The Soul of the Koto

Product Description
Classical and modern music for koto by masters of Ikuta and Yamada schools. Includes Kumoi Rokudan, Midare, and Shiki No Shirabe.

The Soul of the Koto,Various Artists,Lyrichord Discs Inc.,Asia,Int'l & World Music,Japan,Pop,World Music

Average customer rating: Destined to be a classic! A big disappointment It' s the Japanese Sandman Exquisite! Beautiful collaboration!

Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies Manufacturer: Koto World ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | New Age | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Lullabies | Children's Music | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Far East & Asia | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Best-Loved Children's Songs from Japan Island Dreams - songs and lullabies carried on the wind Japanese Children's Favorite Stories Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Book 2 The Very Best of Japanese Music ASIN: B00005QB3U Release Date: 2001-09-05

Tracks:

1. Oborozuki yo (Dreamy Moonlit Night)
2. Furusato (My Heart's Home)
3. Sakura, Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
4. Momiji (Scarlet Leaves)
5. Takeda no Komoriuta (Takeda Lullaby)
6. Aiko's Lullaby
7. Aka Tonbo (Red Dragonfly)
8. Aogeba Tosohi (Song of Gratitude)
9. Umi (Vast Ocean)
10. Mimura nu Angwa (Girls from Three Villages)
11. Hatsu Yuki (First Snow)
12. Kirakira Boshi (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
13. Hama Chidori (Plovers on the Shore)
14. Hagoromo no Komoriuta (Okinawan Lullaby)
15. Komoriuta (Japanese Lullaby)
16. Oyasumi (Goodnight)

Album Description

Winner of both a 2002 NAPPA Gold Award and 2001 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Aiko Shimada (voice) and Elizabeth Falconer (koto) play old songs from Japan; lullabies and age-old favorites that have been used to soothe children and adults alike for centuries. Compellingly understated arrangements bring out the warmth of Shimada's voice and the ephemeral beauty of the 13-string koto. Works sung largely in Japanese, with some English lyrics artfully woven in, but no knowledge of Japanese is necessary to enjoy the beauty of these intimate, nurturing songs.

Customer Reviews:

Destined to be a classic!.......2005-11-07

This CD helped to put my first baby to sleep. Now, it is putting both of my kids to sleep....and sometimes me, too! The singing seems straight from the heart, the arrangements are touching, and I love the lyrics in both Japanese and English. This CD has something to offer everyone, of all ages, of all cultures. It is destined to be a classic.

A big disappointment.......2005-08-27

[...]
I dislike Aiko Shimada's singing style intensely. She slurs the notes in a very annoying way.
This CD is more like new age music than authentic Japanese songs.
Even the koto playing is uninteresting.

It' s the Japanese Sandman.......2003-01-01

Or perhaps it's the Sandwoman--Aiko Shimada (voice) and Elizabeth Falconer (koto) play traditional Japanese lullabies and songs. Ms. Shimada, however, does not employ the traditional Japanese singing technique--a kind of throaty sound mixed with that shrill sound so popular in Asia. Instead, she has an almost Celtic lilt to her voice. These songs seem to evoke night, a ruined castle, ghostly cherry trees in bloom or a pond reflecting a moon behind a cloud. This is a nice CD to play if you love Japanese songs but are not fond of traditional Asian music (I do happen to like the screechy sound of traditional singing, but this is a nice variation.)

This would be a fun CD to use as a bedtime CD for kids, encouraging them to relax and imagine they are drifting off on a barge on a night-dark river. Or good for atmosphere during your next sushi dinner at home. Very pretty stuff.

Exquisite!.......2002-10-12

"Oyasumi" is a very deceptive album: deceptive in its simplicity, that is. Like most folkloric music, the songs on this CD are deeply rooted in experiences common to all people, and their emotional impact is complex, subtle and very powerful.

