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In reply to 'Mastery and Improvisation' posted by Mark Millar:
First of all, I would like to spread my greetings to all who read this =
list. My name is Jeff Cairns and I've been studying kinko-ryu =
shakuhachi under Tsurugi Kodo for the past 18 years in Kumamoto, Japan.
With regard to improvisation within honkyoku traditions, I would like to =
add these thoughts:
Honkyoku were created within the komuso traditions (as well as others) =
as something similar to a sutra and used as the individual's attempt to =
fully realize the singularity of the universe. They weren't originally =
written down, but passed on aurally by practitioners, often master to =
deshi as is the case now, though often with great difference of intent. =
Some of the original pieces were also covert messages of greeting =
between traveling monks and used as methods of identification, thus =
secret. Since the origins of the use of the shakuhachi within these =
traditions were as a vessel used in realization of the one universal =
reality, and didn't really fall within the realm of importance that we =
put on technical expertise now, it is assumed that each piece took on =
personal modulations over time, as monks were often away from their =
master for extended periods. In fact, in the very early stages, one =
instrument was usually different from the next due to the lack of need =
of standardization. This modulation could be viewed as something of =
improvisation, though probably considered more to be an interpretation =
as each piece or meditation still fell within the constraints of the =
original construct within which freedom was sought. With the advent of =
written notation, the trend moved more from personal awareness of ones =
relationship to the universe to the technical mastery of the instrument =
as it was suggested through the growing repertoire of various schools =
and their branches (interpretive modulations of the sangha/larger body =
improvisation). Further defining of each of the branches existences =
along with the popularizing of the instrument within the Edo and Meiji =
periods in Japan necessitated a stress on finesse of playmanship as a =
means of entertainment. Honkyoku remained somewhat of a sacred music =
and wasn't used as an entertainment source at that time, but was taught =
by increasingly secular teachers side-by-side with the more popular =
forms of san kyoku. As such, the same techniques and purposes of =
teaching were used for both types of music which again stressed finesse =
of playmanship. The meaning behind the various techniques found within =
honkyoku became secondary to execution and possibly lost altogether to =
many teachers and students. A long period of exact playing was then =
required to re-embody meaning from the movements. One of the =
interesting things about the movement of shakuhachi outside of Japan is =
that it has allowed a great deal of dust to be removed from these gems =
of awareness called honkyoku and it has allowed even the =
non-practitioner to experience the freedom that can be experience =
through constraint. This is something that is very difficult to do in =
modern day Japan and probably has a great deal to do with the difference =
in general awareness of people in this part of the world and elsewhere =
(the effects of a grand body improvisation). =20
To put a shortness to this long-winded explanation; is improvisation =
acceptable in honkyoku? It depends on intent. Entertainment (read: =
titillation) is entertainment, but sacred (read: beyond ego) is sacred. =
My question is: can and do the two meet in a higher awareness?
peace to all
jeff cairns
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In reply to 'Mastery and Improvisation' =
posted by=20
Mark Millar:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>First of all, I would like to spread my =
greetings=20
to all who read this list. My name is Jeff Cairns and I've been =
studying=20
kinko-ryu shakuhachi under Tsurugi Kodo for the past 18 years in =
Kumamoto,=20
Japan.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>With regard to improvisation within =
honkyoku=20
traditions, I would like to add these thoughts:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Honkyoku were created within the komuso =
traditions=20
(as well as others) as something similar to a sutra and used as the =
individual's=20
attempt to fully realize the singularity of the universe. They =
weren't=20
originally written down, but passed on aurally by practitioners, often =
master to=20
deshi as is the case now, though often with great difference of =
intent. =20
Some of the original pieces were also covert messages of greeting =
between=20
traveling monks and used as methods of identification, thus=20
secret. Since the origins of the use of the shakuhachi within =
these=20
traditions were as a vessel used in realization of the one universal =
reality,=20
and didn't really fall within the realm of importance that we put on =
technical=20
expertise now, it is assumed that each piece took on personal =
modulations over=20
time, as monks were often away from their master for extended =
periods. In=20
fact, in the very early stages, one instrument was usually different =
from the=20
next due to the lack of need of standardization. This =
modulation=20
could be viewed as something of improvisation, though probably =
considered more=20
to be an interpretation as each piece or meditation still fell within =
the=20
constraints of the original construct within which freedom was =
sought. =20
With the advent of written notation, the trend moved more from personal=20
awareness of ones relationship to the universe to the technical =
mastery of=20
the instrument as it was suggested through the growing repertoire of =
various=20
schools and their branches (interpretive modulations of the =
sangha/larger body=20
improvisation). Further defining of each of the branches =
existences along=20
with the popularizing of the instrument within the Edo and Meiji periods =
in=20
Japan necessitated a stress on finesse of playmanship as a means of=20
entertainment. Honkyoku remained somewhat of a sacred music and =
wasn't=20
used as an entertainment source at that time, but was taught=20
by increasingly secular teachers side-by-side with the more popular =
forms=20
of san kyoku. As such, the same techniques and purposes of =
teaching=20
were used for both types of music which again stressed finesse =
of=20
playmanship. The meaning behind the various techniques found =
within=20
honkyoku became secondary to execution and possibly lost altogether to =
many=20
teachers and students. A long period of exact playing was then =
required to=20
re-embody meaning from the movements. One of the interesting =
things about=20
the movement of shakuhachi outside of Japan is that it has allowed a =
great deal=20
of dust to be removed from these gems of awareness called honkyoku and =
it has=20
allowed even the non-practitioner to experience the freedom that can be=20
experience through constraint. This is something that is very =
difficult to=20
do in modern day Japan and probably has a great deal to do with the =
difference=20
in general awareness of people in this part of the world and elsewhere =
(the=20
effects of a grand body improvisation). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To put a shortness to this long-winded =
explanation;=20
is improvisation acceptable in honkyoku? It depends on =
intent. =20
Entertainment (read: titillation) is entertainment, but sacred (read: =
beyond=20
ego) is sacred. My question is: can and do the two meet in a =
higher=20
awareness?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>peace to all</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>jeff cairns</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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