2008 秋の演能

能「小督(こごう)」解説 → ●岩船 あらすじ Iwafune  story→敦盛 あらすじ Atsumori story

 プロローグ

小督(こごう、保元2年(1157年 - 没年未詳)は、平安時代末期の高倉天皇後宮の女性。桜町中納言藤原成範(ふじわらのなりのり)の娘で、類稀な美貌で箏の名手であったと伝えられる。冷泉隆房の愛人だったが、高倉天皇が最愛の寵姫を亡くし悲嘆に暮れていた時、それを見かねた中宮(皇后、清盛の娘である平徳子)は天皇を慰めようと、美貌と音楽の才能で名高かった貴族の娘を紹介する。宮中に上がった娘は小督局と呼ばれ、天皇の寵愛を一身に受けた。しかし、中宮(正妻)が平清盛の娘であったので、その権勢をはばかって、宮中を去り身を嵯峨野に隠してしまいました。能「小督」は嵯峨野の場面に取材したもので、現在も比較的盛んに上演される、美しくも哀切な「能」の名作である。

 梗概 (あらすじ)  四番目物。季節は秋、時に中秋。所は名月の嵯峨野。
 小督の局は時の天皇高倉帝の寵愛を受けていたが、中宮(正妻)が平の清盛の娘であったので、その権勢をはばかって宮中を去ってしまいます。天皇の嘆きは深く、密かに腹心の源仲国(シテ)のもとに勅使を派遣し、仲国に小督の局を捜しだすように命じになります。手がかりは嵯峨野の「片折戸」のある家に住んでいるということだけです。今宵は名月、小督の局はきっと琴を弾じるに違いないだろうから、それを頼りに捜して参りますとお答えします。帝は仲国に名馬を与えますが、仲国はその名馬に乗って探索に出かけます。
今回は前半を省き、中入り 後よりの上演です

 一方小督の局は嵯峨野で悲しい思いでおりますが、気を紛らすために琴を奏でます。
 仲国は名月に照らされた嵯峨野にやって来ますが、片折戸という手がかりだけなので方々を捜します。法輪寺のあたりに来るとかすかに琴の音が聞こえてきました。耳を澄ますと「想夫恋」(男を思慕する女心の曲)の調べで、この琴の音は小督の局のものに違いないと確信し、片折戸の門口で案内を請います。しかし小督の局(ツレ)は門を固く閉ざし会おうとしません。侍女(ツレ)の取りなしで、仲国は小督の局にようやく会うことが出来ます。小督の局は帝の手紙をいただき読み、帝の寄せる思いに感泣します。
仲国は小督の帝宛のお手紙を請い、小督は寵愛された我が身を思い帝への手紙をしたためます。手紙をいただいた仲国が帰ろうとするのを小督は引き留め、酒肴を用意し仲国をもてなします。仲国は名月を愛で舞(男舞)を舞います。仲国は必ず迎えの車をさし向けることを約束し、今はこれまでと勇む心で馬上の人となり、小督も名残を惜しみながら片折戸から見送ります。

エピローグ

小督は宮中に帰るのを渋るが、「想夫恋」の曲で彼女の真意を悟っていた仲国に押し切られ、こっそりと天皇のもとに帰ってきた。その後、二人はひそかに逢瀬を重ねるが、清盛におもねる者から秘密が漏れて、皇后の父である平清盛の怒りに触れ、高倉天皇第二皇女を出産したのちに出家させられた。元久2年(1205年)に藤原定家が嵯峨で彼女の病床を見舞った記録があるが、その後の消息は不明。


「小督」は『平家物語』に素材を得て作曲されていますが、ところどころに「峰の嵐か松風か、それかあらぬか、尋ぬる人の琴の音か、楽は何ぞと聴きたれば、夫を想ひて恋ふる名の、想夫恋なるぞ嬉しき。」など、平家物語に準拠した名文がちりばめられています。)
 

Outline and explanation of Noh"Kogou"  

