Channel: Traditional Music Channel

Category: Music

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Description: Geisha are Japanese women who entertain through performing the ancient traditions of art, dance and singing, and are distinctively characterized by their wearing of kimono and oshiroi makeup. Geisha begin their study of music and dance when they are very young and continue it throughout their lives. The dance of the geisha has evolved from the dance performed on the noh and kabuki stages. The "wild and outrageous" dances transformed into a more subtle, stylized, and controlled form of dance. It is extremely disciplined, similar to t'ai chi. Every dance uses gestures to tell a story and only a connoisseur can understand the subdued symbolism. The dances are accompanied by traditional Japanese music. The primary instrument is the shamisen. This shamisen, originating in Okinawa, is a banjo-like three-stringed instrument that is played with a plectrum. It has a very distinct, melancholy sound that is often accompanied by flute. All geisha must learn shamisen-playing, though it takes years to master. Along with the shamisen and the flute, geisha also learned to play a ko-tsuzumi, a small, hourglass-shaped shoulder drum, and a large floor taiko (drum). Some geisha would not only dance and play music, but would write beautiful, melancholy poems. Others painted pictures or composed music. Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music and cultural heritage. Whether you are an educator, artist, archivist, student or music enthusiast. With your support we can continue our mission. With recordings from more than hundred nations our Collection of Traditional Music offers a staggering diversity of our shared humanity. Traditional Music Channel © All Rights Reserved