- a weeping plum tree in our mountain hut
長い冬を終えて、梅の花がほころびはじめました。今日ご紹介させていただく曲は、梅を描いた代表的な三味線音楽、端唄「梅にも春」。
「梅にも春」は、今はもう失われた、江戸の古き良き情緒を描き、わたしたちの心に郷愁をかき起こします。
歌詞：
梅にも春の色添えて、若水汲みか車井戸
音もせわしき鳥追いや、朝日に繁き人影を、もしやと思う恋の欲
遠音神楽や数取りの、待つ辻占や鼠鳴き、逢うて嬉しき酒機嫌
濃茶が出来たらあがりゃんせ、ささ持っといで
After the long winter, plum blossoms are beginning to open…
The piece that I would like to introduce today (of course, related with plum blossoms) is Ume-ni-mo-Haru, or “Spring to a Plum Blossom.”
It is one of Hauta, a shorter version of Nagauta, a genre of shamisen music that developed in Tokyo in the Edo period.
For Japanese it invokes much nostalgia as it is depicting the good old times in the Edo period that is now lost.
Here is the lyrics:
Ume-ni-mo-Haru, or “Spring to a Plum Blossom.”
Plum blossom is adding the color of spring, and people gather at a well for the fresh water for the New Year.
There are sounds of farmers dispersing birds relentlessly.
In the morning sun, people visit shrines for the first time in the year. Isn’t my love around there?
Shrine music is heard and fortunetellers are waiting at the corners.
When you hear a mouse squeaking, it is a sign of my lover coming.
Drinking sake with cheerfulness, I am so happy to see my love.
A cup of matcha tea is ready at the last of the meal. Bring those, please.
Welcome to the world of Japanese Traditional Dance! 