Heikegani (The Tale of the Heike)

My Sunday music is disproportionately weighted towards the European Canon.  There is a lot of great classical music from other lands.  Today is Japan and the Take of the Heike.  This is sometimes referred to as the first ever novel (The Tale of Gengi), but as with Homer, the story was sung, not read in per-literate societies.  The story is nicely introduced by Carl Sagan, of all people:



We get a hint of the music in this, but only a hint.  Japanese music consists of recognizable instruments: stringed lutes, flutes, drums.  This is the real music, reminiscent of Homer an artist singing the tale and accompanying himself on what is easily portable..  It shows how seemingly familiar instruments can produce music that could be from another planet.  Ancient Greek and Roman music may not have been far from this.