Gorō Yamaguchi (山口五郎; February 26, 1933 – January 3, 1999) was a Japanese shakuhachi player who worked in both solo and ensemble performances. He was noted for his influential recordings of

Traditional Japanese music Traditional Japanese music is the folk or traditional music of Japan. Japan's Ministry of Education classifies as a category separate from other traditional forms of music, such as (court music) or (Buddhist chanting), but most ethnomusicolo ...

and one of his pieces was selected by

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

to be included on the

Voyager Golden Record The Voyager Golden Records are two phonograph records that were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977. The records contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for ...

and launched into space.

Career

Yamaguchi headed the Chikumeisha shakuhachi guild and became a world-famous Japanese performer and teacher. In 1967–1968 he was appointed Artist in Residence at

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a private liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and with the support of prominent residents of Middletown, the col ...

in Middletown, Connecticut, United States, along with Yamada-school

koto Koto may refer to: * Koto (band), an Italian synth pop group * Koto (instrument), a Japanese musical instrument * Koto (kana), a ligature of two Japanese katakana * Koto (traditional clothing), a traditional dress made by Afro-Surinamese women * K ...

performers Namino Torii and his wife, Yamaguchi Hozomi. While at Wesleyan, Yamaguchi recorded his LP, ''A Bell Ringing In The Empty Sky'', which was released Nonesuch on its ''Explorer Series''. This was an influential first recording of shakuhachi in the United States, and in 1977

selected a

honkyoku ''Honkyoku'' (本曲, "original pieces") are the pieces of shakuhachi music collected in the 18th century by a Komuso of the Japanese Fuke sect Kinko Kurosawa. It was believed that these pieces were played by the members of the Fuke Sect. The Fuk ...

from the LP, "Tsuru No Sugomori" ("Depicting the Cranes in their Nest"), to be included on the

, a gold-plated copper record that was sent into space on the Voyager space craft. The record contained sounds and images which had been chosen as examples of the diversity of life and culture on Earth. In 1992, the Japanese government designated Yamaguchi a Living National Treasure (''Ningen Kokuhô'').

Major recordings

* ''A Bell Ringing In The Empty Sky'' Nonesuch Explorer Series H-72025 * ''Shakuhachi no Shinzui: Shakuhachi Honkyoku'' (Soul of Shakuhachi: Shakuhachi Honkyoku). Solo performance of complete Kinko school honkyoku repertoire: 38 compositions on 12 CDs. Boxed set with 44-page booklet. Japan Victor VZCG-8066-8077. * ''Shakuhachi no Shinzui: Sankyoku Gassô'' (Soul of Shakuhachi: Trio Ensemble). Ensemble performances with voice, koto, and shamisen. Four CDs in boxed set with 44-page booklet. Japan Victor VZCG-8078-81.

Audio link

Brief excerpt from "Nesting of Cranes" perf. by Yamaguchi

Obits

References

1933 births 1999 deaths People from Tokyo Musicians from Tokyo Shakuhachi players Wesleyan University faculty Living National Treasures of Japan 20th-century Japanese musicians 20th-century flautists {{Japan-musician-stub