 Prologue Kogou(1157-?) is a woman of Takakura Tennou seraglio of the Heian era end. She is told that she was a daughter of aristocrat Fujiwara Naritsune, and that she was a pretty face of a rare kind and expert of the harp. Takakura Tennou(Emperor) loses a beloved woman, and has suffered grief.
To comfort heartsick Tennou, the empress introduced her to the emperor. She who went up to the court was called Kogou no Tsubone, and came to receive love of Tennou exclusively.
However, because the empress was a daughter of Kiyomori, she hesitated in the power of kiyomori。She left the court and lived secretly in Sagano region (west suburbs in the capital). Noh "Kogou" has taken the scene in Sagano.
This story catches Japanese heart forever because the life of Kogou is beautiful, sad. So,this Noh Kogou has the presentation still often.

 Synopsis :scene by scene

The fourth category. Sagano region. Midautumn of the harvest moon.
Because Tyuuguu (empress) was a daughter of Kiyomori, she hesitates in the power of him and leaves the court though Kogou had received love of MikadoTakakura. Mikado deeply grieves for her disappearance,
and sends envoy (Waki) to right-hand Minamoto Nakakuni(Shite). The order is to search out kogou and to deliver the letter to her. The clue of Kogou is only living in the house with Kataorido at west suburbs Sagano. Nakakuni says that it is a harvest moon tonight and Kogou will surely enjoy the harp. I can look for her because of the harp sound. Mikado gives Nakakuni the good horse, and Nakakuni goes out to Sagano to search riding on the good horse given from Mikado.

(interval) The first half is omitted today.

Kogou and maid(tsure):entrance。 Kataorido: place on

On the other hand, Kogou is spent lonesomely, and sadly in the Sagano region. To take her mind off worries, she plays the harp.

Nakakuni (shite)entranceNakakuni comes to bright Sagano of the harvest moon.
Because her clue is only Kataorido, he searches everywhere around Sagano.
The sound of the harp can be faintly heard when he comes around of Hourinji Temple.
Nakakuni strained his ears and he listened Souhuren (tune of the woman's heart to long for a man).
He is convinced that the person who is playing this harp is Kogou and begs the guide in front of the gate of Kataorido.

Shite/Tsure:conversation:letter exchange However, Kogou doesn't start meeting. At the end he was able to meet Kogou in maid's intercession .Kogou reads the letter of Mikado, is moved deeply by love of Mikado, and cries. Nakakuni begs the letter from Kogou to Mikado. Kogou writes a letter to Mikado, and entrusts to Nakakuni.
Kogou detains his return, and the maid entertains sake.

shite's action/ otokomai:last scene

Nakakuni dances Otokomai dance lovely under the harvest moon .
Otokomai is the man's actor dance without applying the mask,and must fit to Hayashi music of an early tempo.
Nakakuni promises kogou to arrange the guest car. He rides on the horse with great glee because he brings good report to mikado.
Kogou sends him off with regrettable mind from kataorido .
)

Epilogue
As for Kogou, her real intention was realized by the tune of Souhuren. And, she gave way to the persuasion of Nakakuni and she came back secretly to Tennou. Afterwards, the secret meeting has leaked to Kiyomori though two lovers met secretly. She was obliged to become a priest after she had given birth to the second princess.
The news afterwards is uncertain though there is a record where Fujiwara Teika visited the sickbed of her at Sagano in 1205. ( by ksk)

岩船 あらすじ Iwafune  story
岩船は神々が高天原(日本神話の神々が住む天国)からより下界に下りた時に使われたという船の名です。 

季節は秋。所は摂津の国(現在の大阪)住吉の浦。 
 天皇に仕える臣下(ワキとワキツレ)が、宣旨により住吉の海岸に立つ市に、中国や高麗の宝物を買い取りに来ます。帝の治世が正しく、人々の平和で豊かな暮らしを喜びます。
(そこに姿は中国人であるが大和言葉を話す童子(前シテ)が現れます。童子は銀の盆に宝珠を載せています。童子は今の目出度い御代を褒め、めでたい宝珠を帝に献上します。沖の方から岩船が漕ぎ寄せてくる。天は帝の治世が正しく、人々の平和で豊かな暮らしを喜び、天上界の宮殿の宝物を帝に献上するために、この浦に岩船を漕ぎ寄せるところである。 実は、私はその岩船を漕いで地上に降りた天の探女(あまのさくめ)であると童子は言い残し、姿を消します。)今回の薪能では前シテの部分は省かれるので、このシーンはない。
ワキとワキツレが舞台右側に座する。


