Deep Night - Yearning for the Bell Volume 5

"Volume 5 of the 7 volume "Yearning for the Bell" series."

Riley Kōho Lee
Tall Poppies - TP151
2000

Pista	Título	Kanji	Longitud	Artista
1	Kyorei (Don't know which version)	虚鈴	08'08	Shakuhachi: Riley Kōho Lee
	Spirit of Nothingness The characters usually used to write the word Kyorei are commonly translated as "Empty Bell". The title of this piece however uses characters which literally translate as "Empty Spirit". The kyo ("empty" or "nothingness") is a word that denotes something that is not in our world of relativity. The word is found in the titles of many other traditional shakuhachi pieces, such as Empty Sky. The character commonly used to write rei means "bell" and refers to Fuke's famous hand bell. This version of Kyorei is unique in its use of another character, that of "spirit". The piece is not about an empty spirit, but a spirit dwelling in the "Nothingness" of the Absolute. This version of Kyorei is measured, unadorned and intense, with easily recognizable sections and climaxes.
2	Koden Sugomori	古伝巣籠	06'27	Shakuhachi: Riley Kōho Lee
	Cranes Nesting Suzuru means "Cranes Nesting". There are many versions of the "Nesting Crane" pieces. This version, also known as "Koden Tsuru no Sugomori" (Old Transmission of the "Cranes Nesting"), is considered the oldest, certainly within the repertoire of the Yokoyama lineage. The crane is revered in Japan for its beauty and its mating and nesting habits. The Japanese cranes mate for life and are exceptionally attentive as parents. The piece alludes to the intense and mixed feelings (fear, joy, pride, exuberance, sadness, and above all excitement) felt by both parent cranes and the adolescent crane when the latter is just about to make its first attempt to fly!
3	Reibo (Shôganken)	霊慕 (松巌軒)	14'04	Shakuhachi: Riley Kōho Lee
	Yearning for the Bell of the Pine Boulder Temple The word Reibo (Yearning for the Bell), may be found in more titles of pieces in the shakuhachi honkyoku repertoire than any other word. This is why it has been possible to record a series of seven CDs of honkyoku, all including one or more Reibo pieces, and call the series "Yearning for the Bell". It is as if the idea behind the word is so important that it is used in titles of honkyoku as often as possible. The legendary "father" of the honkyoku tradition, Fuke (ca. 9th C. China), did not play shakuhachi, but rang a rei (handbell) instead. To his disciples, Fuke's bell has come to symbolize enlightenment. "Yearning for the Bell" can therefore mean "yearning for enlightenment". Shoganken reibo is a version, transmitted within the Chikuho lineage, of a group of closely related Reibo pieces originating in the northern district of Aomori. This piece was transmitted by komuso ("priests of nothingness") based at the small temple (ken) called "Pine Boulder" (Shogan), as distinct from other pieces within this group whose transmission were centered around other nearby temples or ken.
4	Shin'ya	深夜	17'28	Shakuhachi: Riley Kōho Lee
	Deep Night The komuso had in their repertoire pieces for all occasions. There were early morning pieces; pieces to play while walking down the road while practicing mendicancy; pieces performed in the afternoon while "off duty"; pieces of gratitude; pieces for funerals and for the impending birth of a child; pieces for celebrations; and pieces to play at the solemn and sometimes secret (i.e., important and sacred) ceremonies held in the middle of the night. Shin'ya no kyoku (literally Deep Night Piece) communicates the unique atmosphere of such a late night meditation.
5	Kokû (Dokyoku)	虚空	11'05	Shakuhachi: Riley Kōho Lee
	Empty Sky Empty Sky is the usual translation of Koku. It fails, however, to convey the meaning of the original Chinese characters, which by definition, cannot be known by the rational mind of the 'relative'. The second character of the word, 'ku' is easy; it means 'sky' or 'air'. The first character 'ko' is not so easy. It refers to a concept that is in the realm of the Absolute and therefore cannot be explained or understood with words. Words, and indeed our thoughts, are of the world of the relative. For example, the word 'empty' has no meaning apart from the word 'full'. The work 'ko', on the other hand, does not mean merely 'empty', because it is not the opposite of 'full'; it is 'that' which has nothing to do with 'fullness'. This piece, transmitted through the Watazumi/Yokoyama lineage of shakuhachi, is one of many versions of 'Empty Sky', which is one of a trilogy of the oldest and venerated honkyoku, the other two being "Empty Bell", and "Flute on the Misty Ocean".