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2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Why does the utai bon, the notation of noh chanting, carry gomaten, the neum-like signs on chant texts?

Research Project

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Project/Area Number 24520167
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Research Field Study of the arts/History of the arts/Arts in general
Research InstitutionKyoto City University of Arts

Principal Investigator

Fujita Takanori  京都市立芸術大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 教授 (20209050)

Project Period (FY) 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
Keywords謡本 / 能楽 / 楽譜 / 口頭伝承 / 謡曲
Outline of Final Research Achievements

The traditional notations of Noh chanting have neum-like signs attached at the side of song texts. They are named gomaten or fushi. Researchers have tried to read pitches and durations from those signs for reconstructing melodies. But most of those researches were not fully successful. It is not such signs but rather verbal signs added to the gomaten signs that give singers more precise information on pitches and durations. Nevertheless, the gomaten signs are indispensable for the notation as well as singing practice of noh. It is because the gomaten shows the number of syllables and melismas to singers. It is necessary for singers to know the number of syllables because the rhythmic delivery of noh songs is based on the alternation of numbers of syllables in each phrase. In learning process, the visual shapes of gomaten are sometimes illustrated or imitated by hand gestures while singing. The gomaten signs function as devices for turning song melodies into body gesture.

Free Research Field

民族音楽学

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Published: 2017-05-10  

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