IF WESTERNERS are asked for their first impressions on hearing Hogaku, or traditional Japanese music, most respond by saying, "Well, it certainly is different!" Despite what appears to be a consensus about "unusual," "strange," or even "eerie" sounds, few respondents can agree
on exactly what they heard. Some talk about monotonous choral music without instruments;
others describe a high-pitched, wavering flutelike instrument played by a man; others speak
of a group of drums and stringed instruments producing what they hear as "atonal" sounds.
The situation becomes even more confusing when some strongly dispute any claims of
"weirdness" and report being fascinated and charmed by highly melodic songs sung to the
accompaniment of a mandolin-like instrument. Even accounting for the differences in musical
taste, it seems clear that this is another example of the proverbial story about the blind men describing an elephant.
The problem may be that each of these descriptions is correct-as far as it goes. Hogaku
is so varied, and includes so many art forms, that many Japanese experts simply give up trying
to define it. Instead, they include any Japanese musical forms created prior to the introduction of Western music and instruments in the Meiji Era. This broad classification actually takes in dramatic forms such as Noh and Japanese dancing, neither of which would be considered "music" in the Western sense. And although the Ministry of Education classifies Noh and Gagaku, or Japanese court music, as separate classical art categories in its annual cultural festivals, most scholars see these forms as subdivisions of Hogaku.
Some forms of Hogaku are both familiar and pleasing to Western ears. For example, string instruments such as the koto, sham is en, and biwa, all of which are played by plucking the strings like a harp or a classical guitar, include among their standard repertories melodies that can be appreciated by people of any culture. At the same time, however, these instruments
are used for some forms of musical expression that many Westerners-and a surprising number
of Japanese as well-would label esoteric at best. Similarly, some examples of Japanese
choral folk music, Minyo, and folk dancing, minyo odori, can find appreciative-if not enthusiastic audiences simply for their exuberant and catchy tunes. Once again, however,
many other examples of these arts would seem strange and "nonmusical" to individuals accustomed to standards in keeping with the Western musical tradition.
And one would be safe in assuming that some other forms of Hogaku, such as court music, Buddhist music, music on the five-holed bamboo flute, or shakuhachi, and Noh dramatic
chants would be so unusual to Western ears that few would manage to listen long enough to discover any redeeming qualities. Actually, this rather negative appraisal of these Hogaku forms
is not limited to Western listeners alone; many modern-day Japanese who are well versed in
all forms of Western music- from opera to hard rock- frankly describe some Hogaku categories
as "dreadful." Despite the dwindling audiences for some forms, Hogaku still manages to
attract a small but enthusiastic number of serious students who diligently pursue the long and
arduous training necessary to master both the instruments and techniques of Japan's ancient
musical tradition.
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