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Haru no Umi

春の海

[Genre]Shinkyoku
[Style]Sokyoku
[School]Miyagi
[Composed]Miyagi Michio - Shakuhachi
Miyagi Michio - Koto - 1926

History (Clive Bell):

This is the best loved piece composed by Miyagi in 1929 who was renowned as a koto player as well as a composer. This work is in ternary from (A-B-A): A (Andante) describes the seagulls playing on the waves; B (Allegro) a gay sea song and the joy of Spring.

Haru no Umi appears on the following albums

Album Artist

Art of the Koto - Volume II Koto : Yoshimura Nanae
Play ButtonEndless Sea - Impressions of Japan Shakuhachi : John Singer

Grace Koto : Ishigure Masayo
Shakuhachi : Marco Lienhard

Haru no Umi - Koto Meikyoku Sen - 1 Koto : Sawai Tadao
Shakuhachi : Yamamoto Hōzan
Play ButtonHaru no Umi - Koto no Meikyoku Koto : Miyagi Kiyoko
Shakuhachi : Aoki Reibo II
Play ButtonJapanese Koto Music of Kimio Eto - Koto and Flute - Featuring the flute of Bud Shank, The Koto : Etō Kimio
Play ButtonJapanese Koto Music with Shamisen and Shakuhachi
(Spring Sea) was Composed by Michio Miyagi (1894-1956), a blind genius of modern koto music. As Miyagi understood Western music as well as his own, his work blends Western and Eastern harmonies very skillfully. A piece so well known internationally that it has been adopted for many Western instruments, it is best appreciated in the koto and shakuhachi duet for which it was written, as presented here.

Koto Images Koto : Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto
Play ButtonKoto no Shirabe - In Memory of Miyagi Michio Koto : Miyagi Michio
Shakuhachi : Hirokado Reifū

Kurokami Shakuhachi : Clive Bell
This is the best loved piece composed by Miyagi in 1929 who was renowned as a koto player as well as a composer. This work is in ternary form (A-B-A): A (Andante) describes the seagulls playing on the waves; B (Allegro) a gay sea song and the joy of Spring.

Miyagi Michio - Best One
Play ButtonMiyagi Michio Sakuhin Dai Zenshu - 08 Koto : Miyagi Michio
Shakuhachi : Yoshida Seifū
Play ButtonMoon at Dawn Koto : Sunazaki Tomoko
Shakuhachi : Koga Masayuki

Moonlit Castle Shakuhachi : John Singer
Play ButtonPicture Dreams Shakuhachi : Riley Kōho Lee
Koto : Odamura Satsuki
Spring Sea - is one of the most frequently performeg pieces in the koto and shakuhachi repertoire. Miyagi was inspired to compose this piece by the beautiful Seto Inland Sea.

Shakuhachi - Classical Modern Best 30 - 05 Koto : Sunazaki Tomoko
Play ButtonShakuhachi - Reibo Aoki (LP) Koto : Kamijō Taeko
Shakuhachi : Aoki Reibo II
The title refers to the scenery of the seaside in spring. The sound of the swirling, rising and falling waves and the call of small birds is also described. However, this world renown piece, in a gradual expansion of meaning, has become known on its own merits as a clear expression of the music in a man's heart.

What do people think after a glance at the broad expanse of the spring sea, which seems to have been calm for so long? I intend to contemplate the meaning of life as I play and listen to this piece. Music is not a reflection of something else. Every interpretation, every person - all are music.
Play ButtonShakuhachi with Piano in Concert Shakuhachi : Koga Masayuki

Sō - Meikyoku no Shirabe (3) - Works by Miyagi Michio Koto : Miyagi Kiyoko
Shakuhachi : Kitahara Kōzan II

Sō - Meikyoku no Shirabe (Koto music of Japan) Koto : Miyagi Kiyoko
Shakuhachi : Ono Mamoru
Play ButtonSokyoku Miyagi Michio Sakuhin Hen I Koto : Miyagi Kiyoko
Shakuhachi : Aoki Reibo II
Play ButtonSong of Daybreak Shakuhachi : Bruce Huebner
Michio Miyagi (1849-1956), one of the most prolific and original composes of koto music in the 20th century, compoased Haru no Umi "Spring Sea" in 1929 as an image of Japan's Inland Sea. "Spring Sea" was originally composed for shakuhachi and koto, but became a hit in 1932 after Miyagi recorded it with a French violinist. The opening phrases have become Japan's musical theme for the New Year's holiday. It is perhaps the finest example of the "New Japanese Music" movement of the 1920's, and is a rare and early success in the fusion of Western and Japanese musical elements.
Play ButtonSui Zen - Blowing Meditation on the Shakuhachi - 05 Shakuhachi : Ronnie Nyogetsu Reishin Seldin
This piece was written around 1920 by Michio Miyagi. The name means, "Sea in Spring," and is played on a 1.6 length instrument, as is much of the new music.

This is a reduced version of the score, and only the shakuhachi part, but you can still tell that this is different from traditional Japanese music. The full piece shows a distinct influence by Western music; it is metric, melodic and pretty, with harmony and choral structure. Traditional gaikyoku, including jiuta and sokyoku, have parallel lines that sometimes interrelate, but no harmony as such. In traditional music, the different lines may each reach and release tension at their own time, in their own universe.

This piece requires the use modem flute tonguing techniques, which do not exist in traditional shakuhachi music.

Tegoto Koto : Sunazaki Tomoko

Yoshida Seifu Collection of Famous Performances volume 1 Koto : Miyagi Michio
Shakuhachi : Yoshida Seifū