ASIAN MUSICAL

THEATER
JAPAN THEATER

Kabuki
( ka-“song,” bu- “dance” and ki-
“skills”)

- is a Japanese traditional
theater art that is
performed in a stylized
manner which combines
acting, singing and
dancing.
 Nōh and Kabuki
 considered as the
most important
Japanese
contribution to
world theater. It is
unique and genuine
expressions of the
Japanese spirit and
culture.
 Sakura (Cherry Blossom in
English)

- is one of the popular traditional songs in Japan

that produces distinct characteristics used in the
Asian style of making melodies also known as the
pentatonic scale.
1. IPPONCHōSHI or the continuous
pattern
Vocal Pattern
- is used in speeches building up to an
and
Techniques
explosive climax in the aragoto (oversize,
supernatural, rough hero) style, it requires
an extra ordinary breath control that only
few experts succeed in achieving.
 2. NORI

- technique adapted from

chanting or jōruri.
- It implies a very sensitive
capacity of riding the rhythms of
the sham isen (string
instrument), declaiming each
accompaniment.
YAKUHARAI

- technique in the same way describes

the subtle delivery of poetical text
written in Japanese metrical form of
alternating seven and five syllables.
Vocal and Instrumental Features

 Dances and Movements

- are accompanied by sham ishen music

which collected and popularized a number
of aspects from all previous forms of
Japanese music.
 Japanese Sham isen Music
 Gagaku - classical court music imported from China during the
18th century
 Kagura - performed in Shinto shrines
 Nō - chant derives from shōm yō,( sophisticated and rich tradition
of Buddhist chanting).

 Naugata - music is very flexible, can be performed by one sham

ishen or by an entire orchestra of twenty musicians of which ten
are sham isen players, while other play fue, kotsuzum i, otsuzum
i and taiko.
CHINESE THEATER
 1. Peking Opera
- is also known as the Beijing opera.
- It is a stylized Chinese form of opera dating from
the late 18th century, in which speech, singing,
mime and acrobatics are performed to an
instrumental accompaniment.
- The opera artists’ goal is to make every
performance beautiful in every movement they
will make.
 Main Style of Music

Erh-huang and His-p’l

- these styles are very similar and the only

difference is the key.

- His-p’l has lower sound than erh-huang.

- they also utilize the technique called fan-pan

which is commonly used for sorrowful song, and is
only sung by bearded character.
Orchestra
- It comprises about 8 musician sitting on stool in the far
corner of the stage.

- Each performance begins with the ta-lo and siao-lo, a

small and large gong and cymbals. In some performances,
they also start with a single skin drum or kettle drum .

- The conductor usually sit in the center of the orchestra

and creates tempo with the drum.
Vocal
-Even spoken passages are governed
by strict rhythms and tempos.
-Chanted and sung passage are freely
inserted into spoken monologues or
dialogues.
Musical Instruments
 Ø Aerophone Ø Chordophone
(Violin-Like)
1.Ti-ts - cross flute;
usually played along 1. Hu-ch’in - two stinged
violin-like
singing instrument ,held
2.Siao - recorded flute; upright against the
knee
usually played 2. Bu-ch’in -two stinged
along singing violin-like instrument
3.Sona - trumpet; that has more graceful
announces prosperous sound
occasions (victories,
 Ø Chordophone Ø Idiophone
(Guitar- Like) Gongs;signify the
beginning
1.Yue-ch’in - is a four-
stringed moon guitar
2.San-sien - is a three-
1.Ta-lo } of the of
stringed instrument the performance
2.Siao-lo
3.Pi-p’a - is similar to
flute with four 3.Tan-pi-ku - kettle
strings. drum; used to create
the tempo of the
performance.
INDONESIAN
THEATER
Shadow Puppet Theater
- is a well-known Indonesian theater
popular not only in their own country
but spread in several countries around
the world.
Wayang Kulit - (in Central Java)
- is one of the oldest continuous
traditions of storytelling in the world
which includes the use of puppet materials
and background musical accompaniment
to make interesting to the audience.
- Wayang - is an Indonesian and Malay word for
“theater”. When the term is used to refer to kinds of
Puppet Theater, sometimes the puppet itself is referred
to as wayang.

