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Hi Riley,
Thanks for your comments. I hope that my "question" in no way implied a =
prejudice against Westerners playing Honkyoku. I understand your =
cross-cultural comments, and can relate to them to a degree. I am in a =
cross cultural marriage - I'm American born and my wife is Indonesian. =
The sometimes very subtle cultural differences between our life =
experiences add another dimension to the normal complications of a =
relationship. However, in the same way, it enriches our lives in a =
positive way that a traditional relationship can never experience.
When I struggle to speak my broken (Bahasa) Indonesia, no one ever =
laughs at me. Rather there is an appreciation by native Indonesians =
that I am making a sincere effort to assimilate their language, and, =
more importantly, their culture. I would imagine that, for the =
Westerner learning to master shakuhachi, there is a similar empathy from =
the Japanese.
As you say, when two cultures mix, there is the possibility that the =
result might bring forth the best qualities in each. It was interesting =
to learn the true meaning of Honkyoku - in that context there is =
absolutely no way of ever playing a piece incorrectly. Ultimately, =
every musical performance becomes a personal interpretation as no two =
performances will ever be exactly the same. (Perhaps this is why =
classical Western music, although sometimes very beautiful, never =
attracted be from a performance viewpoint. The emphasis on performance =
duplication seems to stifle personal expression to me. Sorry if I =
digressed...)
Anyway, I guess shakuhachi is a living and breathing organism. Music =
that is locked in the past, if it does not die, will be consigned to =
always remain a contemporary anomaly. I admire your and others efforts =
to expand shak into non-traditional musical realms, as well as continue =
in the Honkyoku tradition. In fact one of your albums was my first =
exposure to shakuhachi and ultimately led me to play the instrument.
I will always speak broken Indonesian, and play shak with a Western =
accent - but at least it will be recognizably mine. If I am fortunate, =
I will also be able to add my own creative imagination to a flowing =
tradition.
BTW - Just got a copy of your DVD - the Sound of Bamboo - really looking =
forward to seeing/hearing it!
Cheers,
Brian
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Riley Lee=20
To: shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu=20
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 5:19 AM
Subject: [Shaku] Re: shakuhachi V1 #624
Hello Brian.
As one of many humans with parents of two distinctly different =
cultures, and as one who has added to the confusion by choosing to play =
a musical instrument from yet another culture, I become uncomfortable =
with discussions such as yours.=20
One might say that by definition, all cultural values, habits and =
biases, western or otherwise, are forever foreign to folks like me and =
my fellow half-breeds.=20
Then there are people both of whose parents are of one culture, but =
who were born, raised, and continue to live in another culture. And =
there are those who belong to minority cultures that have been subsumed =
into dominant ones. Perhaps, we and our music could be classified as =
"truly, authentically mongrel".
By the way, the word is spelt "honkyoku". It is derived from two =
Chinese characters that are usually translated as 'main' or 'original' =
(hon) and 'piece' (kyoku), that is, 'original pieces'. My (Japanese) =
shakuhachi teacher however, says that the deeper meaning of this word is =
from the expression 'honnin no kyoku', which loosely translates as =
"one's own piece".=20
The implication is that one can't play a honkyoku properly without =
making it 'one's own music'. If one accepts this meaning, then the =
answer to your original question, "Do Westerners have a shakuhachi =
accent?" is, one certainly hopes so!=20
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
On 01/07/2004, at 5:51 PM, shakuhachi wrote:
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 17:54:58 -0400
From: "Brian Miller" <ramasita@peoplepc.com>
To: <Shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu>
Subject: Re: [Shaku] Re: Do Westerners Have a Shakuhachi Accent?
Message-ID: <000f01c45eec$e5347690$065179a5@lanc.thmulti.com>
As has been commented, it is really difficult to isolate (or, in the =
case of
Westerners) integrate a set foreign cultural values, habits and =
biases into
ones life in a convincingly truthful way. Whether or not the =
nuisances
particular to Japanese shakuhachi are a result of cultural =
influences (as
much or more so than the technical issues of mastering the =
instrument) may
be impossible to determine for certain. Honkoyo shakuhachi is no =
doubt
intimily interwoven with Japanese culture, religion, and the =
"Japanese" way
of experiencing life. When it comes to Westerners playing Honkoyo, =
I'm not
sure if any of "us" could ever truly play in an "Authentic" style.
