Music of Noh Drama

MUSIC OF NOH DRAMA was filmed in Nara at the 1996 Takigi Onoh festival of Noh drama by torchlight at the Kofukuji Temple. Artists from the Noh troupe led by Kinzo Komparu demonstrate the styles and forms of music both sung and played by the flute and drums. Host for the program is Dr. William P. Malm, Professor Emeritus of Ethnomusicology at the University of Michigan, who explains the variety of musical traditions in Noh, the use of musical instruments, and the relationship between music, drama, and dance. Dr. Sidney D. Brown, Professor Emeritus of Japanese History at the University of Oklahoma, surveys the rich historic tradition of Noh and explains the connections to Buddhism and Shinto. The Director of Cinematography is David Smeal.