Asian Musicology 31- eBook

Indo-mono musical works in modern Japan - a focus on Kazuo Yamada and Sadao It？

Hidetoshi Kobinata
(Tokyo College of Music)


Abstract

This paper examines the Indo-mono [India-related] musical works of two Japanese composers, Kazuo Yamada (1912-1991) and Sadao It？ (1906-2005), both active in the mid-twentieth century, and the positions of their works in a line of the Indo-mono category.
Indo-mono literally means something related to India. This term is used in this paper as a category of musical works related to Indic or south Asian musical and cultural elements, to denote a groupe of such musical works composed in modern Japan.
Two case studies on two composers show that these Indo-mono works are the mixture of various writing methods of the Western music and Indian elements, including musical scales and Indian poetry. The general interest of Japan in Nanp？ [south] area including India in early twentieth century, and Weserrnized music education system introduced since Meiji era constitute the background of such cultural hybridization found in these works. In addition, a historical connection of Japan to India over 1,200 years since the introduction of Buddhism also played an important role.


Keywords: Indo-mono, Kazuo Yamada, Sadao It？, Buddhist hymn, r？ga


Introduction

The aim of this paper is to examine the Indo-mono [India-related] musical works of two Japanese composers, Kazuo Yamada (1912-1991) and Sadao It？ (1906-2005), both active in the mid-twentieth century, and the positions of their works in a line of the Indo-mono category.
The first section examines the general relationship between Japan and India, to define the category of the Indo-mono musical works and illustrates the situation of composers in modern Japan.
The second section is a case study on Kazuo Yamada and his Indo-mono ballet work, Jubaku, as the earliest example in the pre-WWII period.
The last section is a case study on Sadao It？, as the earliest example in the post-WWII period.

Japan-India relationship and India-related musical works

It is interesting to see the Japanese composers, trained in the Western music, have shown not a few interests in and intentions of introducing the musical or cultural elements of India into their own works. It is not a merely curious matter but one of important issues in the history of Japanese music.

Japan-India relationship from a historic perspective

Looking at the long history of Japan, close relevance is found between Indian culture and Japan, as whole, giving some impacts to Japanese culture: in the Asuka (593-710) and the Nara (710-784) periods, Japan accepted Buddhism via China and used it as a tool to build national peace.
Even in the modern Japan, some elements of Indian culture are observed in her daily life as the consequence of accepted Buddhism. Taishakuten, one of the typical guardian deities of Buddhist cosmology in Japan, was derived from an Indian god Indra of the Brahmanical tradition. Benzaiten, also known as a typical guardian deity in Japan, was derived from Sarasvati, a Hindu goddess of music, eloquence, wealth and wisdom. In the busy daily life, Japanese people unconsciously is exposed to Indian culture through Buddhism.