Gagaku: The Court Music of Japan VIDEO

This film, GAGAKU: The Court Music of Japan, allows the viewer to experience the haunting sounds of the Japanese court orchestra and to see the magnificent costumes and masks of its stately dances. Host for the program is Dr. William P. Malm, Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Michigan, who introduces the instruments of Gagaku and the musicians who play them. Also featured in the program is Suenobu Togi, Gagaku Master at UCLA. Dr. Sidney Brown, Director of Asian Studies of the University of Oklahoma explains the historic roots of Gagaku. Performances by the Imperial Court Orchestra in Tokyo illustrate the contrasting styles of Gagaku instrumental music and of Bugaku dances, filmed in historic settings. Ancient paintings and drawings illustrate the history of Gagaku and its role in Japanese society.