It is an immense privilege to watch some of Japan’s best Kabuki musicians perform a selection of the repertoire’s most beautiful yet demanding pieces. Kabuki is a 17th century classical Japanese art form where skilled dancers and musicians perform elaborate compositions in tangent to narrate a story, which usually derive from ancient folk tales.
Set in St Mary’s Cathedral, audience members got to witness these compositions in a spectacularly unique environment, with acoustics vastly different to the setting the instruments were originally made for. The opening performance featured a large ‘Taiko’ drum, rare to see performed inside, that the cathedral’s acoustics caused to fill the air with a deep rumbling that reverberated into your core.
This was followed by a folk festival (‘matsuri’) piece, and four classic Kabuki pieces, played by an ensemble led by Tanaka Denjiro VII, a living national treasure of Japan. He carefully selected musicians to accompany him as he played percussion instruments; another percussionist, vocalist, shamisen (three-stringed lute) player, and traditional flute player. This quintet interweaved melodies and synchronised changing tempos and rhythms with immense skill, bringing the Kabuki stories to life. Vocals were also used as an instrument in a much more distinctive manner than a Western audience would be used to; to represent emotions, sceneries, and even weather in the song’s context, creating an alluring foreign experience. The musicians entered a meditative, trance-like state, and brought the audience into this with them.
That said, due to the nature of performers sitting on the stage floor, audiences sometimes had a limited view. Moreover, the performances were interspersed with live-translated commentary that although was extremely (and critically) informative in giving cultural context crucial for appreciation of the music, seemed to drag out between performances, taking up half of the concert’s running time. Nevertheless, as this was their first Fringe appearance, I am certain these are things that will be smoothed out in the future; perhaps with programmes handed out or a screen displaying the information.
If Japanese culture is something that greatly fascinates you, this is an incredible opportunity to witness the best of the best. It is recommended, however, to familiarise yourself with traditional Japanese music before attending to ensure this is something you would enjoy — it has a special charm.
The Beauty of Sound in Japanese Traditional Performing Art 2026 was performed on 10 August.
Image by Mark Chan for The Student.
