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*''Japanese'': 古曲 ''(kokyoku)''

''Kokyoku'' (lit. "old songs") is a term used to refer to a certain group of styles or genres of [[shamisen]] music (and accompanying song) which have fallen out of currently active [[kabuki|theatre]] and [[Nihon buyo|dance]] repertoires. They continue, however, to be performed in concerts and recitals.

These include most of the ''[[bungo-kei joruri|bungo-kei jôruri]]'' narrative styles, such as ''[[itchu-bushi|itchû-bushi]]'', ''[[shinnai-bushi]]'', ''[[tomimoto-bushi]]'', ''[[shigetayu-bushi|shigetayû-bushi]]'', and ''[[miyazono-bushi]]''. These were prominent in the kabuki theatre in the 18th century, but later faded from use in the theatre, and began to be performed primarily in the context of ''zashiki'' (chamber) entertainments, i.e. performed by [[geisha]], [[courtesans]], or otherwise in small-scale musical performances. The ''shinnai-bushi'' style continued to be performed as ''shinnai-nagashi'', a street busking performance style featuring two shamisen players.

''[[Kato-bushi|katô-bushi]]'' music is still performed today in the [[kabuki]] play ''[[Sukeroku]]'' (albeit not in any other kabuki productions), but is nevertheless also considered ''kokyoku''.

==References==
*McQueen Tokita, Alison. "Music in kabuki: more than meets the eye." ''The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music''. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. p247.

[[Category:Poetry and Theater]]
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