Quantitative Analysis of the Propagation and Transition of Traditional Children's Songs

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K12587
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 90020:Library and information science, humanistic and social informatics-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University
• Principal Investigator: KAWASE Akihiro 同志社大学, 文化情報学部, 准教授 (80739186)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: わらべ歌 / 旋律的特徴 / 核音 / 地理情報システム（GIS） / 機械学習 / 音楽教育 / 音楽データベース / アクセント

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The primary objective of this research was to quantitatively analyze traditional Japanese children's songs (warabeuta) to understand their regional musical characteristics. The study digitized a vast collection of songs, providing a comprehensive dataset for analysis. Using machine learning and GIS, the research identified significant regional differences in melodic types, particularly between Tokyo and Kyoto. This analysis demonstrated how musical expressions are culturally intertwined and formed. The findings contribute to musicology, linguistics, and cultural anthropology, offering new insights into the relationship between music and culture. This research lays the foundation for future studies and aids in the preservation and education of traditional Japanese music.

Free Research Field

デジタル・ヒューマニティーズ

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は，わらべ歌の旋律と歌詞を定量的に分析し，地域間の音楽的特徴を明確にした点にある．特に，東京と京都の楽曲間の違いを明らかにし，文化的要素と音楽表現の関係を新たな視点で理解する基盤を築いた．社会的意義としては，この研究が日本の伝統音楽と現代音楽の関係性を明らかにし，音楽教育や文化継承に役立つ知見を提供する点が挙げられる．さらに，データベース化された情報は，今後の多様な研究や教育に資する資源となる．