{"id":3388,"date":"2015-06-04T14:39:45","date_gmt":"2015-06-04T05:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kodo.or.jp\/blog_en\/?p=3388"},"modified":"2015-06-04T17:07:01","modified_gmt":"2015-06-04T08:07:01","slug":"kodo-rehearsal-report-eternity-the-origin-of-kodo-and-taiko-part-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kodo.or.jp\/blog_en\/production-info\/20150604_3388.html","title":{"rendered":"Kodo Rehearsal Report: “Eternity,” the Origin of Kodo and Taiko \u2013Part 4\u2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Eternity,” the Origin of Kodo and Taiko \u2013Part 4\u2013<\/h2>\n

Original Japanese Article by Koichi Imai (Freelance Writer) \u25cf Photos by Takashi Okamoto<\/h5>\n

Read Part 1<\/a>,\u00a0Part 2<\/a>, & Part 3<\/a><\/p>\n

Accumulated Knowledge and Experience: Harnessing Knowledge Towards New Discoveries, Kodo Style<\/h2>\n

\"14seiten01_web\"<\/p>\n

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Kodo members not only harness the power and allure of the taiko, they find something new that transcends the taiko itself, and it is this indescribable experience that they share with the audience. That<\/span> is a depiction of \u201ceternity.\u201d Once again, they revert to their purest selves as they face the taiko. After taking the time to analyze the taiko in all of its sounds and possibilities, they discard everything they know and start all over again in search of something new. In \u201cEternity<\/a>,\u201d the O-daiko (big drum), which used to be a requisite symbol of Kodo that typically marked the climax, never even appears on stage. But I do not find this the least bit strange. In its stead, various taiko conjure a wealth of other expressions, some of which do not sound like taiko at all. That is what makes a strong, tenacious taiko performance stand out and lets the performers move us. At the same time, I feel the amazing power of Kodo\u2019s accumulated history, methodologies, experiences, and environment spanning over thirty years. One of the group’s challenges is also to find new meaning in these things.<\/p>\n

\"04katarai02_web\"<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe have been trying all manner of things since Tamasaburo (Bando) became our artistic director, no matter what people said,\u201d explains Masayuki Sakamoto<\/a>. \u201cI hope that people come to consider what we do as a whole as a ‘Kodo performance,’ not to label it as new or old. I hope that we can find our voice equally in traditional pieces as well as fields such as contemporary dance.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is easy for us to just revert to doing Japanese performances and folk arts, so right now I think we should try do everything new, as much as possible,\u201d says Tsuyoshi Maeda<\/a>. \u201cWe should broaden our horizons and then we will have a greater arsenal to choose from later on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a><\/p>\n

I would like to end with Yosuke Oda<\/a>‘s words:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI have finally caught a glimpse of what Tamasaburo is aiming to do. I can see how he wants us to evolve as taiko players and artists in the future. He is not seeking to lead us somewhere ordinary: his sights are set on a much higher level. I would venture to say that our performances right now might seem more contemporary and elaborate than ever before, but at the same time they may also take hints from ancient times. I’m not talking about Kodo\u2019s history; I mean we are calling on the origins of taiko itself. We are all a culmination of our experiences to date, but we sometimes have to let go of our pasts to see the future. Perhaps it is precisely in letting go of the desire to find self-expression that we can find our true selves.\u201d<\/p>\n

And so, I would like to send Kodo this message:<\/p>\n

Kodo will never change, and yet it will keep changing. Perhaps this is the essence of \u201cEternity.\u201d<\/p>\n