早笛はシテの出る合図となる強く鋭い笛の演奏スタイルである。

早笛に合わせて海中に住む竜神(後シテ)が颯爽と登場し、舞働きという動きの激しい舞いをします。手に持っている棒は櫂を表している。   
 シテは宝を積んだ岩船を八大竜王とともに「えいやえいや」と住吉海岸に岩船を漕ぎます。彼らはおびただしい数の金や銀の宝物を船より降ろします。最後に、この国の万代までの繁栄を寿ぎ海に帰って行きます。
実際の舞台ではシテ一人ですが、観客の皆さんは8人の竜神が登場しているシーンを想像してご覧ください。
この能は番組の最後に祝言能として演じられることが多く、その場合、前シテの部分は省略されます。
今回の薪能では祝言能の演出で演じます。アッと思う間に終演となります。


Iwafune
Iwafune is a name of the ship used when gods went down Takamagahara (heaven where God of Japanese myth live) to this world.

The season is autumn. The place is a coast in country Sumiyoshi of Settsu (present Osaka).
The vassal who serves Mikado comes to the trade market in the Sumiyoshi coast to buy the treasure of China and Koma by Mikado's instruction.

The child (Shite) who speaks Japanese shows up there though the appearance is Chinese. The child is putting the treasure on the silver tray.
The child praises that the people's livings are peaceful and rich by the good reign of Mikado.
And, the child presents the emperor a happy treasure.
The child praises the appearance of the market and the beautiful scenery in the bay.
Iwafune comes from the offing. A lot of treasures of the palace Takamagahara are piled to the Iwafune.
The treasures are for to be presented to Mikado as congratulation.The child disappears, saying that I am Amanosakume the rower of Iwafune.
This scene doesn't exist because the front shite appearance is omitted in this Takigi-Noh.

Hayabue music is a performance style of a strong, sharp whistle that becomes a signal
of which Shite goes out.
God Dragon (post-Shite) that lives in the sea with Hayabue appears dashingly, and he dances Maibataraki, dance of an intense movement. The stick that he has in the hand shows the paddle.

Shite rows Iwafune that piled up the treasure with his companions to Sumiyoshi coast.
They unload the treasure of a large amount of gold and silver from the ship.
Finally, they return to the sea praying prosperity of this country until the thousand generations.


You must imagine the scene where God dragons of eight appear on the stage though you can see God dragon Shite only.
This Noh is often performed as Shugen-Noh (Noh of the celebration) at the end of the program, and, in that case, the part of front shite is omitted. This production form is performed with Shugen-Noh. Therefore, this Noh ends immediately.(by ksk)

