Etenraku

Etenraku (越天楽; literally music brought from heaven^[1]) is a Japanese gagaku melody and dance. It is usually played with a hichiriki or ryūteki,^[2] and is accompanied by other traditional instruments such as the shō, koto and kakko.^[1]

History

The origin of Etenraku is not fully known. There are theories that the melody was created in Japan, but others believe that it is from Khotan, a tributary state of the Tang dynasty that became part of the repertoire of the Chinese court.^[3]

During the Heian period, a gagaku form known as imayō (今様; literally modern style) became popular. In this form, poems would be sung using melodies. Etenraku was one of the most popular melodies to be used in imayō.^[4]

In 1931, Hidemaro Konoye arranged an orchestral version of the piece, and it was later picked up by Leopold Stokowski.^[5]

These days, Etenraku is often performed at wedding ceremonies.^[4]

Melody

There are different versions of Etenraku in three of the modes of gagaku - hyōjō, ōshiki, and banshikicho.^[6] The banshikicho version is purported to be the oldest of the melodies, but the hyōjō version is best known in Japan.^[7]