Topic: Gagaku
The New Otani Hotel in Little Tokyo presents the Cultural Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 7. On the night of the full moon, the hotel provides the Moon Viewing Festival tea ceremony and the 1200-year-old Gagaku music by Kinnara Gagaku Kai of Los Angeles at Japanese Garden from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Garden admission is free.
Program: Gagaku Kangen – Gagaku orchestral music
Hyojo Mode　A mode associated with Autumn
Etenraku ( transcending-heaven-music): The most familiar of all Gagaku pieces, this melody has become the basis for many Japanese folksongs and popular songs. It has come to be used in recent times as processional music in weddings.
Bairo: One of eight pieces of Rinyu music brought to Japan by Fat Triet and Bodhisena in 736 AD. Rinyu was a kingdom in Southeast Asia centered around the city Hue in present-day Vietnam. It is believed that it originally was a military piece.
Intermission
Introduction to Gagaku: Introduction and demonstration of instruments.
Sojo Mode A mode associated with Spring
Shukoshi (wine-barbarian -person): This piece is categorized as Ancient Music, that is music written before the T’ang Dynasty in China, i.e., before 618 AD. The piece was widely played in the T’ang Dynasty court as banquet music.
Konju (barbarian-drinking-wine): Another of the eight Rinyu compositions brought from Southeast Asia. The music and dance is said to depict a barbarian getting drunk on wine and dancing.
The New Otani Hotel and Garden is located at 120 South Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 253-9232.
