Introduction
Understanding this tradition
Honkyoku are solo pieces of shakuhachi transmitted by different schools. They are often associated with the komusō of the Fuke sect and the practice of suizen, 的meditation by blowing up, but the historical links between music, Zen and religious identity are complex.
First listening
Three things to hear
- Listen to the grain of the breath as much as the height.
- Identify silences as parts of the sentence.
- Compare the same room in two schools in shakuhachi.
History and transmission
The vertical flute existed before, but the honkyoku repertoire took its form during the Edo era. After the suppression of the Fuke sect in the 19th century, teachers and schools reorganize the transmission. The modern concert and international exchanges further expand its uses.
What does it look like?
Audible breath, fragile attacks, patch changes, glissandi and irregular silences. A single note can evolve through the angle of the flute and air pressure. The shape follows less a pulse than a respiratory path.
Where and why are we listening?
Some rooms have a temple or transmission name. Listening to them as relaxing Zen music may make them miss their technical difficulty, their variety of lines and their institutional history.
Artists, works and albums
Three listening doors
Each button opens a search targeted on an external platform. Orabel does not read, copy and host any audio files.
A Bell Ringing in the Empty Sky
Goro Yamaguchi
A reference interpretation registered with the American National Recording Registry.Zen: Classical Shakuhachi
Katsuya Yokoyama
A powerful game that reveals the diversity of stamps and attacks.Shakuhachi Honkyoku
Riley Lee
An international transmission attentive to traditional lines.Listen and transmit with respect
Avoid the simplistic narrative that each honkyoku would be an immemorial meditation. Name the school and the master; distinguish traditional repertoire and inspired contemporary composition.
Sources