This paper presents an analysis of some of the musical materials and compositional techniques found in improvisations of the genre
Tsugaru-jamisen (a “folk” shamisen music of northern Japan). The most important musical elements of
Tsugaru-jamisen improvisation are analyzed as having developed from the
shamisen accompaniment of Tsugaru folksong and from solo
shamisen paraphrases by such performers as Shira-kawa Gunpachiro. Processes of tetrachordal variation, motivic repetition, and progressive diminution of phrase lengths are shown to play an especially large role in the structuration of
Tsugaru-jamisen improvisations.
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