Ryutaro Hirota's creation of children's song and its context of cultural history

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00142
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01050:Aesthetics and art studies-related
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: OCHI Hiroko 中部大学, 現代教育学部, 准教授 (80413160)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 弘田龍太郎 / 赤い鳥運動 / 大正新教育 / 大正教養主義 / 新中間層 / 工場音楽 / 邦楽調査掛 / 仏教音楽

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines Ryutaro Hirota, who has not been studied extensively despite recognition of his name. Specifically, this study (1) creates basic data such as a catalog of works and biographical facts,(2) analyzes the music style of children’s songs in the Taisho period, and (3)examines how the above relates to the philosophy of “good music for a good family,” which defined the consciousness of the Japanese middle class from the Taisho to the postwar period.
Hirota’s activities are broadly divided into four periods. In the first period, he was involved in the New Japanese Music movement while working at the Hogaku Chosa-gakari. In the second, he began to compose children’s songs and participated in the Taisho New Education movement. In the third, his educational activities through radio broadcasts and other means increased. The fourth period began after the war. During his most substantial productive period , Hirota took up Buddhist music again after he returned from Berlin.

Free Research Field

音楽教育史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大正童謡の最も有名な作曲家の一人でありながら、弘田龍太郎については本格的な研究書はおろか作品目録すら整備されず、伝記も書かれていない。彼は仏教音楽や舞踏音楽なども残したが、これらについてはまったく未調査であり、創作の全体像の中で童謡作曲を位置づけることが難しくなっていた。本研究ではこれら多岐にわたる諸活動を整理したうえで、弘田の音楽様式を社会的文化的文脈の中で理解すべく、これらの背景との接合点を探った。弘田の折衷的で堅実な様式は、新中間層が抱く民衆的大衆的なものへの忌避感、西欧的教養への素朴な憧れなどに訴えるもので、それは新教育運動と教養主義的な芸術理想は深く結びついたものだったといえる。