I

I I IG H V O ( R
I

ART SONGS or JAW\N

WRITTEN UPON
Trad?
rSBTtfonal Japanese
^Ihemes and Poems
By

Gertrude Ross

MlTE-SmiTH /Ausic Pu&uishihg Co

BOSTON — nE.W VORK CMICAGO
 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2014

https://archive.org/details/artsongsofjapantOOross
 HIGH VOICE
SiuannoD uoammn wwniminiiiHimiii iimii iinnimiHiraiuiuuuuaiiini imii""niimi ui"ui"w^

I
ART SONGS OF JAPAN
I (Yamata Shirabe) J^J.
f V.)
c

I
Traditional Japanese Themes and Poems
i
^W^B

By

GERTRUDE ROSS
PRICE $1.00

WHITE-SMITH MUSIC PUBLISHING COMPANY

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO

liwumiinainiimmiDnuimiiHDmniiuiiiaiiiiiniiincHHuniiiiDiiiiinHiMainnninntamiiiniiaH
 .
.

73
 My interest in the music of the Japanese was awakened when a little Japanese woman played for
me on the saraisen. The weirdness of this music founded on scales so entirely different from ours, im-
pressed me with its unusual intervals and rhythms The unresolved melodies, without our cadence, gives a
sense of something so foreign to our occidental ears, that it is indeed an awakening.

I wrote down these quaint airs, which, with some fragments culled from their ancient folk-lore, and
music written for the Koto, form the foundation of the following sketches-
The Koto is the instrument of the upper classes, while the samisen belongs to the people. The
figure on the title page is playing the Koto„
The poems are translations from the poets of the period 300 to 700 A. D. In this period the height
of Japanese poetry was reached. The verses were short, mostly in "Tanka" form, consisting of five

lines with thirty- one syllables.

So impressionistic and vivid are these lovely little odes, they reveal the secret of all Japanese art

merely suggesting, and not weighing down with detail and elaboration.

The translations of the Japanese poems, "Old Samurai Prayer," "Butterfly," "Love- Lay cf Mikado
Temrau" "Slumber Song of Izumo" and "Fuji" are from u Meistersingers of Japan" by Clara E. Walsh,
and are used with the kind permission of the publishers, E. P. Dutton & (Jo,

Gertrude Ross
Los Angelfit*

July 1917

15048-19
 Old Samurai Prayer

Samisen
 To Ruth St. Denis

Old *Samurai Prayer

KOMACHI 700 A.D. GERTRUDE ROSS

, Andante
Voice

May the Springs pure -ly flow

Piano r r T
K 3=
7^
C\*
— z ^1
4 f f

7
P
And sick-ness M Vie - to - ry crown our House, And treas - ure

- ± —— : :
_2_
JK1
-91
9-
f f
o- -0 m-
-El

.m crease. vil no long - er grow And

4
i
za: 12

-m-

all the World know Peace

i
-

i r

V
T p
1 1
-e

* The
-9-
f
Samurai is the Military Class of Japan
Copyright, 1917, by White -Smith Music Publishing Co.
20 0^8 19 International Copyright Secured
 7

" Scale for samisen

This song

the Province of Izumo.

is sung
Butterfly

in nearlv all

The name "Na"

parts of Japan, although

is given to
Fragment of theme

it
11

comes from
several different kinds of

plants, but here probably refers to the Japanese wild mustard.

The pronunciation of Japanese words is not difficult as each vowel forms

a syllable, and is always pronounced a ,Y6,y.

The Japanese words are very singable, and I would recommend singing
this little song through first in English and then in Japanese.

For the benefit of those interested I will give a literal translation of the

words in this little poem. I wish to acknowledge the kind assistance of Kenzo
Kubota in these notes and translations.
Chocho! Chocho!
Na no ha ni tomarc!
Na no ha ga iyenara,

Te ni tomare!

Chocho, butterfly.
Na, wild mustard,
no, on.

ha, leaf.

tomare, light or perch,

lyenara , tired or dislike.

Te, hand.

Using these words we have the literal translation—

Butterfly, Butterfly, light upon the leaf of the wild mustard. If you are

tired of the leaf of wild mustard light on ray hand.

15048 19
8 To Yvonne de Treville

Butterfly
CHO-CHO

Child's Song
GERTRUDE ROSS

"
Province of Izumo

Voice

8 -.
But - ter - fly,

Piano
1

^ t 1

1
Clio - chb

- 1
=
* ^
}) }\ 22

But - ter fly Light up - on a Na - leaf, pray!

Chb - cho Na no ha ni to - ma - re!

