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MUSIC

QUARTER 4 – MODULE 1
MELC: Identifies musical characteristics of selected Asian musical theatre
through video films or live performances.

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PART I.

A. Introduction
In this lesson, you are expected to identify the varied art forms used in Asian musical theatre to
communicate tales of everyday social and cultural relevance and interests, analyze how elements of
sound, gesture movement, and costume affect the creation and communication, and evaluate the
performance of each group with regards to cultural relevance, music performance, and movement.

B. Discussion
Theatre is a collaborative art form which combines words, voice, movement and visual elements to
express meaning.
Theatre arts are one of the ancient traditions of the people in Asia particularly in Japan, Indonesia,
and China. This theatre art form was transmitted from generation to generation. The message in every
presentation conveys reflection of everyday life. The key principle of theatre is selectivity. Through the
various forms of theatre art, a specific form can achieve clarity, order, and beauty rarely found in
ordinary life.
As we go through discussing the examples of Asian Theatre, open each given links, and carefully
watch and analyse the characteristics each displays.

JAPANESE THEATRE
Video Clip 1. Kabuki: https://youtu.be/6oZu80KZAM4
Japan is rich in culture and tradition. One of the traditions that is very popular until today is the
traditional form of theatre called Kabuki. Kabuki is a form of classical theatre in Japan known for its
elaborate costumes and dynamic acting. In the history of Japan, Kabuki’s origin began in the Edo Period
in 1603 when Izumo No Okuni, a shrine dancer from Kyoto wherein the performance is a combination of
religious and folk dance.
Kabuki comprises of three Japanese characters
where “ka” means “songs”, “bu” means “dance”, and
“ki” means “skill”.
Together with noh, kabuki is considered the
most important Japanese contribution to world theatre.
Both are unique and genuine expressions of the
Japanese spirit and culture. Pentatonic style is mostly
used in the performance of noh and kabuki.
One of the key features of Japanese theatre is
Figure 1. Kabuki
the vocal technique used in singing. The continuous
pattern or ipponchōshi is used in speeches building up to an explosive climax in the aragoto (oversize,

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supernatural, rough hero) style, it requires an extra ordinary breath control that only few experts succeed
in achieving. Another technique adapted from the chanting or jōruri is called nori. It implies a very
sensitive capacity of riding the rhythms of the shamisen (string instrument), declaiming each
accompaniment. Yakuharai technique in the same way describes the subtle delivery of poetical text
written in the Japanese metrical form of alternating seven and five syllables.

CHINESE THEATRE
Video Clip 2. Peking Opera: https://cutt.ly/ibZi0f8
Chinese culture is musically and artistically rich. Chinese theatre was considered as the highest
form of arts in China. The country has several unique types of musical ensembles, among of them a
performing art called Peking Opera. Peking Opera, sometimes called Beijing Opera, is one of several
kinds of opera found throughout China. It was the most dominant form of Chinese opera which
combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing
Dynasty (1644-1912) and became fully developed
and recognized by the mid- 19th century.
Everything about Peking Opera is carefully
structured with specific guidelines. The stories are of
two general types. Civil plays are about emotions
and relationships between characters. They might
explore love or mystery. Martial plays focus on
action and are filled acrobatics and martial arts.
Figure 2. Peking Opera Music is very important to Peking Opera. Certain
story types are accompanied by specific types of music, which may include arias, percussion patterns,
and fixed tune melodies. Fixed-tune melodies are familiar melodies to which a composer adds new
words for a specific opera or story.
Basically, the Peking opera has two main styles of music, namely: erh- huang and his-p’l. These
styles are very similar and the only difference is the key. His-p’l has lower sound than the erh- huang.
They also utilize the technique called fan-pan which is commonly used for sorrowful songs, and is only
sung by bearded characters.

INDONESIAN THEATRE
Video Clip 3. Wayang Kulit Theatre: https://cutt.ly/KbZi8MR
Shadow Puppet Theatre is a well- known Indonesian theatre popular not only in their own country
but spread in several countries around the world. Wayang Kulit is one of the most distinctive shadow
plays among Asian dramas which has evolved and grown most fully in Java and Bali Indonesia. The
Wayang Kulit makes use of flat puppets that are cut and designed with intricate patterns. The shadow

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 images can be shown when projected on screen with an oil lamp or electric light to bring life to the
shadow images on the screen.
Wayang is an Indonesian and Malay
word for theatre. When the term is used to refer
to kinds of Puppet Theatre, sometimes the
puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Kulit
means skin and refers to the leather
construction of the puppets that are carefully
cut into a very fine tools and supported with
carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and Figure 3. Wayang Kulit
control rods.
The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit performance. The dalang prepares
all the materials used like the cloth and the light for the shadow. The puppet on the right side signifies
the good character, on the left side the bad. The open space between them about two meters wide
represents the stage.
The puppeteer is called the dalang. He is characterized by being creative, humorous, and
flexible. He manipulates the puppets, sings, and taps out signals to the orchestra. He also speaks the parts
of all the characters. The use of voice interchangeably is the main ability of a dalang to give more life to
a different character.

