Floating Clouds

"Shakuhachi honkyoku."

Michael Chikuzen Gould
Equilibrium - EQ13

トラック番号	タイトル	漢字	長さ	アーティスト
1	Bosatsu	菩薩	15'55	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	A song expressing great compassion. This combines elements of classical honkyoku and a lullaby type recurring melodic theme.
2	Ukigumo	浮雲	05'21	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	Here the performer becomes free like the playful clouds high above the wold of pain, suffering, happiness, ecstasy, disappointment, greed, ambition, etc., of human life.
3	Tamuke	手向	05'55	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	This is a requiem piece. Several melodies sad, but friendly or approachable are played around a familiar lullaby.
4	Daha	打波	05'15	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	A steady, pulsating rhythm is produced by the breath to imitate the natural sound of waves striking the shore as the tide comes in. Another explanation is that the will tries to transcend the realm of the material world, and its ambitions and desires are reflected through this pulsation.
5	Sokkan	息観	07'03	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	The performer here must lose himself in contemplation of breath or soul until it appears in the mind's eye.
6	Shirabe (Nezasa Ha)	調 (根笹)	03'47	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	The breathing technique employed here imitates the sound of the wind blowing across the sasa bamboo leaves in a grove; a favorite technique of performers originally of the Tsugaru district of Japan.
7	San'ya (Fudaiji)	三谷	08'02	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	One of many songs of similar titles coming from different areas and different schools of Shakuhachi. San Ya no Kyoku, San Ya Sugagaki, Jinbo San Ya, Echigo San Ya, etc. are titled similarly, but really are very different.
8	Hon Shirabe	本調	03'51	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	This song actually contains the basic elements of all the honkyoku. It is said that this song was the only one practiced during the whole lives of some of the Fuke sect monks for training.
9	San'an	産安	07'26	尺八: Michael Chikuzen Gould
	Long ago, when one's wife went into labor for childbirth, the husband would let grains of rice flow through the shakuhachi. Then, while cooking the rice, he would play this song as a prayer for safe birth, then give the rice to his wife after she bore the child.