- Kulit - means skin and refers to the leather

construction of the puppet that are carefully cut into a
very fine tools and supported by carefully shaped
bufallo horn handles and control rod.
 The Performance
 The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit
performance.
 The dalang prepares all the materials used like cloth and the
light for the shadow.

 The puppet on the right side signifies the good character, on

the left hand side the bad.
 The open space between them about two meters wide
represents the stage.
Dalang
Ø is the puppeteer. He is
characterized by his being
creative, humorous and flexible.
He manipulates the puppets, sing
and taps out signals to the
orchestra
 The Music: Gamelan
1.Saron - xylophone of heavy bronze bars
2.Gender- bronze xylophone with resonance
chambers beneath
3.Bonang- set of bronze bowl
4.Gong and kem pul- hanging gongs
5.Kenong and ketuk - single inverted bronze bowl.
6.Gam bang - wooden xylophone
7. Rebab- two-stringed fiddle
8. Suling- flute
9. Kendang- horizontal drum beat with the
fingers on both ends

10. Tjelem pung- a zither of thirteen double

string
Directions: Read the question carefully. Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is not on the
space provided.

_________1. The audience is the most important person in a Wayang

Kulit performance.
_________2. Dances and movements are accompanied by gamelan music which
collected and popularized a number of aspects from all previous forms of Japanese
music.
_________3. The dalang prepares all the materials used like cloth and
the light for the shadow.
_________4. Wayang is an Indonesian and Malay word for “theater”.

_________5. Shadow Puppet Theater is a well-known Chinese theater popular not only
in their own country but spread in several countries around the world.
_________6. His-p’l has higher sound than3 erh-huang.

__________7. Peking Opera is also known as the Beijing

opera.
_________8. The open space between performers about
two meters wide represents the back stage.
_________9. Yakuharai technique is the subtle describe
delivery of poetical text written in Japanese metrical form
of alternating seven and five syllables.
_________11. Theater arts are one of the ancient
traditions of the people in Asia particularly in Japan,
Indonesia and China. The message in every
presentation conveys reflection of everyday life.
_________12. Kulit means skin and refers to the leather
construction of the puppet that are carefully cut into a
very fine tools and supported by carefully shaped
bufallo horn handles and control rod.
_________13. In the performance of Wayang Kulit, the
puppet on the left side signifies the good character, on the
right hand side the bad character.

_________14. Erh-huang and His-p’l utilize the technique

called fan-pan which is commonly used for sorrowful song,
and is only sung by bearded character.
_________15. Through the various forms of theater art, a
specific form can achieve clarity, order, and beauty rarely
found in ordinary life.
Directions: Identify what is being described in each number then write the answer on the
blank before each number.

________________1. It is a Japanese traditional theater art that is performed in a stylized

manner which combines acting, singing and dancing.

________________2. It is a well-known Indonesian theater popular not only in their own

country but spread in several countries around the world.

________________3. It is also known as the Beijing opera. It is a stylized Chinese form of

opera dating from the late 18th century, in which speech, singing, mime and acrobatics are
performed to an instrumental accompaniment.
________________4. It is one of the oldest continuous
traditions of storytelling in the world which includes the
use of puppet materials and background musical
accompaniment to make interesting to the audience.
________________5. He is characterized by his being
creative, humorous and flexible. He manipulates the
puppets, sing and taps out signals to the orchestra.
________________6. These styles are very similar and the only difference
is the key.

________________7. It is an Indonesian and Malay word for “theater

________________8. One of the popular traditional songs in Japan that

produces distinct characteristics used in the Asian style of making
melodies also known as the pentatonic scale.

________________9. Technique adapted from chanting or jōruri. It

implies a very sensitive capacity of riding the rhythms of the sham isen
(string instrument), declaiming each accompaniment.
________________10. Means skin and refers to the leather
construction of the puppet that are carefully cut into a very fine
tools and supported by carefully shaped bufallo horn handles and
control rod.
_______________11. The __________ is the most important
person in a Wayang Kulit performance.
________________12. ______ are one of the ancient traditions of
the people in Asia particularly in Japan, Indonesia and China.
________________13. These are considered as the most
important Japanese contribution to world theater.

________________14. It is a chant derives from shōm

yō, (sophisticated and rich tradition of Buddhist chanting).

________________15. It can be performed by one sham

ishen or by an entire orchestra of twenty musicians of
which ten are sham isen players, while other play fue,
kotsuzum i, otsuzum i and taiko.