C. Readings
Kabuki (Japan)
Kabuki theatre music can be divided into three categories: geza, shosa-ongaku, and ki and tsuke.
Geza includes music and sound effects played on stage, behind a black bamboo curtain called
a kuromisu. Geza music can be further subdivided into three types. The first type is uta or song (sung
accompanied by a shamisen), the second type is called aikata (involves shamisen music without any
singing), and the third type is narimono(played by small percussion instruments besides the shamisen).
Shosa-ongaku encompasses music that is played on the stage and accompanies acting and dancing
includes the Takemoto (accompanies acting), Nagauta, Tokiwazu and Kiyomoto music styles
(accompany dancing in kabuki dance drama). Ki and tsuke describe the distinctive sounds made by
striking two square oak boards. When the two boards are struck together, they produce the ki sound.
When they are struck against a hardwood board, they produce the tsuke sound.
The important characteristics of Kabuki theatre include its particular music, costumes, stage
devices and props as well as specific plays, language and acting styles, such as the mime- the theatrical
technique of suggesting action, character, or emotion without words, using only gesture, expression, and
movement.

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 Peking Opera (China)
Peking Opera theatre music can be divided into the xīpí and èrhuáng styles. Melodies include
arias, fixed-tune melodies and percussion patterns. The repertoire of Peking opera includes over 1,400
works, which are based on Chinese history, folklore and, increasingly, contemporary life.
Peking Opera includes elements of vocal skill, dance and martial arts. Peking Opera combines
singing, reciting or spoken word, acting, and martial arts. So performers need to be excellent singers,
dancers, actors and acrobats.

Wayang Kulit (Indonesia)

The term Wayang Kulit literally means “shadows from hide”, and has a few meanings in the
Southeast Asian context. In Indonesia, the term wayang kulit refers not only to the performance of a
shadow play, but has also become synonymous with the hide puppets used to create the shadows
The gamelan orchestra is a vital accompaniment for wayang kulit performance. Music supports
the all-night performance almost non-stop, though the number of instruments that play may vary.
Gamelan serves both musical and dramatic functions -- music sets the mood, interprets, and reinforces
various aspects of the dalang’s narrative. The entrances and exits of particular characters to the stage,
journeys, battles, and narrations are accompanied by musical compositions of various lengths. At certain
junctures of the play, the dalang chants or sings songs (called sulukan) to set the mood of the scene,
which is accompanied by soft-sounding instruments.
In Wayang Kulit, puppets are believed to have great spiritual power, and are “brought to life” by
special ceremonies performed by the dalang, the puppet master and story teller.
The function of the shadow play is to educate as well as amuse, by portraying good and evil,
with good always triumphing, although evil is never destroyed.

D. Examples

Peking Opera:
Video Clip 4.
His-p’l and Erh- huang:
https://cutt.ly/YbZsojE

Kabuki Wayang Kulit

Figure 4. Izumo No Okuni
Figure 5. Dalang

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 As you analyze the following musical characteristics of Asian musical Theatre, you will notice the
following example of their musical characteristics in terms if the following:
*Unique Feature- refers to the nature of the play or performance; or how it is performed done, or delivered.
** Musical Instruments- refers to the musical instruments being used or applied in the performance.
*** Genre- refers to the particular category, as to what type or what kind the performance plays.
Musical Characteristics

Asian Musical *Unique Features **Musical Instruments ***Genre

Theatre
A. Kabuki A traditional Japanese Shamisen - string instrument Combination of religious and
popular drama with folk dance
singing and dancing
performed in a highly
stylized manner.
B. Wayang Kulit A traditional form of Gamelan - a multi- timbre The dalang is the puppeteer
puppet shadow play ensemble consisting of where the story based on the
originally found in the metallophones, xylophones, Hindu epics of the
cultures in Indonesia. flutes, gongs, voices, as well Mahabharata and Ramayana.
as bowed and plucked
strings

C. Peking Opera A Chinese drama play Wenchang- dominated by Portraying good and evil
where performers used different string or
the skills of speech, chordophone instruments
song, dance and like jinghu, yue qin and pipa
combat in movements.

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PART II. Activity Proper

Activity I

Directions: Fill in the missing letters to complete the word/s related to the selected Asian musical theatre.
Write the answer on the space provided.

