Miyazono Bushi

A school of Joruri. Until recently, it was called Sonohachi-bushi. It is counted as one of the ancient songs along with Itchu-bushi, Kato-bushi, and Ogie-bushi. It was started by Miyakoji Sonohachi, a disciple of Miyakoji Bungo-no-jo. There is no record of the founder of the school, Sonohachi, other than the fact that he is mentioned in a record of his reputation titled "Fude no Kaomise Oumu no Suzuri" (Fude no Kaomise Oumu no Suzuri) published in 1733 (Kyoho 18) as a scroll of a leading actor, paired with Matsushima Moheiji, and his name appears in a collection of original manuscripts titled "Miyazono Hanaougi" (Miyazono Hana Ougi) published in 1769 (Meiwa 6). Therefore, nothing is known about his career, birth or death years, etc.

Famous disciples of the first Sonohachi include Harufuji Shoden and Miyazono Ranpouken. Shoden's previous name was Miyakoji Kanai, and from Benchu ​​he took the name Harufuji Shoden around 1758 (8th year of the Horeki era), later going to Izumo, Izumo no Jo, and then returning to Shoden, before moving to Edo, where he took the surname Miyakoji around 1768 (5th year of the Meiwa era), changed his name to Sonohachi, and spread the school of the first Sonohachi. Meanwhile, Miyazono Ranpouken (?-1785) was born Kioka Mitsuyoshi, and is said to have been known as Heigoro, and was formerly known as Iedayu. After the death of the first Sonohachi, he succeeded the second Sonohachi in Kamigata, and in 1762 (12th year of the Horeki era) he took the name Miya from Miyakoji and the name Sono from Sonohachi, taking the name Miyazono Buzen, and in 1766 (3rd year of the Meiwa era) he changed his name to Ranpoken and passed away in Kyoto. A performer with a beautiful voice, he was devoted to Joruri and also excelled in writing lyrics and composing music, and he trained many disciples, building the foundations of today's Miyazono-bushi. One of his disciples, previously known as Miyazono Mojitayu, succeeded the second Ranpoken (?-1812) and was active in the theaters of Kamigata, but his popularity gradually declined and was forgotten in Kamigata after the Bunsei era (1818-1830). The third head of the school (date of birth and death unknown) Tokizawa Ranko took the name in 1813 (Bunka 10), but changed his name to Rankoken the following year. Meanwhile, in Edo, Shundayu, a disciple of the first Ranpoken and the younger brother of Shoden, came down from Kamigata and passed on the Miyazono Sekkyoku Judan, which had been directly taught by the first, to the first Miyazono Senshi (pronounced "Senshi") (although another version says Senshi brought it back from Kamigata), and continued to work hard to develop the style, but it is said that the artistic style was strongly influenced by Ranpoken. Yamashiroya Seihachi, the owner of a kabuki teahouse in Yoshicho, Edo, studied under Shundayu, took the name of the first Miyazono Chie (?-1834), and as head of the school, trained disciples Senshu and Senju. Disciples of the first head priest, Chiju, were raised by the second head priest, Chiju, and then by the second head priest, Chino. In 1884 (Meiji 17), the "Sonohachi-se Regulations" were created, which designated the husband of the first head priest, Chiju, Seizaburo, as the head priest. Since then, the school has split into two branches, Chino and Chiju, and the foundation for upholding the traditions has been solidified.

Representative pieces that are still heard today include "Toribeyama," "Yugiri," "The Gardener," "Michiyukinatane no Midaresaki," "Katsura River Koi no Shigarami," and "Koina," all composed by the first Ranpoken. The pieces are characterized by their sorrowful and lyrical style, and the sound of the shamisen is distinctive and unique even among Bungo-kei joruri. There are few interjections, making it difficult to find the time to take a breath, and the low-pitched ryo rhythm is tasteful.

