Shōmyō and Gregorian Chant: Salzburg Festival
Over het evenement
The Japanese Shōmyō Choir will perform 'Shōmyō and Gregorian Chant' at the Salzburg Festival series Ouverture spirituelle.
Last year, the newly‐introduced concert series Ouverture spirituelle met with a most enthusiastic echo. In 2013, the Salzburg Festival will once again open with sacred music, and again, works by Catholic and Protestant composers will be juxtaposed with another religion – this time, it will be Buddhism, brought to you via traditional and recent music from Japan.
Shōmyō is to Japanese Buddhist liturgy what Gregorian chant is to its Western and Christian counterpart: choral and solo singing performed by monks in unison, expressing the religious actions of adoration, veneration and contemplation through music.
Cantori Gregoriani di Cremona
Fulvio Rampi, Direction
Karyōbinga Shōmyō Kenkyūkai Priest's Choir (Kashōken)
Yūshō Kojima, Direction
Ouverture spirituelle
Buddhism is based on the teachings of the Indian sage Shākyamuni. About 2500 years ago, he began showing humanity a path towards overcoming the pain perceived in this worldly existence and achieving redemption in Nirvāna. At his death (presumably in 483 B.C.) Shākyamuni is said to have travelled this path before us, becoming a Buddha (one of the “enlightened”). During subsequent centuries, his teachings evolved into a complex religion now spread throughout Asia, albeit with major regional differences.
The predominant form of the faith in East Asia is Mahāyāna Buddhism, the teaching of the “Great Vehicle”, which involves transporting all beings across the “sea of suffering” to the “other shore”, i.e. Nirvāna. Around this, a multi‐faceted and highly differentiated cult has arisen which has integrated music, dance and theatre in prominent roles. In the grand temple ceremonies of Japanese Buddhism, shōmyō, the ritual chanting of the priests, is of central importance. Since its introduction from the Asian mainland around the middle of the first millennium, it has developed into an independent form of meditative vocal music. (text excerpts by Heinz‐Dieter Reese)
