Everyone knows that I am not easily enamored of anything, declining passing infatutations like dead flowers. But since around last April, when my Japanese teacher told me about a free concert, there has been a special something creeping up on my heart. Taiko, the traditional Japanese drumming. I sat entranced throughout the entire two and a half hour performance of that performance, having sneakily snuck onto the campus of Swathmore College to see it, and then went home and immediately found the next time I could drag my family along with me to see another performance. To my dismay it was the last one before the group returned to their performing arts school in Tokyo.
I went to see a taiko concert again last night, this time by a professional group, and fell in love with it all over again. This is serious, people. Taiko is one of the most amazing things on Earth, and just the thought of going to see it can make me loopy for hours. If I was a cartoon character I'd have stars in my eyes.
Here's a link to a video for those who don't know what I'm talking about. Remember that seeing it live, when you can feel every beat through the floor, is infinately more amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x0et5D9DQU .
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3 comments:
Oh no. Two drummers in the family.
So Marie, what's the drumming history here? Is this some kind of war drumming? The Japanese culture was rather bellicose. I wonder if there's a connection between the American Indians - I mean Native Americans --- and war dancing and drumming. Maybe you can convince your brother to play a few tunes for you on your return. He has some time to practice!
Uncle John--
As far as I know, Japanese drumming does not have it's origins in war drumming like that of the Native Americans; it's a performance art, for holidays and fairs and things. I think.
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