The KotoWorld Discography

The koto is a 13-stringed harp-like Japanese musical instrument.
catalogue

Guide to the site

calligraphic koto

For several years, I used to pick up every CD featuring the koto that I could find. Since the koto is a minority interest, there really aren't too many released - and the ones that are released tend to go out of print very quickly. Also, many "new" CDs are just repackaged recordings from years back.

This list is simply a list of the CDs I own (in fact, at the moment it's just a few of them). It doesn't pretend to be comprehensive or representative. I also offer no guarantees that they are still obtainable. Nevertheless, I've never come across a bigger collection, even in publishers' catalogues, libraries, or famous koto instructors' houses, so it may be of some value to die-hard koto fans. One reasonably good international source is the Amazon.com bookshop/record store on the net. Just try searching for koto on the site. I'm willing to answer informal queries, but please bear in mind that I'm not a record dealer, nor can I lend my private collection to strangers!



If you have any comments, information or links you would like to submit, or are just interested in the site, please e-mail me at: koto_world@Qmail.com

Catalogue

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DetailsTrack listComments
BEST ONE:
òZíiÅ^’µÇÃñºã»

BEST ONE:
Rokudan/Koto no Meikyoku

Victor VDR-28067
Rokudan, Yatsuhashi Kengyo
Akikaze no Kyoku(Autumn Wind), Mitsuzaki Kengyo
Godan Ginuta, Mitsuzaki Kengyo
Midare, Yatsuhashi Kengyo
Chidori no Kyoku, Yoshizawa Kengyo
Kaede no hana, Matsuzaka Harue
This is a great introduction to koto classics (early 17th century to early 20th century), including Rokudan, the second best-known of all koto pieces (best-known is Haru no Umi), and the delightful Godan Ginuta and Chidori. If you're at all interested in the history of the koto, this CD - or something like it - is a must. Note the characteristic slow-fast-slow pattern of most of these pieces. Played by a variety of famous (but very old, some no longer living) players, including Miyagi Kiyoko.
THREE PIECES:

work of koto:
Kazue Sawai ëÚà”àÍåb

Collecta COL-003, JASRAC R-240180

This is difficult to get hold of. Collecta's fax number is: (0)3-3711-9613
Three Dances, John Cage, arranged by Kazue Sawai (1945/1989)
Malvina, Christian Wolff (1989)
Concerto for Koto and Orchestra, Takashi Kako (1985)
If you're a lover of avant-garde, or just want to see what the koto's up to these days, this is the disc for you. Featuring 3 leading modern composers, Kazue Sawai playing 13- and 17-string kotos (in the same piece!), and the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra, this one's a revelation from start to finish.
NANAE:

BEST ONE:
Nanae Yoshimura/20 strings-koto

Camerata 32CM-189
Kami-Ogi-Guoto, Somei Satoh
Nanae, Akira Nishimura
Cosmos Haptic No.3-Kokuh, Joji Yuasa
Coloration Project III, Satoshi Minami
Moyura, Takashi Yoshimatsu
Nanae Yoshimura could be said to be the leader of the 20-string koto world, as Keiko Nosaka continues to go her own way and is difficult to follow. Since the early 20-string days, dominated by the Miki-Nosaka duo, Nanae has made it her task to get as many modern composers as possible writing for the 20-string koto. So she commissions works right, left, and center, performing them in recitals and compiling them into CDs. This disc is a fine example of what 5 modern composers (some of them with little experience of traditional Japanese instruments) can do with a virtuoso like Nanae to interpret for them.
Silky Imagination: Koto Fantagy

assorted artists

Victor VDR-25205
Aika,
Hoshun, Katsutoshi Nagasawa
Emu, Hideaki Kuribayashi
Futatsu no Denenshi, Katsutoshi Nagasawa
Izayoi, Hozan Yamamoto
Despite the unfortunate spelling mistake in the title, this CD is a well-conceived introduction to the koto (both 13- and 17-string) and shakuhachi (bamboo flute), each piece containing both instruments. Most of the pieces are fairly simple and melodic, but the disc concludes with a hint of avant-garde.
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Webmaster: Rick Lavin
Contact me at koto_world@Qmail.com
Last updated: 24th September 1996