geza
Quick Summary
Geza is a term in Japanese music referring to offstage music, primarily used in Kabuki theatre during the Tokugawa period. This music is typically performed in a room on stage right, with musicians visible through a bamboo curtain. It includes special samisen and vocal pieces, along with various percussion signals that enhance the drama. For instance, a large drum (ō-daiko) signals the start of a program, while other percussion instruments reinforce stage actions. Offstage songs can set the mood or indicate the location of a scene, such as the sound of waves suggesting a seaside setting. Geza music, alongside onstage performances, creates a comprehensive theatrical atmosphere.1
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Japanese musicOnstage music…(debayashi) and offstage groups (geza). In plays derived from puppet dramas the gidayū musicians, called here the chobo, are placed on their traditional platform offstage left or behind a curtained alcove above the stage-left exit. If other genres are used, the performers are placed about the stage according to…
Read More…(debayashi) and offstage groups (geza). In plays derived from puppet dramas the gidayū musicians, called here the chobo, are placed on their traditional platform offstage left or behind a curtained alcove above the stage-left exit. If other genres are used, the performers are placed about the stage according to…
Read More- Japanese musicOffstage music
That geza, or kagebayashi (shadow hayashi), music is normally placed in a small room on stage right with a view of the drama through a bamboo curtain. The music consists of special samisen and vocal pieces and a great variety of percussion signals. For example, a…
Read MoreThat geza, or kagebayashi (shadow hayashi), music is normally placed in a small room on stage right with a view of the drama through a bamboo curtain. The music consists of special samisen and vocal pieces and a great variety of percussion signals. For example, a…
Read More