Sankyoku ensemble music of the early modern period (1600-1868) was originally performed on kokyu, sangen, and so. Even today such performances continue to take place. Such music was important in the development of heterophonic Japanese musical style.
Music for the kokyu includes solo pieces, duos performed with shamisen, and sankyoku trios. In the historical development of this music, the kokyu emerged as a bowed string instrument played in typically Japanese style.
San-sagari tuning is one of the characteristic features of kokyu music. In order to analyze this tuning, I have focussed on two important playing techniques: suri and uchite. Melodic patterns of classical music have been analyzed, with a special emphasis on melodic movement of the third string of the kokyu in san-sagari tuning. This analysis has shown that four types of melodies may be abstracted from this music. These four types are found only in san-sagari tuning.
Finally, I have noted that the relation of san-sagari tuning to scales is important for understanding the characterisics of sankyoku music of the early modern period.
抄録全体を表示