Japanese nagauta notation and performance realities
William P. Malm · Musicology Australia · 1988
Standard shamisen and drum notations are shown and analysed and historical records translated to show that much musicological data is available in the study of Japanese music. The actual performance of a piece, however, often varies from that seen in the written sources because each guild of performers provides subtle differences that identify the provenance of the sonic event. Thus accuracy and relativity work together to maintain the vitality of the music.