chord textures, timbral coloration via koto plectra (tsume), and ornaments like slides (suri) and presses (oshi). Although originally conceived for solo koto, danmono pieces are widely performed in sankyoku settings with shamisen and shakuhachi.