Content area
Abstract
This dissertation outlines the issues involved in adapting a foreign genre in Japan, with examples drawn from children's songs, rock, hip-hop, and reggae/dancehall, followed by detailed case studies of children's songs and hip-hop DJs. The popularization of genres reveals much of the Japanese self-image vis-à-vis other cultures, as many aspects of a foreign culture are absorbed in addition to music. Typically, the musical style of an imported genre evolves over time from translated songs, to songs that stick closely to the foreign style, to a more original style that may reflect traditional Japanese aesthetics, incorporate Japanese scales or instruments, or display an eclectic mix of influences. The Japanese language also presents challenges and opportunities for creativity, as its lack of stress accents, existence of pitch accents, multi-moraic vocabulary, and gender/class differentials render it distinct from some Western European languages.
The evolution of children's songs (shōka and dōyō) from 1877 to 1947 is discussed, showing their transformation from gagaku-based hoiku shoka, to awkward translations of Scottish folk songs, to syncretic art songs with sophisticated text-setting techniques and the incorporation of Japanese melodies within a Western form. The impact of the political atmosphere and educational policy on musical style and textual content is addressed. Treatises on songwriting by composers Yamada Kōsaku, Motoori Nagayo, Komatsu Kosuke, and Kawamura Naonori, are analyzed, particularly as they relate to pitch accents, phrase structure, and harmonization. The final chapter discusses hip-hop DJs and producers, explaining their creative process, integration of traditional Japanese music and aesthetics, and experiences in the DMC World Championships, through interviews with DJs and producers Krush, Kentaro, Evis Beats, Shing02, Ono, Co-ma, and Izoh.
The dissertation contributes to the discourse on Japanese popular music by providing comparisons across different genres of the process of musical globalization and the evolution of distinct styles. Most studies on Japanese popular music to date have focused on one genre. Through musical analyses, the dissertation shows the development of Japanese songwriting technique in Western idioms and its continuities with traditional text setting. Finally, it examines the musicality of Japanese DJs and their contribution to the global music scene.
