The "San Koten Honkyoku" are three ("san") traditional ("hon") compositions ("kyoku") which are distinguished and venerated for their archetypical ("koten") characteristics. Of the many "schools" ("ryu") of musicians who claim proprietorship or proprietary control of versions of these melodies, the Kinko-ryu has the strongest claim to historicity. Their medium of performance is the "shakuhachi"—a bamboo, end-blown, vertical flute—and their aesthetics is founded on Zen Buddhism. The progenitor of the shakuhachi most likely originates from the Mesopotamian civilizations of the fourth millennium B.C. After diffusion to China, the vertical flute acquired a seminal role as the aural manifestation of the Chinese fundamental pitch, "huang-chung". Some time later it became a melody instrument in the court orchestras, suffering several recondite changes in nomenclature and popularity. When it arrived in Japan as the Imperial "ch'ih pa" (Jp. shakuhachi) it was in rapid decline, but during the 16th century it re-emerged as an ignoble instrument played by Japanese mendicant Buddhists called "Komo-s5". The period between the decline of the Imperial Court's shakuhachi and the rise of the Komo-so's vertical flute is a void for historians of the instrument, but it is suggested in this thesis that an earlier group of mendicant Buddhist priests/musicians, the "Mo-s5" biwa players, may have been the source of this renaissance. By the time of the Edo Period (1600-1868), the vertical flute had passed from the hands of the Komo-so, through the merchant class who called it the "Hitoyogiri" and a samurai clan who knew it as the "Tenpuku", to a newly-emerged group comprised of "ronin" or masterless samurai who adopted the then-defunct Komo-so's way of life in a manner that suited their aristocratic background. They called themselves "Komu-so", and their colorful history ranges from clandestine malevolence to Buddhist saintliness. In the 18th century, Kurosawa Kinko and his son (Kinko II, 1741-1811) and grandson (Kinko III, 1772-1816) advanced the positive aspects of the Komu-so's activity by assembling a unified repertoire and organizing an association of lay flutists devoted to the pursuit of "Takedd"—the "Way" of the bamboo flute—a process of self-enlightenment fashioned after Zen Buddhist precepts. Today, the music theory of the Kinko-ryu Honkyoku is comprised of a basic system of rudiments tempered by complex performance practices which are only accessible through the oral/aural instruction of a sensei. His pedagogy is designed to bring the student to a unified understanding of the many aspects of melodic detail by emphasizing their role in animating the simple melodies outlined by the skeletal notation. Through a systematic analysis of the Kinko-ryu "San Koten Honkyoku", the present study has found that the theoretical principles of these compositions are clearly demonstrable. Their inherent pitches are derived from the Japanese "In" scale and exist in a hierarchy made manifest in tonal proclivities which are naturally or deceptively resolved. The hierarchies also determine the structures of the melodies by articulating their progress. The conclusion of this thesis draws together the sociology, history, melodic theory and melodic analyses of the Kinko-ryu shakuhachi and its Honkyoku by outlining their respective contributions to a unique musical expression of Zen Buddhism. / Arts, Faculty of / Music, School of / Graduate

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Der historische Ursprung Kleinlitauens, sein Alltag, seine Sitten, Bräuche, Sprache und Kultur stellten schon immer Forschungsziele für Fachleute und Wissenschaftler verschiedener Richtungen dar. Die ethnokulturellen Forschungen sind auch heute aktuell. Aus diesem Grund wird in den nachfolgenden Ausführungen versucht, die Volksmusikinstrumente darzustelle~ die in der Blütezeit Kleinlitauens gespielt wurden.

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The circo criollo, or Argentine native circus, arose as one of the most important forms of popular expression during the late nineteenth century. This performance context can serve as a site for exploring old and new constructions of Argentine identity that encompassed the lower and middle classes and included native and immigrant groups, particularly in Buenos Aires. Although the native circus contributed greatly to the creation of such an identity, little is known about the musical practices of the circus itself, including what types of music or dance were performed, the manner in which they were interpreted, and how the audience responded. This thesis therefore aims to bring to light these previously obscure circus traditions. It discusses the negotiation and conflict of power relationships that informs Argentine identity construction within this popular expressive medium. By examining the circo criollo as a site of hegemonic power differentials, this study probes more deeply into the contradictions that underlie such a fragile yet persistent sense of incipient Argentine identity.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-264).

Oneness within the Diversity of Music is a four-movement suite with world music and jazz influences. The suite includes world music elements from Asian folk sources, as well as Hungarian gypsy, Hindustani, Brazilian and Argentine music. The underlying concept -- the goal of this suite, is to combine jazz language with world music elements. The musical arrangement of Oneness within the Diversity of Music integrates Asian and jazz styles. Two main styles characterize the musical arrangements throughout the suite: the Asian-influenced style, which incorporates non-harmonized linear melodic lines and multiple counter-lines in unison simultaneously, and the jazz style, with chamber strings, wind section, and piano harmonized using jazz language. / text

"When the horse runs off" is a one-act chamber opera, which features an original libretto by playwright Sarah Saltwick, and is based on a Buddhist fable. The piece is scored for four singers and six instrumentalists. Similar to the manner in which the original fable is used as a point of departure, the opera incorporates folk music of Nepal and China into a larger, more varied palette of sounds. These are places from which this fable could have originated, so this is a natural way to create a world within the piece that feels organic. / text

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