FUJIMOTO Akiko is one of today’s leading performers of Jiuta, the genre of vocal music accompanied by the shamisen created originally in the Kamigata (Kyoto and Osaka) region. Her intricately inflected playing of the shamisen and her wide-ranging, lustrous voice have gained her prominence in this exquisitely subtle genre of classical music, a genre that was brought to perfection in the hands of blind musicians and whose attractiveness she reveals in full measure. The performers of the koto and shakuhachi who accompanied her at this concert are all among the leading exponents of their respective instruments and genres. Particularly worthy of mention is YONEKAWA Fumiko, a Living National Treasure in the field of koto music and aged 94 at the time of this concert, who reveals her overwhelming presence in her performance.
The performances are given by the sankyoku ensemble consisting of shamisen, koto and shakuhachi, with both the shamisen and koto players also called upon to sing. It is only when all three players are present that a full ensemble comes into being. The present concert consists of two much-loved masterpieces in this genre that have been transmitted down to the present day. Both pieces demand a high level of virtuosity, as is evident in the thrilling instrumental sections known as tegoto. Zangetsu was composed as a memorial to one of the composer’s students who died at an early age. The emotional character of both the song and the shamisen is particularly affecting. In contrast, the song text of Yaegoromo is taken from five waka verses including the word koromo (‘costume’) contained in the famous collection known as Hyakunin isshu (Single Poems by a Hundred Poets) compiled by FUJIWARA Teika (1162-1241). The heights of virtuosity on both the shamisen and the koto are attained in the tegoto sections with their evocation of the mood of autumn. Particularly noticeable are the imitations of the sounds of fulling blocks and the chirping of insects. The pieces performed at this concert were selected to the background of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the performances themselves were full of joy and tension. The concert was awarded the Grand Prix at the 2020 Arts Festival sponsored by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
2020
Kioi Small Hall
Presented by: The Japan Foundation (JF) (www.jpf.go.jp/e/)
In cooperation with EPAD (epad.terrada.co.jp/)
＜Performance Credits＞
Minezaki Kōtō: Zangetsu
Voice and Sangen : FUJIMOTO Akiko
Voice and Koto : OKAMURA Shintarō
Shakuhachi : FUJIWARA Dōzan
Ishikawa Kōtō: Yaegoromo
Voice and Sangen : FUJIMOTO Akiko
Koto : YONEKAWA Fumiko
Shakuhachi : ZENYŌJI Keisuke
the 75th ACA National Arts Festival for Music : Grand Prize
＜Subtitling Credits＞
Chinese Translation (Simplified): Shu LIN
Chinese Translation (Traditional): Muju TSAN
English Translation: Robin THOMPSON
French Translation: Edouard L'HERISSON
Russian Translation: Ekaterina TARASOVA
Spanish Translation: José Antonio AMBRIZ
＜Promotional Text＞
TANIGAITO Kazuko
『第17回 藤本昭子演奏会』
藤本(ふじもと)昭子(あきこ)は、いま最も活動が注目される地歌(じうた)（上方(かみがた)生まれの三味線音楽の一つ）の演奏家である。微妙なニュアンスに満ちた三弦(さんげん)（三味線）の響きと広音域をカバーする艶やかな声は斯界屈指といえ、盲人音楽家が完成させた繊細で緻密な古典音楽の魅力を体現する。本公演のために招集した箏(こと)と尺八(しゃくはち)の助演者は、いずれも実力者として定評のあるアーティスト揃い。なかでも満9４歳の箏曲(そうきょく)の人間国宝、二代米川(よねかわ)文子(ふみこ)は圧倒的な存在感を見せつけた。
三弦(さんげん)（三味線）と箏(こと)の弾き歌いに尺八(しゃくはち)が加わる三曲(さんきょく)合奏(がっそう)では、各パートに人を得て初めて完璧なアンサンブルが実現する。本公演では、時代を超えて屈指の名曲として愛されてきた二曲を取り上げた。どちらも手事(てごと)（間奏）で展開される超絶技巧の数々はスリリングですらある。亡き人を偲ぶ《残月(ざんげつ)》は清らかな透明感に満ち、歌と三弦による心情表現が眼目。『百人一首』から「衣(ころも)」を含む和歌を引用して歌詞にした《八重(やえ)衣(ごろも)》は、二つの手事で三弦と箏が技巧を尽くして秋の情趣を描く。砧(きぬた)の音・虫の声などの擬音的表現が際立つ。コロナ禍の渦中を意識した選曲と最適な人材配置が演奏する喜びと緊張感あふれるステージを現出させた。2020年度文化庁芸術祭大賞受賞。
2020
紀尾井小ホール
製作（オンライン配信）：国際交流基金 (JF) (www.jpf.go.jp/)
製作協力：EPAD実行委員会(epad.terrada.co.jp/)
＜公演情報＞
◆「残月」
作曲：峰崎勾当
歌・三弦：藤本昭子
歌・箏：岡村慎太郎
尺八：藤原道山
◆「八重衣」
作曲：石川勾当
歌・三弦：藤本昭子
箏：米川文子
尺八：善養寺惠介
主催：藤本昭子
令和２年度(第75回)文化庁芸術祭賞　音楽部門大賞受賞
＜オンライン字幕＞
簡体字字幕翻訳：林舒
繁体字字幕翻訳：詹慕如
英語字幕翻訳：上地呂敏
フランス語字幕翻訳：エドワール・レリソン
ロシア語字幕翻訳：エカテリーナ・タラソヴァ
スペイン語字幕翻訳：ホセ・アントニオ・アンブリス
＜広報文＞
谷垣内和子