Interpretation is certainly not a bad thing, though. It is through
interpretation that new musical forms are born. Of course, a hundred =
years
from now, perhaps "authentic" Honkoyo will have integrated (or =
contaminated,
depending on your point of view) a Western influence. :-)
Cheers,
Brian
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<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
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<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=3DGENERATOR>
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</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi Riley,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks for your comments. I hope =
that my=20
"question" in no way implied a prejudice against Westerners playing=20
Honkyoku. I understand your cross-cultural comments, and can =
relate to=20
them to a degree. I am in a cross cultural marriage - I'm American =
born=20
and my wife is Indonesian. The sometimes very subtle cultural =
differences=20
between our life experiences add another dimension to the normal =
complications=20
of a relationship. However, in the same way, it enriches our lives =
in a=20
positive way that a traditional relationship can never =
experience.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>When I struggle to speak my broken =
(Bahasa)=20
Indonesia, no one ever laughs at me. Rather there is an =
appreciation by=20
native Indonesians that I am making a sincere effort to assimilate =
their=20
language, and, more importantly, their culture. I would imagine =
that, for=20
the Westerner learning to master shakuhachi, there is a similar empathy =
from the=20
Japanese.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As you say, when two cultures mix, =
there is the=20
possibility that the result might bring forth the best qualities in =
each. =20
It was interesting to learn the true meaning of Honkyoku - in that =
context there=20
is absolutely no way of ever playing a piece incorrectly. =
Ultimately,=20
every musical performance becomes a personal interpretation as no two=20
performances will ever be exactly the same. (Perhaps this is why =
classical=20
Western music, although sometimes very beautiful, never attracted be =
from a=20
performance viewpoint. The emphasis on performance duplication =
seems to=20
stifle personal expression to me. Sorry if I =
digressed...)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Anyway, I guess shakuhachi is a living =
and=20
breathing organism. Music that is locked in the past, if it does =
not die,=20
will be consigned to always remain a contemporary anomaly. I admire your =
and=20
others efforts to expand shak into non-traditional musical realms, as =
well as=20
continue in the Honkyoku tradition. In fact one of your albums was =
my=20
first exposure to shakuhachi and ultimately led me to play the=20
instrument.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I will always speak broken Indonesian, =
and play=20
shak with a Western accent - but at least it will be recognizably =
mine. If=20
I am fortunate, I will also be able to add my own creative imagination =
to a=20
flowing tradition.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>BTW - Just got a copy of your DVD - the =
Sound of=20
Bamboo - really looking forward to seeing/hearing it!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> Brian</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Driley@rileylee.net href=3D"mailto:riley@rileylee.net">Riley =
Lee</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
title=3Dshakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu=20
=
href=3D"mailto:shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu">shakuhachi@communicatio=
n.ucsd.edu</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, July 01, 2004 =
5:19=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Shaku] Re: shakuhachi =
V1=20
#624</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hello Brian.<BR><BR>As one of many humans with parents =
of two=20
distinctly different cultures, and as one who has added to the =
confusion by=20
choosing to play a musical instrument from yet another culture, I =
become=20
uncomfortable with discussions such as yours. <BR><BR>One might say =
that by=20
definition, all cultural values, habits and biases, western or =
otherwise, are=20
forever foreign to folks like me and my fellow half-breeds. =
<BR><BR>Then there=20
are people both of whose parents are of one culture, but who were =
born,=20
raised, and continue to live in another culture. And there are those =
who=20
belong to minority cultures that have been subsumed into dominant =
ones.=20
Perhaps, we and our music could be classified as "truly, authentically =
mongrel".<BR><BR>By the way, the word is spelt "honkyoku". It is =
derived from=20
two Chinese characters that are usually translated as 'main' or =
'original'=20
(hon) and 'piece' (kyoku), that is, 'original pieces'. My (Japanese)=20
shakuhachi teacher however, says that the deeper meaning of this word =
is from=20
the expression 'honnin no kyoku', which loosely translates as "one's =
own=20
piece". <BR><BR>The implication is that one can't play a honkyoku =
properly=20
without making it 'one's own music'. If one accepts this meaning, then =
the=20
answer to your original question, "Do Westerners have a shakuhachi =
accent?"=20
is, one certainly hopes so! <BR><BR>Regards, =
Riley<BR><BR><B><I><?fontfamily><?param =
Baskerville><?smaller><?x-tad-smaller><BR>Dr=20
Riley Lee<BR>PO Box 939, Manly NSW 1655 Australia<BR>tel. +612 9976 =
6904 fax=20
+612 9976 6905<BR>mobile +612 414 626 =
453<BR>www.rileylee.net<?/x-tad-smaller><?x-tad-smaller><BR><BR><?/x-tad-=
smaller><?/smaller><?/fontfamily></I></B><BR>On=20
01/07/2004, at 5:51 PM, shakuhachi wrote:<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 30 Jun =
2004=20
17:54:58 -0400<BR>From: "Brian Miller" =
<ramasita@peoplepc.com><BR>To:=20
<Shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu><BR>Subject: Re: [Shaku] =
Re: Do=20
Westerners Have a Shakuhachi Accent?<BR>Message-ID:=20
<000f01c45eec$e5347690$065179a5@lanc.thmulti.com><BR><BR>As =
has been=20
commented, it is really difficult to isolate (or, in the case=20
of<BR>Westerners) integrate a set foreign cultural values, habits =
and biases=20
into<BR>ones life in a convincingly truthful way. Whether or not the =
nuisances<BR>particular to Japanese shakuhachi are a result of =
cultural=20
influences (as<BR>much or more so than the technical issues of =
mastering the=20
instrument) may<BR>be impossible to determine for certain. Honkoyo=20
shakuhachi is no doubt<BR>intimily interwoven with Japanese culture, =
religion, and the "Japanese" way<BR>of experiencing life. When it =
comes to=20
Westerners playing Honkoyo, I'm not<BR>sure if any of "us" could =
ever truly=20
play in an "Authentic" style.<BR>Interpretation is certainly not a =
bad=20
thing, though. It is through<BR>interpretation that new musical =
forms are=20
born. Of course, a hundred years<BR>from now, perhaps "authentic" =
Honkoyo=20
will have integrated (or contaminated,<BR>depending on your point of =
view) a=20
Western influence.=20
:-)<BR><BR>Cheers,<BR>Brian</BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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