We do reseach into Gagaku in the Heian period, medieval Gagaku, and up to modern Gagaku.
Then we practice, perform, and train instructors too.
About research activities, we focus on two areas to reserch and collect materials for study mostly at the research section.
The first research area is the decipherment and the restoration of Gagaku scores in the Heian period.
We have "Shinsen gaku-fu (Ryuteki tablature)" which the world oldest flute tablature in existance by Minamoto no Hiromasa, "Ryuteki-fu" by Ohga no Motomasa, the ancient Kagura flute tablature, "Sango youroku (Gakubiwa tablature)" and "Jinchi youroku(Gakusou tablature)" by Fujiwara no Moronaga, as main research materials.
The second one is application of Hasegawa Kagemitsu's original musical scale theory to Gagaku music.
On the basis of the theory "A relation between the odd number stability of the tonal scale and the music evolution" (The theory of "The tonality have the most stable state on 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 odd number scales, and it closely related to the music evolution".), it applies to "The music theory of the Tang period" (The Key in Gagaku music = Mode), then its advancement.
In oct.1998, the founder of this society, Hasegawa Kagemitsu cleared the system of "Shinsen gaku-fu", which the oldest flute tablature in existance compiled by Minamoto no Hiromasa under the imperial order in 966, notation, and obtained a reliable way of decipherment through a result of analysis all the way of playing Ryuteki in modern Gagaku.
Minamoto no Hiromasa is well known for a character in the novel "Ommyoji" by Yumemakura Baku, but also the greatest musician in the ancient time.
Hiromasa had the great ability to play many kinds of musical instruments and to compose music.
Also, he had took part in compiling tablature.
Additionally, several episodes about him is still remaining, such as the celestial music was heard right at his birth.
Then in the decline of Hiromasa's life, Murasaki Shikibu was born.
Therefore, she could hear the music from "Shinsen gaku-fu".
Some music in Genji monogatari, tale of Genji might be the music from "Shinsen gaku-fu".
In march 2003, Hasegawa Kagemitsu achieved the decipherment and the restoration of the oldest Kagura flute tablature.
In Kagura flute tablature, it was noted 7 notes (Kan, Go, Jyo, Shaku, Chu, Ge, Roku) in modern Gagaku.
Then 6 notes (Kan, Go, Jyo, Shaku, Chu, Roku) was used in the late Heian Period.
Although, the oldest Kagura flute tablature with the notation used in the early Heian period had only 5notes (Kan, Go, Shaku, Chu, Roku) in the music.
It deffer greatly from the other two.
As it is, we understood that the oldest Kagura flute tablature had kept playng without any influence of Tang China music, then it was the extremely valuable Kagura score related to the old japanses sacred music.
In Addition, after the study as mentioned above, we found out that the oldest Kagura flute tablature matches the theory with the notation which Hiromasa organized in the "Shinsen gaku-fu".
So there is the possibility it was a part of "Shinsen gaku-fu".
When it came to the golden age of Japanized Gagaku in Heian period, "Shinsen gaku-fu" was the essential tablature for playing the melodious musical instruments.
When the rate of change between this score and "Meiji sentei-fu" which is the score of modern Gagaku, is investigated, it turns out that even music with least change has changed a lot with 80.5%.
This is because almost all music slowed after the Edo period.
We investigate how rhythm changed by comparing "Meiji sentei-fu" with all 72 music of "Shinsen Gaku-fu", the following thing was understood; One music handed down by the completely same rhythm, seven music changed twice, three music did 3 times, and seven music did 4 times.
And two music was unknown and the tradition of 70 percent or more of music had stopped.
Thus, both the music and the melodies between Gagaku in the Heian period and modern Gagaku differ greatly.
Moreover, Gagaku in the Heian period was not only the music of the ceremonies and the functions, but was the music enjoyed at the banquet, and acquirements for aristocrats and warrior.
As we knew, Ryuteki was loved by famous generals, such as not only an aristocrat like Hiromasa, but Minamoto no Yositsune, Minamoto no Yoshihira, Taira no Kiyomori, Taira no Atsumori, etc... For them, it was the existence more than the musical instrument which can share joy and sadness, and in another way of speaking, they were strong emotional attachment and partners.
Since we decoded and restored "Shinsen gaku-fu" in the middle of the Heian period, and "Ryuteki ko-fu" in the Heian period last stage, we came to be able to perform many excellent pieces of music 1000 years or more before Minamoto no Hiromasa blew by Suzaku Gate, Taira no Atsumori on the battlefield and Minamoto no Yositune in field.
We were launched as a the society of Heian Ryuteki meeting at first in November, 1999. And the name was changed to a current name with the expansion of an organization in January, 2008.
To say nothing of the value of modern Gagaku which is the music of the ceremonies and the functions, we respect that Gagaku in the Heian period is the music with a season, time and nature and it was the music for the banquets and the acquirements. And we are striving for the reproduction of Gagaku in the Heian period that the Japanese traditional spirit bloomed and they glorified expressional freedom.
