Rōsaibushi - Rōsaibushi

A popular song from the early Edo period. It is also written as 'Kousai', 'Rosai', 'Rousai', etc. Following on from Ryutatsu-bushi, it became popular in Kyoto around the Kan'ei period (1624-1644), and then also in Edo, where it was called 'Edo Rosai'. There are various theories about the origin of the name, such as that the melody was gloomy like that of a person suffering from the disease 'Rosai' (Kyuu Shoran), that it is sung in a cheerful voice with detailed melodies (Ihon Dobo Goen), or that it was started by a frivolous monk called 'Rosai' (Mukashi Monogatari), but none of these are certain. It fell into disuse in the Genroku period (1688-1704), so no melody remains, but a considerable number of lyrics can be found scattered among songbooks from the Edo period. Many of the lyrics are based on the early modern short song style of 7-7-7-5 rhythm, and are thought to have been sung to the accompaniment of the shamisen. They have also been incorporated into art music, such as the koto piece "Kumoinosai" by Yatsuhashi Kengyo and the long song of the same name by Sayama Kengyo, but the relationship between the melody and the phrases is unclear.

[Junnosuke Chiba]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸時代初期の流行歌謡。癆瘵、朗細、籠済などとも記す。隆達節に続いて寛永(かんえい)（1624～44）ごろに京都で流行し、その後江戸でも流行して「江戸弄斎」とよばれた。語源については、癆瘵(ろうさい)という病気にかかった人のように曲調が陰気であったため（嬉遊笑覧(きゆうしょうらん)）とか、朗らかな声で節細かく歌うため（異本洞房(どうぼう)語園）とか、籠済(ろうさい)という浮かれ坊主が始めたため（昔々物語）など諸説があるが、いずれもさだかではない。元禄(げんろく)期（1688～1704）にはまったく廃れているので、曲節は現存しないが、詞章は江戸時代の歌本類のなかに相当数散見できる。詞型の多くは七七七五調の近世小歌調を基本としており、三味線にあわせて歌ったものと思われる。八橋検校(やつはしけんぎょう)の箏(そう)曲『雲井弄斎』や佐山検校の同名の長歌(ながうた)物など、芸術音楽にも取り入れられているが、曲節の関係については不明である。

［千葉潤之介］

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