After General Kuropatkin, of the Russian army, had visited Japan, shortly before the great war of 1904-1905, he is said to have remarked that Japan's utter lack of musical taste was an insuperable barrier to her ranking among the first nations of the earth. Today the little island country does rank among the first nations, as Kuropatkin has learned to his cost; but whether this has come about because of a genuine musical taste, or in spite of its absence, is quite another matter.
In the opinion of the writer, the Japanese have a taste for music, but not necessarily for that which passes as music in western lands. Let a western prima donna begin to sing " Home Sweet Home " to an audience composed partly of Englishmen, and partly of Japanese who have never listened to foreign music before, and while the Englishman would be using his handkerchief to wipe away the tears that come unbidden to his eyes, the Japanese would be stuffing the white fabric into his mouth to keep from exploding with merriment. Reverse the situation, however. Let the singer be Japanese and while the Japanese part of the audience would have every nerve drawn tense in response to the performer on the plat-form, the Englishman would feel the same emotion which a backyard serenade from his neighbor's cat would call forth.
Again, the playing of Japanese and of imported instruments before an audience similarly composed would be likely to produce kindred results. The Englishman would consider that the Japanese performer was treating him to a series of funeral dirges, while the Japanese at his side would earnestly wonder what possible pleasure there could be to the English-man in the rowdy-dow that was being raised by the man at the piano or organ. Such an audience could not possibly give an unanimous judgment concerning the respective merits of Japanese and English music. On general principles, how-ever, it is probably safe to say that no nation that has sung songs and played instruments for two thousand years can be called unmusical; and, it may be added further, that we may learn much from the study of the history and present condition of such a nation's music.
In contrasting the music of Japan with that of the West, it must be remembered that, until recent times, loyalty, patriotism and war have been the favorite themes of both singer and player. The result has been simplicity, intense seriousness, and a melancholy strain that produces a weird effect upon the unaccustomed ear. Even in the songs of the dance one misses the lightness of touch and the note of hilarity so characteristic of similar songs with us.
All tunes and songs are played and sung in one part only. Thus, in choruses, unison rather than harmony is the result, making one realize a dull monotony of sound that becomes decidedly tedious before the concert is over.
The instrumental music is suggestive of one-finger exercises on the piano, or the tuning of an obstreperous fiddle, while in singing, the voice is trained to such an artificial pitch, both in the upper and lower registers, that a harsh rasping effect is produced. One misses the mellowness and roundness so noticeable in the well-cultivated western voice.
Some two hundred years before the time of Christ, so goes an ancient Chinese song, musicians and their music came into Japan from China through Korea, that gateway of so much of Japan's past civilization. From that time until some three or four hundred years ago, there were several renaissances of the art due largely to the influence of wealthy Japanese patrons, famous among whom was Lugawara Michizane, the patron saint of all school children in the Empire today. During these renaissances, much new music and many new musicians came into the country; a goodly number of Japanese youths were sent to the mainland for study; the court was generous in its encouragement; and it is said that at least one emperor was as skilful in making as in playing the instruments in his possession.
At the beginning of the Japanese feudal system some three centuries ago, communication with the mainland practically ceased and music seemed likely to decline. Thereupon the court took the matter up in earnest, establishing what might be called a school of classical music, Korean in origin and carried on by Koreans, and this became the standard for the country at large. During the period of the feudal system, great progress was made in the art, so that at the beginning of the present Emperor's reign, forty years ago, more than a dozen kinds of musical instruments were in use throughout the Empire; while, as to songs, their number was legion, ranging from those of a most technical nature sung by Tokyo professionals to the " hayari-uta " familiar to every peasant in the mountain hamlets.
From among musical instruments we select seven for special mention, representatives of the three varieties, stringed, wind, and percussion. Of the wind variety, the " Fue is the longest in use, dating back to very ancient times. It is about the size of our own flute and, like it, is played from the side. The "Shakuhachi " is peculiarly the blind man's property and comfort, is played from the end, and in its round full tone resembles somewhat our clarinet.
Of the stringed instruments, the " Koto " comes first in point of age and quality. Years are needed to become at all proficient in its use and, like the " Shakuhachi," it is preferred
in private gatherings and on public occasions when music of a quiet and serious kind is desired. As a Japanese friend recently remarked to the writer, " No Japanese can be boisterous while he is listening to the ` Koto ' or ' Shakuhachi.' "
The " Samisen," most popular of all, attracts first the attention of the stranger. It is in evidence everywhere. Alone, or in unison with other instruments, it charms alike the theatre-goer, the audience at a public concert, the crowd of revelers surrounded by dancing-girls, and the children who gather eagerly about the strolling player in the street. Like cards, however, it has a bad name, for it is too often associated with the training of a child in those accomplishments which fit it for a life of shame on coming to maturity. The " Biwa " is similar to the " Samisen " in shape, and is preferred for accompanying songs of warlike deeds.
