Changes

===Musical Genres===

===Musical Genres===

Okinawan music is generally divided into three genres:

Okinawan music is generally divided into three genres:

#'''Classical''' (J: ''koten ongaku'') - This category mostly consists of songs associated with the royal court of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]], including pieces played to entertain Chinese dignitaries, for certain ritual or ceremonial purposes, in conjunction with [[Okinawan dance]] or ''[[kumi udui]]'' theatre, or in other formal court contexts. Many of these songs are quite slow, and played quite precisely, according to traditional styles of playing. A very distinctive vocal style is also employed, in which the mouth is held only narrowly open, and an idea of tightness or tautness, pressing down on the ''hara'' (stomach) is central to the technique. The two most prominent schools of classical ''uta-sanshin'' are [[Nomura-ryu|Nomura-ryû]], which employs fairly strict adherence to written notation, and Afusô-ryû, which focuses more heavily on oral transmission, i.e. playing in emulation of one's teacher. A third school, [[Tansui-ryu|Tansui-ryû]], is considered the oldest, and is still active today. As one can imagine, the former tradition tends towards a high degree of consistency or similarity from place to place and teacher to teacher, while the latter tradition tends towards the development of lineages of sub-styles, as each group of students learns to play like their teacher, in a manner somewhat different perhaps from the students of another teacher.

#'''Classical''' (J: ''koten ongaku'') - This category mostly consists of songs associated with the royal court of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]], including pieces played to entertain Chinese dignitaries, for certain ritual or ceremonial purposes, in conjunction with [[Okinawan dance]] or ''[[kumi udui]]'' theatre, or in other formal court contexts. Many of these songs are quite slow, and played quite precisely, according to traditional styles of playing. A very distinctive vocal style is also employed, in which the mouth is held only narrowly open, and an idea of tightness or tautness, pressing down on the ''hara'' (stomach) is central to the technique, producing a distinctive vocal sound. Classical pieces tend, for the most part, to be heterophonic, meaning that the notes sung do not line up with the notes played on the sanshin; the Japanese term ''tsukazu hanarezu'' is often applied in traditional Japanese music to describe the way that instrument and voice follow largely the same melody line, but a half-beat or more off from one another.<ref>*McQueen Tokita, Alison. "Music in kabuki: more than meets the eye." ''The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music''. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. p236.</ref>

 

The two most prominent schools of classical ''uta-sanshin'' are [[Nomura-ryu|Nomura-ryû]], which employs fairly strict adherence to written notation, and Afusô-ryû, which focuses more heavily on oral transmission, i.e. playing in emulation of one's teacher. A third school, [[Tansui-ryu|Tansui-ryû]], is considered the oldest, and is still active today. As one can imagine, the former tradition tends towards a high degree of consistency or similarity from place to place and teacher to teacher, while the latter tradition tends towards the development of lineages of sub-styles, as each group of students learns to play like their teacher, in a manner somewhat different perhaps from the students of another teacher.

Classical songs include ''Nubui kuduchi'', ''Kajadifu bushi'', ''Aha bushi'', and ''Wudui kuwadisa''.

Classical songs include ''Nubui kuduchi'', ''Kajadifu bushi'', ''Aha bushi'', and ''Wudui kuwadisa''.

#'''Folk''' (J: ''min'yô'', also known as ''shima uta'') - Folk music includes a wide range of types of songs, not only from [[Okinawa Island]], but from all of the Ryûkyû Islands. Some of the oldest folk songs derive from the [[Miyako Islands]].<ref>Ashgate. p305.</ref> Many folk songs derive from traditional festival music, agricultural work songs known as ''yunta'' or ''jiraba'', or courting songs known as ''utagaki'', while others are of newer composition, but have become so widely known, and so standard, that they have come to be regarded as "folk music." Some folk songs employ the distinctive vocal techniques of classical singing, while others use a more standard/Western/modern open style. The lyrics are often in Okinawan, or another [[Ryukyuan languages|Ryukyuan language]], but are sometimes in standard Japanese. The playing style on the sanshin is somewhat freer than in classical playing, as various techniques are used to help one play more quickly or more smoothly, though such moves might not strictly be tolerated in one of the classical playing styles.

#'''Folk''' (J: ''min'yô'', also known as ''shima uta'') - Folk music includes a wide range of types of songs, not only from [[Okinawa Island]], but from all of the Ryûkyû Islands. Some of the oldest folk songs derive from the [[Miyako Islands]].<ref>Ashgate. p305.</ref> Many folk songs derive from traditional festival music, agricultural work songs known as ''yunta'' or ''jiraba'', or courting songs known as ''utagaki'', while others are of newer composition, but have become so widely known, and so standard, that they have come to be regarded as "folk music." Some folk songs employ the distinctive vocal techniques of classical singing, while others use a more standard/Western/modern open style. The heterophony heard in classical songs is lessened in folk and popular music, with the pitches played and sung more regularly lining up with one another. The lyrics are often in Okinawan, or another [[Ryukyuan languages|Ryukyuan language]], but are sometimes in standard Japanese. The playing style on the sanshin is somewhat freer than in classical playing, as various techniques are used to help one play more quickly or more smoothly, though such moves might not strictly be tolerated in one of the classical playing styles.

Some of the most popular folk songs are ''[[Asadoya yunta]]'', which originally derives from [[Taketomi Island]] but which is today most commonly performed with lyrics in standard Japanese (not [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]); ''[[Nada sousou]]''; ''[[Tinsagu nu hana]]''; and ''[[Toshin doi|Tôshin doi]]'', a song commonly played to accompany ''[[kachashi]]'' dancing. Prominent folk singers include Natsukawa Rimi, Noborikawa Seijin, Kadekaru Rinshô, China Sadao, and Kina Shôei.

Some of the most popular folk songs are ''[[Asadoya yunta]]'', which originally derives from [[Taketomi Island]] but which is today most commonly performed with lyrics in standard Japanese (not [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]); ''[[Nada sousou]]''; ''[[Tinsagu nu hana]]''; and ''[[Toshin doi|Tôshin doi]]'', a song commonly played to accompany ''[[kachashi]]'' dancing. Prominent folk singers include Natsukawa Rimi, Noborikawa Seijin, Kadekaru Rinshô, China Sadao, and Kina Shôei.