Early Meiji-era Music Performers of Kabuki in Tokyo: Towards an Understanding of Theatrical Appearances and Co-performance Relationships

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  • 明治前期東京の歌舞伎囃子方─劇場出勤動向および共演関係の解明に向けて─

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Hayashi-kata (music performers), who are in charge of musical staging of Japanese performing arts Kabuki, are indispensable to the performance itself; yet they have not been the primary focus of documentation. As a basis for clarifying the actual state of ensembles that were often lumped together as 'the hayashi performers', this paper extracts and analyses name lists from historical sources in the early Meiji-era (1868-1896). From Kabuki playbills (banzuke) and music direction memoranda (hayashi-tsukechō), I have been able to find a total of 1,958 names from 81 different performances in the period under study. In particular, when examining narimono players (percussionists and flutists), new aspects have been found in their theatrical appearances and co-performances in the early Meiji-era, which would have played an important role in the formation of current Kabuki tradition. It can be pointed out that these points reflect the changing power relations of the theatres in Tokyo. There is still much work to be done, including more detailed consideration of ensemble groups including singing and shamisen, as well as the relationship between the music performers and the actors who employed them.

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