Kiyotsune

Noh piece. Second, Shuramono. Five-school contemporary piece. Written by Zeami. Originally from "The Tale of the Heike." Taira no Kiyotsune, the third son of Shigemori, who was saddened by the fate of the Heike clan and committed suicide by jumping off a cliff before the battle, is depicted in the technique of Mugen Noh, recounting his death shortly after his death. Awazuno Samuro (waki), a retainer, comes to the capital with a keepsake. Kiyotsune's wife (tsure) laments and resents the end of her husband, who was neither killed in battle nor of illness. Kiyotsune's ghost (shite), who appears in her dream, tells of the cruel fate of the Heike clan. He plays the flute, sings Imayo, and drowns himself, praying for paradise as the moon sets in the west. In the midst of the sufferings of the afterlife, the soul of the deceased attains enlightenment thanks to the purity of his final thoughts. The special performance of "Love's Sound" that leads the shite's entrance, with a flute solo and long silences, beautifully expresses the ghost that gradually takes shape in the wife's dream. It has been said since ancient times that if you can dance the two Noh plays of "Basho", which is considered the pinnacle of abstract expression, and "Kiyotsune", which contains a lot of psychological depiction and concrete expression, you are truly skilled.

[Masuda Shozo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

能の曲目。二番目、修羅物。五流現行曲。世阿弥(ぜあみ)作。原典は『平家物語』。平家一門の行く末をはかなみ、戦闘を待たずに投身自殺した重盛(しげもり)の三男、平清経が、死後まもない時間から自分の死を語るという夢幻能の手法で描かれている。家来の淡津三郎(あわづのさむろう)（ワキ）が、その形見を持って都に上ってくる。清経の妻（ツレ）は、戦死でも病死でもない夫の最期を恨み嘆く。その夢枕(ゆめまくら)に立った清経の亡霊（シテ）は、非情に傾く平家の運命を語る。笛を吹きすさび、今様(いまよう)を謡い、西に傾く月に極楽を願って入水(じゅすい)する。あの世に待ち受けている修羅道の苦のなかで、最期の一念の清らかさを縁に、その亡魂は仏果を得て終わる。シテの出を導く「恋之音取(ねとり)」の特殊演出は、笛の独奏と長い沈黙の交錯が、妻の夢のなかにしだいにその形を濃くしていく亡霊をみごとに表現する。抽象表現の極とされる『芭蕉(ばしょう)』の能と、心理描写や具象表現の多い『清経』の二番を舞いえたら、それこそ上手と古来伝えられている。

［増田正造］

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