I first heard sound clips from this recording in the wake of the horrific events of 9/11. I listened to the clips again and again, deeply moved by the beauty of Aiko Shimada's voice and Elizabeth Falconer's work on koto. The creativity and undertone of joy broke through the pain and brought new hope. (This in the midst of constant military surveillance flights in the airspace surrounding the Pentagon, and a pall of silence in an otherwise lively neighborhood...)

My initial impressions haven't changed, though my appreciation for what Falconer and Shimada have achieved grows deeper each time I listen to the CD. Both women are master musicians, but the chemistry here is something unusual - and lasting. All of the tracks reach the very high standard set by their creators, making it very difficult to choose the so-called "best." However, my top picks include "Mimura nu Angwa," "Hagoromo no Komoriuta" (traditional Okinawan songs), an extremely elegant reworking of "Sakura, Sakura," and two original compositions by Falconer and Shimada respectively: "Hatsu Yuki" and "Aiko's Lullaby." I'm sure you'll find your own favorites soon enough...

Beautiful collaboration!.......2001-10-19

A mesmerizing, vey relaxing compilation of songs sung in Japanese and English. Some interpret classic folk tunes, some are modern original ballads (a la Jewel or Tracy Chapman). All feature Ms. Shimada's spectacularly clear, pure, delicate voice, accompanied by the sonorous rainwater sounds of Ms. Falconer's koto. The harmonies are delightful and enchanting.
Even without knowing the lyrics (which can be accessed on their website), you'll be able to hum along with many of them, and the language exposure is wonderful for young minds! The CD is long enough that even an energetic little one will slow down by the end. My 18-month old was completely transfixed for the first 3 or 4 songs at least, and on subsequent days would hand me the case as a hint to play it, even at bathtime.
With songs about dragonflies, cherry blossoms, stars and the ocean, one's spirit feels charmed, lightened and youthful; and yet there is also a deep wisdom and connectedness to nature and culture in these traditional sounds that have probably soothed generations.

Average customer rating:

Panorama: An Expansive Collection of Music from Around the World That Inspires the Heart, Mind and Soul (2-CD Set) Various Artists Manufacturer: Higher Octave ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music General | Compilations | New Age | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Silver Wave, Vol. 1: The Sun Night + Day: Music to Soothe the Soul and Enliven the Spirit (2-CD Set) The Best of Silver Wave, Vol. 2: The Moon Highway 1 (Essence Collection) Evolution: 1986-1996 (10th Anniversary): 'As in Music, So in Life' (2-CD Set) ASIN: B000003Z25 Release Date: 1996-09-17

Tracks:

1. Road To Shiraz - Shahin & Sepehr
2. Mind Thieves - Osamu Kitajima
3. Shangri-La - Alain Eskinasi
4. Cascabeles (Rattlers) - Lara & Reyes
5. Rosie O'Connor - Eko
6. Spirit Rising - William Aura
7. Dune - Living Mirrors
8. Rainbeat - The Soto Koto Band
9. Rising Eagle - Alain Eskinasi
10. We Should Be Together - 3rd Force
11. The Pink Dolphin - Tim Timmermans
12. India Ink - Tom Vedvik
13. The Gift Of Life - Bruce BecVar

Tracks:

1. Eclipse - Eko
2. Out Of The Dark - James McCarty
3. Behind The Light - Osamu Kitajima
4. Profound Love - The Soto Koto Band
5. Native Tongue (Remix) - Various Artists
6. Those Eyes - Michael Deep
7. Juego (Game) - Lara & Reyes
8. Reasons To Love - Robin Frederick
9. Secrets - Michael Deep
10. In A Ten Bamboo Studio - Timmermans/Wise
11. Purple Shadows - Willam Aura & Friends
12. Oceana Star - Richard Buxton
13. Early Morning Fog On Lake Ilsanjo - Crystal Wind
14. Earth Anthem - Stephen Longfellow Fiske
15. The Truth (...The Last Language) - Opafire

