Accompaniment - Bansou (English spelling)

A vocal part that melodically and harmonically supports and complements the main part of a piece of music, or the performance of that vocal part. The oldest form is instrumental accompaniment to vocals, but in terms of musical composition, there are those that emphasize the main melody by overlapping it with instruments, and those that have a contrasting character that is independent of the main melody.

Accompaniment only gained an important role when the homophonic style emerged in the early 17th century, and keyboard instruments such as the harpsichord began to be used in addition to the lute. In the Baroque period, basso continuo accompaniment also showed a tendency to overlapping and independent melodies, which gradually developed from the original harmonic support. Then, with the appearance of the expressive piano in the 18th century, the independence of the accompanying voices became even clearer, and Schubert further gave the accompaniment to his songs a unique expressive power.

There are various types of accompaniment in Japanese music, with dance accompaniment called "ji" and drama accompaniment called "geza." The vocal parts of the instruments that accompany the songs are usually called by the names of the respective instruments. For example, the accompaniment for Joruri (Gidayu, Kiyomoto, Tokiwazu, etc.) is called "Shamisen" (or "Te").

[Mariko Teramoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

楽曲の主要な声部を旋律的、和声的に支え、補足する声部、またはその声部の演奏。もっとも古い形態は楽器による歌唱の伴奏であるが、楽曲構成上からは、主要旋律を楽器で重複して強調するものと、主要旋律から独立した対照的な性格のものとがある。

　伴奏が重要な役割を得るのは、17世紀初頭にホモフォニー様式が発生し、リュートとともにチェンバロなどの鍵盤(けんばん)楽器が伴奏に使われるようになってからである。バロック時代の通奏低音による伴奏には、元来の和声的な支えから徐々に発展した旋律の重複や独立性への傾向もみられる。そして18世紀に表現力に富むピアノが登場すると、伴奏声部の独立性はいっそう明確になり、さらにシューベルトは歌曲の伴奏部に独自の表現力を与えた。

　邦楽にもさまざまな伴奏があり、舞踊の伴奏は「地(じ)」、劇の伴奏は「下座(げざ)」という。歌に伴う楽器の声部はそれぞれの楽器名でよばれるのが普通で、たとえば浄瑠璃(じょうるり)（義太夫(ぎだゆう)節、清元(きよもと)節、常磐津(ときわず)など）の伴奏は「三味線」（または「手」）とよぶ。

［寺本まり子］

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