K_B_K_ W_Y_NG P_K_NG

TH__TR_ K_L_T _P_R_

Activity II

Directions: Loop words that pertain to selected Asian musical theatre.

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 Activity II

Activity I

KABUKIT WAYAN PEKING

HEATRE GKULIT OP ER A
PART III. SUMMATIVE EVALUATION

A. Directions: Select the letter of your choice and write it on a separate sheet of paper.
1. It is a theatre form that began at the end of 16th century.
A. Kabuki B. Peking Opera C. Wayang Kulit D. Zarzuela
2. It is a music style that is mostly used in the performance of noh and kabuki theatre.
A. Chromatic Style B. Octatonic Style C. Pentatonic Style D. Whole-tone Style
3. It is a Japanese vocal technique that implies a very sensitive capacity of riding the rhythms of shamisen.
A. Aragoto B. Ipponchoshi C. Nori D. Yakuharai
4. It is a Chinese musical theatre that features speech, singing, mime, and acrobatics and is performed to an
instrumental accompaniment.
A. Kabuki B. Peking Opera C. Wayang Kulit D. Zarzuela
5. It is a musical technique that is commonly used for sorrowful songs and only sung by bearded characters
in Peking Opera.
A. Aragoto B.Fan-pan C. Geza D. Nori
6. These are the main styles of music in Peking Opera that are similar to each other and the only difference
is the key.
A. Erh-huang & His-p’l B. Geza & His-p’l C. Ki & Erh-Huang D. Tsuke & Noh
7. It is a musical theatre of Indonesia and one of the oldest traditions of storytelling in the world which
includes the use of puppet materials and background musical accompaniment.
A. Kabuki B. Peking Opera C. Wayang Kulit D. Zarzuela
8. It is an Indonesian and Malay word for theatre.
A. Nori B. Sakura C. Wayang D. Yakuharai
9. It is how the puppet master and story teller of Wayang Kulit is called.
A. Aragoto B. Dalang C. Geza D. Wayang
10. It is a chant or song that is sung by the dalang in Wayang kulit to set the mood of the scene which
is accompanied by soft-sounding instruments.
A. Chou B. Kunqu C. Sakura D. Sulukan

B. Directions: Write TRUE if the underlined word/s make/s the statement correct; and FALSE if not.
1. The term Peking Opera literally means “shadows from hide”.
2. Wayang Kulit is recognized as one of Japan’s three major classical theatre along with noh and
bunraku.
3. Kabuki music can be divided into three categories: geza, shosa-ongaku, and ki and tsuke.
4. Peking Opera is the most dominant form of Chinese opera which combines music, vocal
performance, mime, dance and acrobatics.
5. The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit performance.

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C. Directions: Aside from the given examples in the discussion section on page 5, write your own
observation on the following columns. DO NOT COPY THE GIVEN EXAMPLES.

Asian Musical Theatre Musical Characteristics

Unique Features Musical Instruments Genre
A. Kabuki

B. Wayang Kulit

C. Peking Opera

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Rubrics
10 points Student answered three or more correct musical characteristics of each selected
Asian musical theatre.
7 points Student answered two correct musical characteristics of each selected Asian
musical theatre.
5 points Student answered one correct relevant musical characteristics of each selected
Asian musical theatre.
3 points Student completed the table but answers are irrelevant to the question
1 point Student answered 1 or 2 out of 6 concepts being required.

References:

A. Print/Books:
Anido, B. et.al; Music and Arts Grade 8, Learners Module, (First Edition 2013)
ISBN 978-971-9990-76-5
Lacia, G. et al; The 21st Century MAPEH in Action 8, (Revised Edition 2015)
ISBN 978- 971-23-7084-7

B. Online and Other Sources:

Figure 1. Performance at a local kabuki theatre - https://cutt.ly/fzEqwp3

Figure 2. Peking Opera- https://cutt.ly/lzW6nHU

Figure 3. Wayang Kulit- https://cutt.ly/WzEruSU

Figure 4. Izumo No Okuni- https://cutt.ly/CbZo7ML

Figure 5. Dalang- https://cutt.ly/IbZpMgS

“An introduction to Kabuki Theatre”- https://cutt.ly/EzEo2a8
“Peking Opera”- https://cutt.ly/6zEyWmt
“Traditional Japanese Music”- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional Japanese music
“Wayang Kulit”- https://cutt.ly/vzEuizo
“Gamelan Orchestra”- https://cutt.ly/7zEuCqR
“Kabuki Theatre”- https://youtu.be/6oZu80KZAM4
“Wayang Kulit Theatre”- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfydro4X2t0
“Peking Opera Theatre”-

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