Hichiriki
Encyclopedia
The is a double reed
Japanese fue
(flute) used as one of two main melodic instruments in Japanese gagaku
music, the other being the ryūteki
. The hichiriki is difficult to play, due in part to its double reed configuration. Although a double reed instrument like the oboe
, the hichiriki has a cylindrical bore
and thus its sound is similar to that of a clarinet. Pitch and ornamentation (most notably bending tones) are controlled largely with the embouchure
. The hichiriki is one of the "sacred" instruments and is often heard being played at Shinto
weddings in Japan. Its sound is often described as haunting.
The hichiriki is the most widely used of all instruments in gagaku and it is used in all forms of music aside from poetry recitation.
The hichiriki is derived from the Chinese guan
or bili, and is also related to the Korean piri
.
Notable non-Japanese musicians who have learned to play the hichiriki include Alan Hovhaness
, Richard Teitelbaum
, and Joseph Celli
.
Double reed
A double reed is a type of reed used to produce sound in various wind instruments. The term double reed comes from the fact that there are two pieces of cane vibrating against each other. A single reed consists of one piece of cane which vibrates against a mouthpiece made of metal, hardened...
Japanese fue
Fue
Fue is the Japanese word for flute, and refers to a class of flutes native to Japan.Fue or FUE may also refer to:*The French University in Egypt*The Future University in Egypt*Follicular unit extraction, a technique of harvesting hair...
(flute) used as one of two main melodic instruments in Japanese gagaku
Gagaku
Gagaku is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial Court in Kyoto for several centuries. It consists of three primary repertoires:#Native Shinto religious music and folk songs and dance, called kuniburi no utamai...
music, the other being the ryūteki
Ryuteki
The is a Japanese transverse fue made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku, the Shinto classical music associated with Japan's imperial court. The sound of the ryūteki is said to represent the dragons which ascend the skies between the heavenly lights and the people of the earth...
. The hichiriki is difficult to play, due in part to its double reed configuration. Although a double reed instrument like the oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
, the hichiriki has a cylindrical bore
Bore (wind instruments)
The bore of a wind instrument is its interior chamber that defines a flow path through which air travels and is set into vibration to produce sounds. The shape of the bore has a strong influence on the instruments' timbre.-Bore shapes:...
and thus its sound is similar to that of a clarinet. Pitch and ornamentation (most notably bending tones) are controlled largely with the embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
. The hichiriki is one of the "sacred" instruments and is often heard being played at Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
weddings in Japan. Its sound is often described as haunting.
The hichiriki is the most widely used of all instruments in gagaku and it is used in all forms of music aside from poetry recitation.
The hichiriki is derived from the Chinese guan
Guan (instrument)
The guan is a Chinese double reed wind instrument. The northern Chinese version is called guanzi or bili and the Cantonese version is called houguan . It is classified as a bamboo instrument in the Ba Yin system...
or bili, and is also related to the Korean piri
Piri
The piri is a Korean double reed instrument, used in both the folk and classical music of Korea. It is made of bamboo. Its large reed and cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than that of many other types of oboe....
.
Notable non-Japanese musicians who have learned to play the hichiriki include Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness was an Armenian-American composer.His music is accessible to the lay listener and often evokes a mood of mystery or contemplation...
, Richard Teitelbaum
Richard Teitelbaum
Richard Teitelbaum is an American composer, keyboardist, and improvisor. Born in New York, he is a former student of Allen Forte, Mel Powell, and Luigi Nono. He is best known for his live electronic music and synthesizer performance. For example, he brought the first moog synthesizer to Europe...
, and Joseph Celli
Joseph Celli
Joseph Celli is an American musician and composer specializing in contemporary and improvised music for oboe and English horn...
.