Released to coincide with the opening of the new Kabukiza in Tokyo on April 2nd, Recordings of Kabuki stars performing classic scenes.

1. Terakoya / Shoroku Onoe II, Hazaemon Ichikawa, Kikunosuke (Kikugoro) Onoe, Umeyuki Onoe 2. Kireare Yozo / Umeyuki Onoe XV (original 78 recording) 3. Sanin Yoshizo / Hazaemon Ichikawa XV 4. Toribeyama Shinju / Sadanji Ichikawa II (original 78 recording).

Old recordings from 78s released onto CD of classic kabuki scenes.

All originally 78 recordings, released onto CD.

Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki (Strange Tales of the Crescent Moon, 1807-1811) was written by the Edo period gesaku Kyokutei Bakin, and illustrated by Hokusai Katsushika. This was adapted for the Kabuki stage by the well known author, poet, playwright, Yukio Mishima in 1969, the year of this recording of this version. An historical document.

Kuromisu is the name of the small room, located stage right hidden from the audience, at a Kabuki performance, and the name of the music performed in Kabuki theatre. Kuromisu (literally black bamboo curtains) is enclosed by black boards and from within the room, musicians play nagauta, to enhance the performance by matching the timing of the actors with their large and small drums, as a kind of sound effects. These might include sounds of nature such as thunder or rain. This CD is of 110 tunes conveying emotions, state of minds, etc..of the story, performed by the backing group of the kabuki actor Kikugoro Onoe. Comes with English liner notes. Listen to 10 tracks by clicking on the Listen link below.

Rare recording originally recorded and released as a 78rpm, recorded between 1922 and 1923, by the very popular Kabuki actor Kikugoro Onoe VI.

Recorded and originally released on LP in 1976. Hayashi, the instrumentalists for the Kanze school of Noh. Music performed by National Treaures and the very top artists of the time; fue -flute- from the Isso school, kotsuzumi -shoulder drum- from the Kou School, otsuzumi - hip drum- from theTakayasu school, and taiko- stick drum- from the Konparu school.

Tsudayu Takemoto III [1869-1941] is considered one of the three master gidayu narrators along with Tosadayu VI and Toyotake Yamashiro no Shojo. In bunraku, puppet theatre, the gidayu describes situations and speaks the dialogue. It is a powerful and dramatic vocal style expressing a range of emotions. These are old, precious recordings of classic repertoire by a true master.

Hayashi is the musical accompaniment of kabuki music, consisting of flute and percussion. It is an integral part of a kabuki performance and there has been no greater hayashi performer than Kisaku Katada, a living national treasure. 40 excerpts of music from some famous kabuki plays.

Archive recording of performances by Hisao Kanze (1925-1978), one of the greatest shite performers of Noh (main character actors). CD 1 is a live recording of Kinuta, performed at the Orsay Theatre in Paris in 1976 organised by French actor Jean-Louis Barrault who was friends with Kanze. CD 2 is of Hagoromo performed in Tokyo in 1969.

Greatest performances of Kiyomoto Bushi and Toumei Bushi by Umekichi Kiyomoto IV recorded between 1960 and 1966. Accompanied by shamisen. 2 CDs.

More great performances of Kiyomoto Bushi and Toumei Bushi by Umekichi Kiyomoto IV recorded between 1960 and 1966. Accompanied by shamisen, 2 CDs.

Seven performances by the greatest Kabuki actors from the early Showa period, from the early 1920s until the beginnings of the second world war. Music taken from old SPs (78s).

Kineya is one of the great names of Nagauta (long song) that accompanied kabuki theatre. On this CD, two brothers, Hiromitsu Kineya on shamisen and Toshimi, singer and hayashi, perform two classic and complex nagauta tunes.

Masataro Imafuji comes from a long line of shamisen players of nohgaku and kyogen music. This is volume 5 in an ongoing series of the greatest songs and compositions.

11 CD box set from a Living National Treasure, the female gidayu recitation artist Komanosuke Takemoto. Gidayubushi was founded by Takemoto Gidayu (1651-1714) in Osaka. Gidayu helped to create the great puppet play called bunraku. Gidayu is thought of as one of the most difficult traditional forms of music as the singer must have great stamina and be a melodramatic actor. In the ealy 19th century female joruri flourished at the small yose theatres. Komanosuke Takemoto has carried on this tradition with much acclaim.

One of three new releases in the excellent Archive Noisless series, recorded in 1938 and 1939. Ishiro Yoshimura IX (1901-1973) (who later became Ijuro Yoshimura VII) is credited with bringing many new fans to nagauta in the 20th century with his sensitive singing style. He is accompanied by shamisen and hayashi. Echigojishi (The Echigo Lion Dancer) is one of the most famous nagauta pieces.

Kanjincho is not only one of the most popular kabuki plays, but the music is also one of the most famous in the nagauta repertroire. The ensemble sits at the back of the stage, an imitation of the stage of the classical noh theatre with a painting of a pine tree. The music comes from famous scenes, such as the reconciliation of Benkei and Yoshitsune, and the livelier music during the battle scenes.

Nagauta (Long Song) developed mostly within Kabuki theatre in Edo. Nagauta is a lyrical form with poetic texts. Kyo Kanoko Musume Dojoji (The Girl at Dojoji Temple) is another of the most famous repertroire. The story centres on Dojoji temple in Wakayama Prefecture, the subject of a famous legend, and a priest named Anchin who stopped at the house of a man who jokingly told his daughter Kiyohime that one day Anchin would become her husband. There is a famous scene of a dance in front of a new bell at the shrine, the dancer being the ghost of Kiyohime, who had destroyed the original bell. The music is in slow sections, describing the reasons to resent the temple bell, and becomes livelier and rhythmical to accompany the various dances.

New series highlighting the witty side of Japanese traditional music. Born in 1931, Mansaku Nomura is one of Japan's leading kyogen actors, the son of the late Manzo Nomura (a Living National Treasure) and grandson of another great Manzo Nomura. His son is the popular Mansai Nomura, who now has his own son to continue the family kyogen dynasty. Kyogen is a theatrical art that has a history dating back some 600 years. Traditionally it was performed as comical interludes during noh performances but has developed as an independent art form. This CD acts as an introduction to kyogen with some of the most popular material with 11 famous amusing stories. 1.Yanagi no Shita 2.Nanatsu no Ko 3.Kai Zukushi 4.Kaido Kudari 5.Oharagi 6.Akatsuki 7.Usagi 8.Wakamatsu 9.Sumiyoshi 10.Taue 11.Utsubozaru

A rare CD of kabuki, Japan's great theatrical tradition, featuring a collection of famous lines from various stories.

Monumental album of 3 CDs 120 tracks with English liner notes. Described as the best of kabuki bgm- the music used in kabuki in various situations and scenes. The musicians are the backing group for the kabuki actor Kikugoro Onoe.

Noh- the medeival Japanese theatre, that thrived during the Muromachi period, 1333-1568. Solemn, dignified, magnificent in its simplicity. This CD features 27 pieces of musical accompaniment from the Kanze Ryu school. The music is peformed in some of noh's most famous plays including Takasago, Tsure Kame, Hagoromon, Yoshino Tenjin, Eguchi, Funa Benkei, Sumiyoshi Moude, Hashi benkei, Kosode Soga and Kumano.

Various Japanese 'national treasures' perform an entire Noh play. Rather hard going as a listening experience.

Japanese classical puppet theatre, or Gidayu-bushi, the musical element.