S J:

Or if Na - leaf tempt you not, On my hand a light and

Na no ha ga i - ye na -
Te ni to re!

Copyright, 1917, bv White-Smith Music Publishing Co.

15048 - 19 International Copyright Secured
 meno mosso

sway
Te ni to ma - re!

meno mosso
1 5 ^4
0
— -
rit*

-0-

Hand and Na leaf both are nigh _ Light up -

on one
Na no ha t - ye Te ni to

¥ j; i

r-

S4

15048- 19
 Fireflies

Fireflies are connected with weird legends and folk-lore.

Insects, birds, animals and fish have a peculiar significance to

such nature lovers as the Japanese. The Fireflies are compared

to stars that have left the heavens to wander upon the earth.

Every summer thousands of people visit Uji to see the Hotaru-

Kassen, or Firefly Battle.

12 To Yvonne de Treville

Fireflies
HOTARU

Text adapted from translations by

,
Lafcadio Hearn GERTRUDE ROSS
from the Japanese

Voice
1^ - 1

~n. ~. ——
^ ~ ~
, —
S T
1 i ! H 1
I

~
i 1

Piano

^-H
-^-4
~~ii
——
1

\ f t N :l

Five flies, Fire - flies, Al - read -

y spark - ling,

sempre stacc.

i i

I
—.
71 r t yet dark! Ah the

-0--
n

:
i
Copyright, 1917 by White -Smith Mosie Publishing Co.
15048- 19 Inter nfttion&l Copyright Secured
 r it
a tempo

they hide thera-selves in the moon light!

n
rit. tempo
aecel.

at T ^
5

w te

a tempo

• 4~~
Ap-pear to grow dark
S
the Fire - flies
^
be - gin to fly!

m 5 i \
m molto aecel. • e

i 5 i i
- ~ —
i

s
^7
tr ?r
leggiero •
vivo

3E 3E -
U048- 19
 Love - Lay Indited by the Mikado Temmu
A.D. 673-86
Prom the Manyoshiu

The musical setting is founded on the following fragments

of original Japanese themes.

j ^ ^" i

i
"^~t~H

I tffrr r^ffrf-ffrir n

Nature plays so intimate. a part in the Japanese life, it is

little wonder their greatest emotions are compared to some

phase of nature.

Just as we find constant reference to the falling cherry

blossom, meaning shortness and illusion of mortal existence, so the

perpetual snow and rain is symbolic of unending love.

16 To Estelle Heartt Dreyfus

Love -Lay Indited by the Mikado Temmu

A. D. 673-86

From the Many 6s hi GERTRUDE ROSS

Moderato assai

Voice fee
Lo!
W—
on Mi - ka - ne's heights In

Piano

IDC

~o 1

r
i

r
fair Yo - shi - nos Land, Tire less the

J J m T" 0

r p '? f
——
snow a - lights on wind - ing moun - tain ways

' ,r
1
m 1
E3=

Copyright, 1917, by White-Smith Music Publishing Co.

15048 19 International Copyright Secured
 17
piu mosso cresc.

There the fierce-driv- en rain Ev - er its rage ais-

f piu mosso
cresc.

a 1T2
9- 15-

mp iranqnillo

me no mosso
ZEE
5
s and rain fall, Dwell all ray thoughts on
 Slumber Song of Izumo

Japanese Koto music. Roku- Dan

0 m

L
This Slumber Song is a very ancient one and is found in various forms in the
different provinces. I have used the Iz o version.

The Loquat leaves are exactly the shape of a rabbits ears. The queer rhythm
and quaint naivete of the Japanese words are charmingly illustrated in this poem.
In using the Japanese words, several notes will be found on one vowel sound,
where in the English these notes have a syllable. I prefer leaving the notes for the
English without inserting ties and small notes for the Japanese words as these can
easily be ascertained.
Nenneko
O-yama no
Usagi no ko,
Naze mata
O-mimi ga
Nagai e yara?
Okkasan no
O-naka ni
Oru toku ni,
Biwa no ha,
Tabeta sona,
Sore de
O-mimi ga
Nagai e sona.

Nennero is a derivative of the verb neru - to sleep,

kd, child.
nenne-ko, sleep baby - child.

Usagi, hare,
no, of.

Naze mata, why.

O-mimi, ears.
Nagai e yara, long and slender.
Okkasan, mother.
Oru toku ni, where stay.
Biwa, loquat.
ha, leaf.
Sasa, bamboo.
sore de that is why.
 To Corinne Ross
20

Slumber Song of Izumo

Text 700 A.D. GERTRUDE ROSS

Andantino P
Voice
Sleep, ba - by sleep! On
Nen ne ko O -

0- — 0- -0-

Piano

' I^m r

' raoun tains steep

mtstertoso pocnetto accel.

