--Apple-Mail-2-34635554
charset=ISO-8859-1;
format=flowed
Hello All,
I think that the reference to 1.1 shaku is not a misprint.
The length of one 'shaku' has changed over the centuries. It was much=20
smaller 1200 years ago. (This is why there is an International Bureau=20
of Standards nowadays and metric lengths are based on things other than=20=
bits of bamboo lying around, or king's feet....).
Here's a quote from Yearning for the Bell, describing the 8th century=20
shakuhachi that are still in existence.
"Of the eight shakuhachi in the Sh=F4s=F4in collection, only five are =
made=20
of bamboo. The remaining three flutes are made of jade, ivory and=20
stone. One of the bamboo flutes and the stone flute are completely=20
covered with delicate patterns carved on their surfaces. All but one of=20=
the instruments are quite playable, with the jade instrument said to be=20=
especially so (Harich-Schneider 1973:61). The jade, stone and ivory=20
flutes are carved to imitate the nodes of bamboo."
"Whereas shakuhachi from around the 14th century until the present time=20=
have only five fingerholes, and a variable number of nodes, all of the=20=
flutes perserved in Sh=F4s=F4in have six fingerholes and three nodes, =
not=20
counting the uppermost node on which the blowing edge is cut. Although=20=
a number of hypotheses concerning the extra fingerhole of the=20
shakuhachi of the Nara period have been put forward, the reason for the=20=
difference in the number of fingerholes between the gagaku shakuhachi=20
and later shakuhachi has never been conclusively shown."
"The lengths of the flutes in the Sh=F4s=F4in vary from 437mm. to =
343.5mm=20
and the diameters of their bores vary from 12mm. to 16mm...."
Note that a modern day 'shaku' is about 303mm, so the smallest=20
shakuhachi in the Sh=F4s=F4in collection is indeed very close to being =
1.1=20
shaku by today's standards. Apparently it was about 1.8 shaku in length=20=
by the standards back then.
........................
Also, some comments with regards to the original question about long=20
flutes:
With traditional ensemble pieces and folksong groups, the string=20
instrumentalists and/or singers request or require shakuhachi lengths=20
that produce an approximate pitch range, but even then there was, until=20=
recently, some flexibility. Only with the introduction of the western=20
notion of absolute pitch (A=3D440) and especially once shakuhachi pieces=20=
began being written down in staff notation was specific lengths=20
prescribed.
The recent widespread adoption of chromatic pitch tuners in the world=20
of traditional Japanese music has standardised absolute pitch even=20
more. Now, even having the right length shakuhachi isn't good enough.=20
One has to play it 'in tune' too!
In contrast, exact lengths are NOT specified in the case of nearly all=20=
traditional shakuhachi honkyoku (none amongst the pieces I know).=20
Certain pieces are usually played on longer or shorter flutes by=20
certain people or lineages, but this seems to be more of a preference=20
thing than a requirement. The rare honkyoku duets of course, require=20
that both players use the same length, but there is, for example, no=20
rule stating that Shika no Tone must be played on a 1.8 flute. Some=20
lineages only use 1.8 flutes, so the question of which length for which=20=
honkyoku doesn't arise for the deprived members of those lineages. They=20=
should be pitied by the rest of us....
In conclusion, I'd say that with honkyoku playing, using whatever=20
length works for you is in keeping with 'The Tradition'.
Best regards, Riley
Dr Riley Lee
PO Box 939, Manly NSW 1655
Australia
tel. +612 9976 6904
fax +612 9976 6905
mobile +612 414 626 453
www.rileylee.net=
--Apple-Mail-2-34635554
charset=ISO-8859-1
Hello All,
I think that the reference to 1.1 shaku is not a misprint.=20
The length of one 'shaku' has changed over the centuries. It was much
smaller 1200 years ago. (This is why there is an International Bureau
of Standards nowadays and metric lengths are based on things other
than bits of bamboo lying around, or king's feet....).
Here's a quote from <italic>Yearning for the Bell</italic>, describing
the 8th century shakuhachi that are still in existence.
"<fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>Of the eight
<italic>shakuhachi</italic> in the Sh=F4s=F4in collection, only five are
made of bamboo. The remaining three flutes are made of jade, ivory and
stone. One of the bamboo flutes and the stone flute are completely
covered with delicate patterns carved on their surfaces. All but one
of the instruments are quite playable, with the jade instrument said
to be especially so (Harich-Schneider 1973:61). The jade, stone and
ivory flutes are carved to imitate the nodes of bamboo."=20
"Whereas <italic>shakuhachi</italic> from around the 14th century
until the present time have only five fingerholes, and a variable
number of nodes, all of the flutes perserved in Sh=F4s=F4in have six
fingerholes and three nodes, not counting the uppermost node on which
the blowing edge is cut. Although a number of hypotheses concerning
the extra fingerhole of the <italic>shakuhachi</italic> of the Nara
period have been put forward, the reason for the difference in the
number of fingerholes between the <italic>gagaku</italic>
<italic>shakuhachi</italic> and later <italic>shakuhachi</italic> has
never been conclusively shown."=20
<bold>"The lengths of the flutes in the Sh=F4s=F4in vary from 437mm. to
343.5mm and the diameters of their bores vary from 12mm. to 16mm...."
</bold>
</bigger></fontfamily>Note that a modern day 'shaku' is about 303mm,
so the smallest shakuhachi in the Sh=F4s=F4in collection is indeed very
close to being 1.1 shaku by today's standards. Apparently it was about
1.8 shaku in length by the standards back then.
<fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>........................
</bigger></fontfamily>Also, some comments with regards to the original
question about long flutes:=20
With traditional ensemble pieces and folksong groups, the string
instrumentalists and/or singers request or require shakuhachi lengths
that produce an approximate pitch range, but even then there was,
until recently, some flexibility. Only with the introduction of the
western notion of absolute pitch (A=3D440) and especially once
shakuhachi pieces began being written down in staff notation was
specific lengths prescribed.
The recent widespread adoption of chromatic pitch tuners in the world
of traditional Japanese music has standardised absolute pitch even
more. Now, even having the right length shakuhachi isn't good enough.
One has to play it 'in tune' too!
In contrast, exact lengths are NOT specified in the case of nearly all
traditional shakuhachi honkyoku (none amongst the pieces I know).
Certain pieces are usually played on longer or shorter flutes by
certain people or lineages, but this seems to be more of a preference
thing than a requirement. The rare honkyoku duets of course, require
that both players use the same length, but there is, for example, no
rule stating that Shika no Tone must be played on a 1.8 flute. Some
lineages only use 1.8 flutes, so the question of which length for
which honkyoku doesn't arise for the deprived members of those
lineages. They should be pitied by the rest of us....
In conclusion, I'd say that with honkyoku playing, using whatever
length works for you is in keeping with 'The Tradition'.
Best regards, Riley
<fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger>
</bigger></fontfamily>
=
<bold><italic><fontfamily><param>Baskerville</param><smaller><x-tad-smalle=
r>Dr
Riley Lee
PO Box 939, Manly NSW 1655
Australia
tel. +612 9976 6904
fax +612 9976 6905
mobile +612 414 626 453
www.rileylee.net</x-tad-smaller></smaller></fontfamily></italic></bold>=
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