Music-Culture VI

Japanese Noh is a form of theater that is very popular and traditional in Japan. It is so embedded into the Japanese culture that it seems to have become a significant ritual that is both a source of spirituality and entertainment.

From the videos of Japanese Noh I have seen on YouTube, I can make out a few elements of this seemingly strange yet very relaxing form of theater involving both traditional Japanese dance and music. The music of Japanese Noh theatre is very distinct and interesting. There are three different drums, all with different timbres. There is also some sort of wooden aerophone. Finally, there are vocalist men, some of which sing a song while others add to the melody of the instruments by yelling sounds that one would usually hear in martial arts. The music made by this group is mostly quasipulsatile but sometimes seems to be nonpulsatile.

The dance, which is perhaps the most important element of Japanese Noh theatre, has elements of its own. The clothing, especially unique to this art form, is composed of a big, ostentatious garment and many accessories, of which the mask is perhaps the most important. Every character in Japanese Noh has his/her own special mask which often depicts a monster-like creature that looks evil with fangs, horns, or demon eyes. The dance itself is sometimes slow and mesmerizing, but, at other times, fast and exciting. Overall, Japanese Noh is a very mysterious form of theater.

A sample of this traditional Japanese art can be found here.