yōkyoku

The term "yōkyoku" refers to the vocal music of Noh theatre, a traditional Japanese theatrical form. Noh music is performed by actors or a chorus, accompanied by an instrumental ensemble called the hayashi. This ensemble typically includes a flute (nō-kan), a stick drum (taiko), and two hourglass drums (ko-tsuzumi and ō-tsuzumi).12

Yōkyoku is characterized by its sparse dialogue, with the music and movement carrying the narrative. The singing styles are categorized as either strong (tsuyogin) or lyric (yowagin), with specific rules governing the placement of tones and the use of auxiliary notes. Noh music often follows a tripartite structure known as jo-ha-kyū, representing an introduction, development, and rushing conclusion. The texts of Noh plays are often poetic, with common syllable divisions of 7 or 5.213