History of Koto
Zokuso (Ikutagoto/Ikuta ryu) was invented by Kengyo Yatsuhashi (1614-1685) for the everyday performances rather than a special occasion like Gakuso. He also invented the scale in Koto music. He composed new Koto music by adding new scales (from western music), E,F,A,B, and D. Here are some examples of diffident scales.
Kengyo Yatsuhashi was a blind musician, and was taught to play by Hossui who was a student of Kenjun. Around this time, medical technology was not advanced, and people who had eye infections can easily became blind. Hossui was expelled from the school, because Hossui taught the Koto to blind. Kengyo Kitajima, the student of Kengyo Yatsuhashi, reinvented the Yatsuhashi-ryu, created a new style, and taught to his one of his students, Kengyo Ikuta (1656-1715) who invented a new style of plectra. A hundred years later, after the establishment of Ikuta-ryu, a new style, Yamada-ryu was developed by Kengyo Yamada in Edo. Koto became further popular, especially among public.
Koto music can divide in two broad types by different era: Classic, music that was composed before the Meiji period (1868-1912) and Contemporary Koto music, music that was composed after the Meiji period.
Michio Miyagi (1894-1956) is called a father of contemporary Koto music. Not only he composed more than 200 Koto music with the influence of western music, but also he created jushichigen Koto and hachijugen Koto, composed the first Koto music that is used the triple meter, and played western music with the traditional Japanese instruments, including Koto. In addition, he also composed many Childrens' Koto music.
Koto music can divide in two broad types by different era: Classic, music that was composed before the Meiji period (1868-1912) and Contemporary Koto music, music that was composed after the Meiji period.
Michio Miyagi (1894-1956) is called a father of contemporary Koto music. Not only he composed more than 200 Koto music with the influence of western music, but also he created jushichigen Koto and hachijugen Koto, composed the first Koto music that is used the triple meter, and played western music with the traditional Japanese instruments, including Koto. In addition, he also composed many Childrens' Koto music.