Shakuhachi Honkyoku Kyorei 虚鈴

How to play your first Honkyoku

Jin Nyodo's version of Kyorei makes for a perfect first Honkyoku because it remains in the lower 1st register Otsu, the deepest sound of the shakuhachi (the 2nd, higher register Kan is more difficult). Interestingly, there are very few classic Honkyoku which are only in Otsu. Jin Nyodo (1891-1966) arranged his version of Kyorei in the 20th century, thus it's not one of the original, older Edo period Honkyoku which I focus on, but none the less a great piece.

I created this score in the notation style of the Seien Ryu 西園流 because it's the original Edo period source of Kyorei, from Fudaiji Temple 普大寺. The Seien Ryu is also usually the first style that I teach to my students after they've completed Jin Nyodo's Kyorei.

(see my shakuhachi note charts for finger positions)

Just like my note charts, you'll read Honkyoku from right to left, top to bottom. The diagonal 'breath lines' stemming out of the notes show the length you'll hold a note (diagonal breath lines are unique to Seien Ryu and are called Takoashi fu or 'octopus [leg] breaths'). The length is relative and you'd attempt to match me in lessons.

• The enso 'o' circles between breaths are where you'll pause and inhale, also known as ma or 'space'.
• On line 1, the 3rd breath or 'phrase' which begins with ウ 'U'; when the breath line suddenly turns downwards it's indicating that we should quickly meri deeper, dropping the pitch of ウ further (on 1.8 ウ is Ab/G# and dropping it deeper results in the pitch of G, same pitch as レ 'Re').
• On line 4, breaths 4 and 5, we see large bracket or arrow-like symbols ⧼ . These simply mean to repeat the previous breath. Therefore, we repeat the 3rd breath of line 4, 2 more times.
• After that, we come to ロ大 'Ro dai meri'. Notice that the breath line takes a sharp turn, but this time upwards. This is done to indicate that we raise the pitch back to normal ロ, coming up and out of meri to regular head position. Then we atari ロ as normal.
• On the next line, 2nd breath, we see the same thing but this time on ハメ 'Ha meri'.

That covers the entire piece but to really deepen your understanding of it or to learn more versions of Kyorei, such as the original Seien Ryu Kyorei, contact me for a live shakuhachi lesson. Thanks for learning from me.