Average customer rating: Koto Music for the Soul

Soul of the Koto Various Artists Manufacturer: Lyrichord Discs Inc. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Japan | Far East | Compilations | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Far East & Asia | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Dinner Classics: The Japanese Album ASIN: B000002296 Release Date: 1996-03-26

Tracks:

1. Kudan
2. Kumoi Rokudan
3. Midare
4. Sagano Aki
5. Daigo No Hanami
6. Shiki No Shirabe
7. Sakura
8. Two Improvisations For Reikin

Album Description

Classical and modern music for koto by masters of Ikuta and Yamada schools. Includes Kumoi Rokudan, Midare, and Shiki No Shirabe.

Customer Reviews:

Koto Music for the Soul.......2006-05-21

This is a really nice CD of koto music, with a good variety of musical pieces ranging from revered classics to renditions of folk melodies ("Sakura"). All seem to be performed by members of the Ikuta-ryu school, but the selection is eclectic (ecumenical?) with Yamada-ryu and Ikuta-ryu compositions both included. Also the last track features a real oddity, a steel-stringed koto with a strangely resonant metallic sound. Altogether this is fine music.

A lot of Lyrichord's CDs are digital remasters of older albums originally released as LPs, and my sense is that this one is as well (with tracks 7 and 8 added to the CD release). Therefore the sound quality might not be up to exalted contemporary standards of digital refinement, but the digital remastering seems to be competent enough and the CD sounds good enough to me in any case. The quality of musicianship on this album more than makes up for any minor technological deficiencies.

Average customer rating: A Second Helping of Koto Music for the Soul

The Soul of the Koto, Vol. 2 Various Artists Manufacturer: Lyrichord Discs Inc. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Japan | Far East | Compilations | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Far East & Asia | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B0000022AS Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

1. Midare
2. Haru No Umi
3. Nebiki No Matsu
4. Rokudan No Shirabe
5. Chidori No Kyoku
6. Soran-Bushi
7. Kuroda-Bushi
8. Niwa No Sanshu No Ki
9. Utsukushiki Ten-Nen
10. Banshu

Album Description

More classic Lyrichord koto pieces recorded in Japan by Katsumasa Takasago, featuring virtuoso performances by the legendary Master musicians of the Ikuta-Ryu. Here, the Koto is joined at times by the serene Shamisen and Shakuhachi, two other traditional ancient instruments of Japan. Another koto-lovers delight!

Customer Reviews:

A Second Helping of Koto Music for the Soul.......2006-05-22

Like its predecessor, this is truly a fine CD of koto music, again with an interesting range of musical selections. The revered classics are here, including the archetypal koto piece "Rokudan"--almost all these are compositions by Yatsuhashi Kengyo, for all intents and purposes the founder of koto music as we know it today. The folk song adaptations also show up again--many of these seem unlikely sources for the refinement of koto music (working songs of Hokkaido fishermen, samurai drinking songs), but somehow it works extremely well. One can hear the koto played together with the shamisen and the shakuhachi on a few of the pieces, too. There are also some surprises, like "Utsukushiki Tennen" (one of the first popular koto melodies of modern Japan and probably my favorite track here) and "Banshu" by a lesser known koto lineage from Kyushu. Other than this last one, the Ikuta school dominates the performance on this CD and for the most part they do a great job, but somehow the playing in "Chidori no Kyoku" sounds a little anemic.

A lot of Lyrichord's CDs are digital remasters of older albums originally released as LPs, and it's pretty clear that that's the case for this one. Therefore the sound quality isn't quite up to the current exalted standards of digital refinement. The digital remastering seems okay enough, though the sound seems just a tad dull compared to the prior "Soul of the Koto" CD. Probably there's no helping this. Still, the CD is more than listenable and has stuff that just cannot be found elsewhere, and the quality of musicianship on this album more often than not makes up for the minor technological deficiencies.

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