2008、春

敦盛 あらすじ Atsumori story


氏の武将であった熊谷直実が、出家して蓮生法師となり、一の谷に向っている。戦とはいえ、平氏の年若き公達(平敦盛)を討ったことに心を痛め、その跡を弔おうと思っているのである。
 一の谷に着くと、どこからともなく聞こえてくる心地よい笛の音が聞こえる。それはこの辺りの草刈男たちが、一日の労働の慰めにと、家路に着く道すがら吹く笛の音だった。 その風流心に蓮生法師が声を掛けると、男たちは「自分よりも偉い人だからといって羨むことなく、自分より劣る者だからといってさげすむものではない」ということわざを引き、自分たちのような草刈男が笛を吹いても不思議ではない、といって帰っていく。
 ところが、一人の男だけがその場を離れようとしない。
 蓮生法師が理由を問うと、十念(南無阿弥陀仏を十回唱えること)をもらいたいとの由。重ねて身分を問えば、敦盛の縁者であるという。
 その名を聞いて心打たれた蓮生法師は、心から念仏を唱え始める。
 すると男は、蓮生法師の毎日毎夜にわたる回向を感謝し、自分の名はいわなくても分かるはずだ、と言い残してどこへともなく消えてしまうのだった。
 その夜、敦盛の菩提を弔う蓮生法師の許に、夢か現か、軍姿の敦盛の霊(後シテ)が現れる。敦盛の霊は、蓮生法師の日夜の回向によって成仏できたと礼を述べると、わが身を懺悔するために最期の様子を語り始める。
 一度は栄華をほしいままにしたが、天下をとってわずか二十年余りで、源氏の軍勢に敗れた平家一門。
 その大敗北を喫した一の谷の合戦の前夜、寿永二年如月六日の夜に、敦盛の父である経盛は、一族郎党を集めて"最後の宴"を催した。 その時敦盛もまた、翌日の合戦での死を覚悟し、秘蔵の笛を心ゆくまで奏でたのである。 その笛の音は、敵陣の熊谷直実にも聞こえたという。
 ところがいざ合戦の日を迎え戦の火蓋が切って落されると、平家の軍勢は戦わずして、我もわれもと舟に乗り込み海上に逃げ出す始末。
 それを見た熊谷直実は、逃がすものかと平家の軍勢を追っかける。船に乗り遅れた敦盛は気を取り直し、波打ち際に馬を返して立ちはだかった。 敦盛は刀を抜いて、ニ太刀、三太刀打ち合うが、平家の豪傑直実の腕力にはかわなず、馬上で組み合ったかと思うと、波打ち際に一緒に落ち、そのまま討ち取られたのだった。自分の最期を回顧し終わり、仇を恩で報いてくれた蓮生法師に重ねて礼を言う敦盛である。敦盛は、「二人はもはや敵同士ではなく、ともに来世を蓮台で迎える身(成仏)である」と言う。

Atsumori 

Kumagai Naozane who was a general of Genji clan became a priest and went to the Itinotani valley. He felt guilty for having killed a young Atsumori of Taira clan in battle, so he tried to hold a funeral for Atsumori at the place where he died.
When Naozane arrived at Itinotani, he heard the sound of a comfortable whistle coming from somewhere around him.
It was the sounds of the flute that the mowing men around here are blowing as the comfort of labor during a day on the way home. The priest called to the persons of elegant and they replied using a saying ,"There is no need to envy those above you or despise those below you." They continued, "It's not so strange that the mowing men like us are playing the flute," and then left.
However, a man of them didn't try to leave. The man asked the priest to recite Namiamudabutsu ten times. The priest began sincerely to recite the prayer to the Buddha.
When the priest finished praying, the man said, "I am a relative of Atsumori, You should know my name even if I don't tell my name to you. " and the man disappeared.
That night, the ghost of Atsumori, wearing the armor, appeared either in his dream or perhaps reality there when the priest was praying for Atsumori.
Atsumori said "I could rest in peace by your prayer of day and night," and he started to tell of the end of the Heike.
"The family of us Heike was as prosperous as they could want, yet we were defeated in twenty short years by the Genji."
Tsunemori, father of Atsumori, gathered the family and held a "Last feast" on February 2,Jyuei 2 (AC1185) at the previous night of the battle of Itinotani that ended in large defeat. Atsumori, set himself on dying, played the flute to his heart's content that night. It was said that the sound of his flute could be heard by everyone in the Genji's camp, including Kumagai Naozane . The next day, however, the troops of Heike did not fight in spite of the war started and they scrambled onto the boats, and ran away toward the sea. Atsumori, having missed the boat, returned to the beach and blocked Kumagai who was chasing after troops of Heike. Atsumori and Kumagai both drew their swords and clashed, charging on their horses at each other and crossing swords two or three times.
However, Atsumori was defeated at the physical strength of hero Naozane of Genji. Two samurais on the horse fell down to the beach together. And, Atsumori was killed at once.
The ghost of Atsumori finished the recount of his death, and thanked Kumagai for repraying his moral debt. Finally,the ghost of Atsumori said, "we are no longer enemies. In next world, we will face Buddha on lotuses together in peace."