|
| Instrument Title | Sho 2 |
| Instrument ID | 3.00 |
| Country/area | Japan
East Asia
Asia
|
| Hornbostel-Sachs class | 412.132-6 |
| Keyword | Gagaku; Togaku; Kangen; Bugaku; Court; Dance; Mouth Organ |
| Description | The sho is a set of free reeds often called a mouth organ. It is very similar in construction to the Chinese sheng. It consists of 17 bamboo pipes of five different sizes mounted symmetrically according to height on a black lacquered wooden wind chest. The player blows into the mouthpiece, which is made of metal and extends from the wind chest. 14 out of 17 pipes are fitted with small metal reeds. When the player covers an outside finger-hole, the air comes in contact with the reed and makes it sound. A small metal band encircles the reeds, keeping them together. There is a small opening between two of the smaller bamboo pipes.
The sho is one of the supporting instruments in the togaku court orchestra, where it produces 4 or 5 note harmonic clusters based on the lowest pitch, which outlines the main melody. The arrangement of the pipes represents the shape of the kirin, or phoenix. The player prepares the instrument by heating it over a hibachi or an electric hot plate.
This sho has dark stained bamboo pipes. The wind chest is lacquered brown and has gold painting of birds and trees on it. This instrument is a particularly beautiful and valuable one, according to Professor Sakata.
|
| Dimensions | Measurements:
Total length 49.5cm
Pipe lengths 12.5 -
40.7 cm.
Pipe bundle circumference 19.4 cm
Pipe
bundle diameter 6.2 cm
Wind chest diameter 8.1
cm
Wind chest circumference 25.5 cm
Wind chest length
6.4 cm
Mouthpiece dept |
| Accessories | 4" red floral cloth cylindrical pillow slips inside pipe circle for protection; black hard-shell case; green flowered cover with small rips. |
| Condition | Good; cloth case is ripped in places. |
| Digital Collection | Ethnomusicology Musical Instrument Archive |
| Image No. | xaa_003b.jpg |
| Contact Info | For further information contact: Archivist, University ofWashington Ethnomusicology Division, School of Music Box353450, Seattle, WA 98195; (206) 543-0974 |
| Copyright | This Musical Instrument database is intended for educational and instructional use; if you cite or download images or text, please acknowledge the University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives; downloading of audio and video examples is prohibited. |
| Repository | University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives |
| Type | Image |
| Digital reproduction field | Photographed with digital camera (JPG image); processed
using Photoshop (resized to 550 pixels, quality level 5,
label added) |