[Kiyohiro Hayashi and Yukinori Moriya]

“Sonohachishu” written by Chiju Miyazono and Yoshitsune Machida (1963, Aogabo)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

浄瑠璃(じょうるり)の一流派。近年まで薗八(そのはち)節の名でよばれた。一中(いっちゅう)節、河東(かとう)節、荻江(おぎえ)節とともに古曲の一つに数えられる。宮古路豊後掾(みやこじぶんごのじょう)の門弟宮古路薗八の始めた一派。流祖薗八については、1733年（享保18）の『筆顔見世鸚鵡硯(ふでのかおみせおうむのすずり)』という評判記のなかに立役(たちやく)の巻軸として松島茂平治と対(つい)になって記されているのと、1769年（明和6）刊の『宮薗花扇子(はなおうぎ)』という正本(しょうほん)集にその名がみえるほかに記録がなく、経歴、生没年などいっさいが不明である。

　初世の著名な門弟に、春富士正伝(はるふじしょうでん)と宮薗鸞鳳軒(らんぽうけん)がいる。正伝は前名を宮古路哥内といい、弁中から1758年（宝暦8）ごろ春富士正伝を名のり、のちに出雲(いずも)、出雲掾、そしてふたたび正伝に戻って江戸へ下り、68年（明和5）ごろ宮古路姓となり、薗八と改めて初世薗八の一流を広めた。一方、宮薗鸞鳳軒（？―1785）は本名を木岡光義といい、平呉と号し、前名は家太夫を名のったといわれる。初世薗八の没後、上方(かみがた)において2世薗八を継ぎ、1762年（宝暦12）に宮古路の宮と薗八の薗をとり、宮薗豊前(ぶぜん)を名のり、さらに66年（明和3）に鸞鳳軒と改名、京都で没した。美声の演奏家で浄瑠璃いちずに徹し、作詞、作曲にも優れ、多くの弟子を育成し、今日の宮薗節の基礎を築いた。この門弟で前名宮薗文字太夫が2世鸞鳳軒（？―1812）を継ぎ、上方の劇場で活躍したが、その後はしだいに衰退し、上方では文政(ぶんせい)年間（1818～30）以降は顧みられなくなった。3世（生没年不詳）は時沢鸞孔(らんこう)が1813年（文化10）襲名したが、翌年には鸞孔軒と改名した。他方、江戸では初世鸞鳳軒の弟子で正伝の弟の春太夫が上方から下り、初世の直伝である宮薗節曲十段を、初世宮薗千之（千枝、読みは「せんし」）に伝えるなど（異説では千之が上方よりもち帰ったともいわれている）引き続いて流儀の発展に尽力したが、鸞鳳軒の芸風の濃いものであったといわれる。江戸・葭町(よしちょう)の陰間茶屋の主人山城(やましろ)屋清八はこの春太夫に学び、初世宮薗千枝（？―1834）を名のり、家元として千秀と千寿(せんじゅ)の門弟を育成した。初世千寿から2世千寿、2世千之の弟子が育ち、1884年（明治17）、初世千寿の夫清三郎を家元預り人と定めた「薗八節規定」がつくられ、以来千之と千寿の二派に分立して伝統を遵守する基盤が固められた。

　いまに伝わる代表曲には『鳥辺山(とりべやま)』をはじめ、『夕ぎり』『植木屋』『道行菜種の乱咲(みちゆきなたねのみだれさき)』『桂川恋の柵(かつらがわこいのしがらみ)』『小いな』など、いずれも初世鸞鳳軒作曲のものがある。楽曲の特色は、哀艶(あいえん)、叙情味豊かな風韻に富み、三味線の音色は、豊後系浄瑠璃のなかでも際だった独得のものがあり、合の手の少ないことから息継ぎの間がむずかしく、低音の呂(りょ)の節調に味わいがある。

［林喜代弘・守谷幸則］

『宮薗千寿・町田佳聲著『薗八集』（1963・青蛙房）』

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