Koto: A Traditional Instrument in Contemporary Japan FROM THE PUBLISHER
The koto is unique among Japanese musical instruments, its long and rich history leading to it becoming synonymous with "traditional" Japanese culture. Henry Johnson examines the construction, performance traditions and contexts of performance of the koto. Much of the information on the koto is gained through Johnson's ethnographic field research with instrument makers, performers and study of instruments in museums, archives and private collections.
Integral to this study is a look at the social organizations of koto performance, and how they regulate and influence the transmission of the instrument and its music. Emphasis is placed on the internal structures of performing traditions, as well as "inside" and "outside" perspectives that are important in establishing one's place as a player. Johnson also examines the koto and the significance of its main performance contexts, beginning with the role of the player and of mediated contexts. He demonstrates how different music traditions have used and devised notation systems as an additional means by which traditions identify themselves. Also included in the book is an examination of scales, tunings and music genres, as well as the instrument's idiomatic language of music ornamentation.
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