Tsuzumi

Thetsudzumi(Cổ)ortsuzumiis a handdrumof Japanese origin.^[1]It consists of a wooden body shaped like anhourglass,and it is taut, with two drum heads with cords that can be squeezed or released to increase or decrease the tension of the heads respectively. This mechanism allows the player to raise or lower thepitchof the drum while playing, not unlike the Africantalking drumand the Indiandhadd.

History[edit]

The predecessor to the tsuzumi, theyōko(Yêu cổ,hip drum),was brought to Japan from southern China in the 7th century as part of thegigakuensemble.^[2]There were four types of yōko, of which only theikko(Nhất cổ)and thesan-no-tsudzumi(Tam ノ cổ)survive. Like the modern tsuzumi, the yōko's membrane was fastened to a hemp cord called theshirabeo(Điều べ tự).Unlike the contemporary instrument, the yōko was suspended from the performer's neck. The drumhead was hit with a mallet held in the right hand and the palm of the left hand.

In the twelfth century, the performance of the ikko, the smallest of the yōko varieties, changed, where players would strike one face with the right hand and manipulate the pitch with the left hand.^[2]It was around this time that the name of the ikko changed to thekotsuzumi(Tiểu cổ,also calledshōko).

The tsuzumi was first used by theShirabyōshi,eventually becoming the primary instrument of thehayashisection inNohand later inkabuki.^[2]^[3]

Performance[edit]

There are two basic techniques when playing a tsuzumi; holding the cords slack and hitting the drumhead on the very center, or squeezing the cords and hitting the drumhead closer to where it meets the wooden body. The former produces softerponandpusounds, whereas the latter produces higher-pitchedtaandchisounds. Because the practice of hitting a drumhead on the very center may result in hindering the sound by causing vibration radiating on two opposite sides of the drumhead to cancel out with each other, the tsuzumi is tuned with tiny leather patches applied on the inside of the heads, much like the largershime-daikothat accompany the tsuzumi inNohandKabukitheaters. It is also notable that thetsuzumi,being a more delicate instrument compared to theshime-daiko,is further fine-tuned on-site depending on ambient temperature and humidity using pieces ofwashipaper moistened with the player's own saliva.

Care for this instrument is peculiar in that the drum heads must be exposed to a certain level of moisture to produce a desirable sound. Before playing the tsuzumi, the player will breathe directly onto both heads. Sometimes he will even take some saliva and apply it to the head of the drum. The quality of sound of the drum will depend on how much moisture is in the atmosphere where it is being played. To make sure the drum heads are moist, the player will breathe into the drum head at intervals when not playing. However, if the heads become excessively moist, they may become too slack to be played properly, and may develop noticeable ripples on the surface, further compromising the sound quality.

Construction[edit]

Each drumhead is crafted with a piece of foal skin sewn onto an iron ring. Then a thick layer of reinforcement is added on the back, and finished withurushilacquer and gold leaves. The sew marks are also covered up withurushilacquer, which provides both decoration and further reinforcement to the drumhead. In contrast, the drumheads used for theōtsuzumiare made of thick horsehide, and are never decorated, as they are meant to be consumables. The wooden body is carved out from a single block of cherry wood, and is decorated with urushi lacquer and gold leaves in themaki-estyle. The bodies are 25 centimeters in length.^[2]Thehempcords were dyed previously invermillion,although other dyes are used today due to its toxicity.

Thanks to the meticulous measures gone through to craft them, a set of drumheads combined with the wooden body, when properly cared for, is said to last for centuries; it is not uncommon for professional players to use instruments made in theEdo periodorMuromachi period.New instruments on the other hand might require years, or even decades, of use to be broken in. Only the cords holding the instrument need to be regularly replaced as they fray over time.

Thetsuzumiplays roles in both Noh and kabuki theater music, but it is also used inmin'yō(Dân dao),or Japanese folk music. It is often played with its bigger counterpart, theōtsuzumi(Đại cổ,large tsuzumi),also calledōkawa(Đại bì,lit. "large skin" ).

The East entrance gate at JRKanazawa Stationwas built to look like the tsuzumi.

References[edit]

^Blades, James (1992).Percussion Instruments and Their History.Bold Strummer. pp. 124–127.ISBN 978-0-933224-61-2.
^^a ^b ^c ^dMiki, Minoru (2008).Composing for Japanese Instruments.University Rochester Press. pp. 157–165.ISBN 978-1-58046-273-0.
^Crump, J. I.; Malm, William P. (2020-08-06).Chinese and Japanese Music-Dramas.University of Michigan Press. p. 107.ISBN 978-0-472-90137-1.

External links[edit]

[1] Blades, James (1992).Percussion Instruments and Their History.Bold Strummer. pp. 124–127.ISBN 978-0-933224-61-2.

[:0-2] Miki, Minoru (2008).Composing for Japanese Instruments.University Rochester Press. pp. 157–165.ISBN 978-1-58046-273-0.

[3] Crump, J. I.; Malm, William P. (2020-08-06).Chinese and Japanese Music-Dramas.University of Michigan Press. p. 107.ISBN 978-0-472-90137-1.

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Authority control databases
National	Japan
Other	MusicBrainz instrument

History[edit]

Performance[edit]

Construction[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]