Of the percussion type, the " Taiko " is the largest of all, and is beaten with two sticks as it stands on end. The " Otsuzumi " is next in size. It is held by the left hand over the knees, parallel to the body, and is struck smartly with the right hand. The " Kotsuzumi," smallest of the three, is held by the left hand over the right arm, at right angles to the body, and is struck from beneath by the fingers of the right hand.
Among widely-known songs, the national anthem takes, of course, the first place. It is very short, is always sung twice in succession on such occasions as the opening and closing of the school term, graduating exercises, and official celebrations of a national character and is sung invariably in a spirit of reverence and in an attitude of profound respect.
Below we give the song and its meaning :
Kimi ga yo wa
Chi yo ni ya chi yo ni
Sazare ishi no
Iwao to narite
Koke no musu made.
A thousand years of happy life be thine!
Live on, my Lord, till what are pebbles now,
By age united, to great rocks shall grow,
Whose venerable sides the moss doth line. (Chamberlain's Translation.)
Another general favorite is one expressing hearty congratulations on such occasions as a wedding, the erection of a new house, or the return of a son from abroad. It reads :
Tokoro wa takasago no
Ono e no matsu mo
Foshi furete,
Oi no nami mo
Yori kuru ya.
The meaning is :
No spot like this unless it be those slopes where grow the hoary pines, or those far-reaching shores where roll the many waves of ocean.
The pine and the sea represent good fortune at its best.
So far we have written of music as it has existed and does exist entirely apart from western influence. Coming to the introduction of the western type, we marvel at the transformation in less than fifty years. As yet, there are no Mozarts or Pattis to be heard, but both quickly and surely Japan is approaching the time when her modern musicians may aspire to the position in their profession which Togo has secured in his.
Until 1880, the music of the West was known to the Japanese only through the foreign legations, the business and professional men of the open ports, the missionaries, and Japanese travelers returning from abroad. The missionaries, especially, did fine pioneer work, for their close connection with the people, and the necessity for music in religious work, left them no choice but to teach on every available occasion. Twenty-seven years ago, the government invited Professor Mason to come over from the United States to establish a technical school of training in Tokyo. From that time on the interest has deepened and widened. Training-schools have been multiplied, pupils have increased, some excellent per-formers have been graduated, and today there are many pupils of both sexes devoting themselves to special study in New York and other places abroad. In Tokyo, there are two or three well-known vocalists of either sex, and not a few experts in piano and violin; several fine string bands may be heard; and as for those who can play creditably upon the reed-organ, their name is legion.
The use of the organ is best seen in the schools, from the primary grades up to the normal and middle courses. There are at least two or three of these instruments in every primary and grammar department; about the same number in the middle schools ; and anywhere from fifteen to twenty in each of the normal and higher girls' schools.
The Imperial Government at Tokyo is now going further than that of any other nation, in that it selects promising students who are sent to foreign music centers at the expense of the government with the expectation of their returning to Japan and assisting in the elevation of the standard of 'music. Within the last few years the result of this foreign study has become more and more apparent by the gradual adaption of Occidental tunes and methods of teaching. More stress is placed upon vocal music and the ability to read at sight than upon the performance of instrumental music.
Practically all the graduates of the normal schools read simple music at sight, and are thus competent to teach the rudiments of the art to the forty or fifty children who may come under their instruction. To enable these young teachers to do their best work, the Educational Department has pre-pared a series of text-books for the different grades and classes, and thus is laid out a course which beginning with simple, short, one-part songs, gradually leads up to those more complicated until finally we have, in the highest grades for girls, four-part songs complete.
A glance at these text-books shows us that nature-songs hold first place. Besides these, however, devotion to parents, kindness to animals, thoughtfulness for others, respect for learning, loyalty and patriotism, are well represented. The songs and tunes seem to have been well selected, and without doubt the boy or girl who passes through the whole course, from primary to middle, will acquire a taste for music and an understanding of it such as the writer of this article never dreamed of in his schoolboy days, and such as few American children, perhaps, are acquiring today.
In bringing this brief survey to a close, it is but fair to say that, as yet, young Japan puts more lustiness than skill into his singing; that the voices for the most part still sound harsh and heavy; and that the instrumental performances of the most enlightened are still far below the western standard. But any one who has seen the tremendous enthusiasm of the school children as they shout their marching songs, or who has listened from early morn till dewy eve to the patient, plodding organ-strumming of ambitious school-girls, will not fail to see in this enthusiasm and patience the promise of a rapid development.