The chil-dren of the hare

i)

are stray - ing.

ya -
U - sa - gi no ko Na - ze Ma - ta

'
m
it
~0 « w • — * 3*
0 0-
T

j)

Whv
r P
are their soft brown ears so
^ J

long
-

and sien - der Peep-ing a bove the rocks

-
r

O - mi - mi gn Na - gat e ya - ra? 0 - mi - mi ga

r 0- r
I
m m mz IB :—
-a-

Quasi narrante

5
Where
& p

they are play -

J
ing?
J) J)

Be-cause their moth-er,

J) I
J) J)

ere they vet were born

NttU
sr
th

Na - ra? Ok - ka - san no 0 - na • ka ni
5 ^
scat
) e va - f

f 3 ,
-.5
3

s- 12
-9
-9-
-6- =B

Copyright, 1917, by White-Smith Music Publishing Co.

15048- 19 Internation & Copyright Secured
 21

r
Lo -
r
quat
r
leaves
m
in the
-m

dew -
0-

y
—0-

morn, And the bam - boo grass long and

to - ki ni Bi - wa ha Sa - m no ha Ta - be - ta
£. I II.

c -m
- 9 -

h9-

naturalmente

b
I

slen - der- That s why the ears of ba-by hares are long!.
so - na; So - re de 0 - mi - mi ga Na -gai e so-na.

-e 4 IE
-0-
a
19-

f m f f
0- 0 0 m 0
^9=
-0- m
LU
Tempo I

Sleep, ba - by sleep to the lilt of my song!

Ken ko Nen ko*

m ^ m 0 m 0
-
Z

PP

i
perdendosi

m p P p- # 0 10-

15048 - 19
 Fuji
Ode to the Mountain Fujiyama

Japanese theme
m » n
m

It seems ntting to cjose this little group of Uta with the

u
Ode to Fujiyama" for this typifies the depth of reverence and wor-

ship of the Japanese for the beautiful in nature.

The majesty and beauty of this noble mountain have been con-

stant themes for poets and painters, and a Japanese writer declares,

"from time immemorable Fujiyama has exercised a silent influence on

the formation of Japanese character.

Mt. Fuji stands isolated in the midst of a great plain, and on

its southern side slopes gracefully down to the sea. In winter it is

covered from base to summit with snow. It may be seen from thir-

teen provinces of Nippon. The solemn grandeur and impressive beau-

ty of Fujiyama make it one of the noblest mountains in the world.

24 To E. Templer Allen

Fuji
Ode to the Mountain Fujiyama

pk- - .
^
ARIKOTO 700 A.D. GERTRUDE ROSS
Lento molto Nob lie Andante maestos 0

Voice
~ ——h i - ^~~^ u 1 h , , \s ^
P P P

f '

A thous-and ti mes I ga ze up -on thy

,
tliyn y

Piano
-
9-
,
9 :

z 'J ' —\-G _2 1

1-6 i

15-
n^p 0'
-
form, Athous-andtiraes and each more won-der - ful!

3 ^ ten.

2_
5E
I ^t -
•9- 9-'

Piu VIVO
VI cresc. molto marcato

Swift with the drift - ing clouds tu - muJ - tuous storm The driv-ing

-0- ZMZ

Copyright, 1917 by White - Smith Music Publishing Co.

15048 — 19 Internaiional Copyright Secured
 25

meno mosso

winds So dost thou smile or frown

espressivo with great fervor and reverence

•
f Yet
P J>

al-ways beau-teous wheth-er

Ji I

storm or shine 0 ma - gic

-
moun-tain!

c
-5
5
^4
1
2
9-
9-

P
-S-
i

dim •

"
1

P r
Pu the Di vine!
Tempo I
(
Ins
4 -Gf

-e — 32

15048 19
 INDEX

Butterfly (Chocho) .... 8

Fireflies (Hotaru) 12

Fuji (Ode to the Mountain Fujiyama) . 24

Love -Lay Indited by the Mikado Tcmmu . 16

Old Samurai Prayer .... 5

Slumber Song of Izurao . . . 20

 A JUNE PASTORAL
NIGHT IN THE DESERT
MSTA SCHUMANN
AJTH BOEHNCKE

Iniigiiiiiia^irfiiltMgBiiiM

LOVE T

S PILGRIMAGE God Smiled Upon the Desert

FRITZ HABT
CHARLES WAKEFIELD CABMAN, OjLft4-No.3
•s/
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