YUGAO "EVENING FACES"

This beautiful "Jiuta" piece is of the Kyoto style composed in the early 1800's. The song text is based on the story of Yugao (Evening Faces) from The Tale of Genji. Genji, a lad of seventeen, is on his way to visit his old foster mother. Along the way he stops to admire a gate clustered with evening glories. A young girl appears and on behalf of her mistress (Yugao) presents some of the flowers to Genji on a perfumed fan. Entranced by the simple beauty of the girl he decides to see her again. He takes her with him one night to a secluded mansion but after a brief interlude of love Genji's former lady, Rokujo, sends her jealous spirit to kill Yugao and she dies in his arms. Performance by John Singer using 1.8 length Shakuhachi made by Miura Kindo with Chikumeisha music score.