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 and Dr. Sidney Brown, Director of Asian Studies of the University of Oklahoma, who 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.
Produced and Directed by Eugene Enrico and David Smeal.
Funded, in part, by Oklahoma Humanities and NEH.
DVD, 58:30
