Yoshizawa Kengyo

A performer and composer of Ikuta-ryu koto music and jiuta (traditional folk songs) from the end of the Edo period. Second generation. Son of the first generation Yoshizawa Kengyo (date of birth and death unknown). His capital name was Shinnoichi. Born in Nagoya, he lost his sight at the age of nine. He studied koto music and jiuta under his father and Fujita Kengyo, and Heikyoku under Nakamura Kengyo. After joining the Kengyo service in 1834 (Tenpo 5), he also studied gagaku, waka poetry, and national studies. He was highly valued by the lord of Owari, and in his forties he was made head of the blind in Oshu, receiving a stipend of five people, and always recited Heikyoku during the lord's religious ceremonies. He moved to Kyoto in about 1855 (Ansei 2) and took over the movement to revive koto music led by Mitsuzaki Kengyo and others, inventing unique koto rhythms such as the Kokin rhythm inspired by the rhythms of gagaku and creating a new style of koto group song with waka poems as lyrics. His works include five pieces in the Kokin group ("Chidori no Kyoku", "Spring Kyoku", "Summer Kyoku", "Autumn Kyoku", "Winter Kyoku") and four pieces in the Kokin Shin group ("Yamazakura", "Karagoromo", "Hatsusegawa", "Shinsetsugekka"). However, his innovative artistic activities were shunned by the feudal koto music and jiuta world, and he died in obscurity.

[Keiko Hirayama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸末期の生田流(いくたりゅう)箏曲(そうきょく)・地歌(じうた)の演奏家、作曲家。2世。初世吉沢検校（生没年不詳）の子。都名(いちな)は審一(しんのいち)。名古屋で生まれ、9歳で失明。父や藤田検校に箏曲・地歌、中村検校に平曲などを師事。1834年（天保5）検校登官後、雅楽、和歌、国学なども学んだ。尾張(おわり)藩主にも重用され、40代で尾州の盲人支配頭に列せられて五人扶持(ぶち)を得、藩主の祭祀(さいし)のおりにはつねに平曲を語った。55年（安政2）ごろ京都に移って光崎(みつざき)検校らの箏曲復古運動を受け継ぎ、雅楽の調子からヒントを得て古今調子などの独特な箏の調子を考案し、和歌を詞章とする新形式の箏組歌を生み出した。作品に古今組五曲（『千鳥(ちどり)の曲』『春の曲』『夏の曲』『秋の曲』『冬の曲』）や古今新組四曲（『山桜』『唐衣(からごろも)』『初瀬川』『新雪月花』）などがあるが、その斬新(ざんしん)的芸術活動は封建的箏曲地歌界からは敬遠され、不遇のまま没した。

［平山けい子］

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