Shakuhachi Master - John Singer
21. SOKAKU REIBO (NESTING CRANES)
In the Kinko school, the piece "Tsuru No Sugomori" is called "Sokaku Reibo" and this piece is one of the most famous among the Kinko Ryu Honkyoku as is the piece "Shika No Toneh" (The Distant Sound of Deer; A Description of The Late Fall Mountain). It is most interesting that these two popular Honkyoku pieces describe the behavior of animals.
"Sokaku Reibo" describes the life of the cranes, from their birth and the time of their being raised by their parents to the flight of the young from the nest and the eventual death of the parent cranes.
Throughout the entire piece a short motivational melody is repeated and pushing to a gradual build-up this melody changes little by little. There is a specific tonguing technique in this piece which is quite remarkable. Some of the short phrases have the same form as Jiuta Sugomori "Ji". This music uses the technique called "koro-koro" and this is used often used because it imitates the voice and wing flapping of the cranes. On the whole, the composition of this piece is dramatic and the climax comes with the separation of the young from the nest. Moreover, a complicated special technique is used with variations. This is one reason why "Sokaku Reibo" is so popular even though it is relatively long. In addition, the player's technique can be enjoyed.
John performs this piece on his album Zen Shakuhachi Duets.
Copyright 2001 John Singer. All rights reserved.