Bamboo Flute Music

The bamboo flute is one of the oldest and simplest musical instruments in the world. Most cultures of the world have some type of transverse flute (which simply means a flute blown across, a side-blown flute.) Because bamboo grows in most tropical and temperate climates of the world, many cultures use bamboo flutes as their primary wind instrument.

The shakuhachi is certainly Japan's most well-known woodwind instrument. A vertically-held bamboo flute, it is made from the very bottom of a bamboo tree. Bamboo is hollow except for this nodes which are spaced at Intervals along the pipe. These nodes are knocked out to form the complete hollow length of the pipe. Four fingerholes are put on the front of the instrument and a thumbhole on the back. The mouthpiece is the open top of the pipe itself with the front side cut at a slight and angle to facilitate blowing the instrument.

Although the placement of holes and tuning of the instrument is a very delicate process, the instrument itself is of a basically simple construction. It is this very fact, however, which allows for very complex techniques in playing the instrument such as the use of the breath with changes in the blowing angle for great or minute changes in sound quality, or partial-holding of fingerholes to make delicate pitch changes.

The instrument takes its name from its standard length of one foot (shaku) and eight (hachi) parts of a foot (called sun), approximately 54cm. There are other lengths of the instrument as well, all with the general name of shakuhachi.

The Art of Japanese Bamboo Flute & Koto

On this CD, the shakuhachi (bamboo flute) and koto (Japanese stringed banjo) are played in such a way that one instrument trails the other in an interesting way. The music on this CD brings to light the different mentality of Japanese music; whereas Western harmony plays simultaneously, perhaps in counterpoint, the Japanese concept of composition staggers the musical line in time, so that one instrument follows the lead of the other--a bit like "Row Row Row Your Boat" (a canon or round) but not exactly. It's more like jazz improvisation, where the lead instrument of the moment, takes the rest of the combo on a musical ride.

Chinese Bamboo Flute Music [Laserlight]

The music is pure and melodious and mainly involves bamboo flutes although, "in some cases [they are] accompanied by Chinese fiddle, guitar, percussion and synthesizer." The flute-playing is quite enjoyable; although the number of pieces on the cd are quite small, amounting to a total of about 45 minutes. While THE IMPERIAL OFFICER ON HORSEBACK GALLOPING BY and THE FLOWER OF HSIN-JANG are probably the most complicated pieces, A TAYAL FOLK SONG, with its sharp, clear notes and the more somber and softer MAIDENS OF THE TEA MOUNTAIN & CHATTING WITH AN OLD FRIEND BY THE WINDOW are most enjoyable.

Bansuri: The Bamboo Flute of India

Bamboo Flute of India, G.S. Sachdev - Long recognized as one of the world's foremost bansuri masters, G.S. Sachdev gives an exquisitely sensitive performance on this beautiful, ancient instrument. Six gentle ragas that are a masterful realization of tranquillity and peacefulness. With tanpura and swar-peti (no tabla).

Suskera: Solo Bamboo Flute

This is flute as you have never before experienced it: in Nepalese virtuoso Manose, natural talent, and the discipline of South Asian tradition have found their perfect combination. The result is a sound that is irresistibly personal and yet universally communicative, totally accessible and yet satisfyingly complex.

His latest CD stands out in its genre for its refreshing authenticity and musical sophistication. Offering three mesmerizing pieces for solo bamboo flute, each based on a different Indian scale, it leads the listener deeper into the mood of divine longing and inner contemplation. From the very first note, you will feel a change in yourself as the mind quiets down, and the spirit stands up to listen.

Flying Beyond: Improvisations on Bamboo Flute

This album has a brilliant elaboration of Raga Malkauns which an ancient Indian Classical melody that evokes the mood of devotion and introspection. The ablums unfolds Malkauns in three phases - alap, jod, and jhala - played in Dhrupad style. There is no tabla (percussion) accompaniment. Especially suited to create a peaceful and meditative ambience. I had gifted this album to a friend of mine who liked it so much that he has heard it more than 3500 times in the past 12 years. Indeed, this album is so well-played that you might end up being a die-hard fan of the raga (Malkauns) or the maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia. May be both!

Master of the Bamboo Flute, Vol. 2

 

Chinese Bamboo Flute Music