Composer Toydora analyzes the Japanese national anthem "Kimigayo".
Questions and comments are welcome in the comments section.
0:33 Analysis begins
6:01 Melodic analysis of "Kimigayo" as Japanese music
10:28 "Kimigayo" with corrected Japanese harmony
[Reference]
Kiyoshige Koyama and Satoru Nakanishi. Japanese Harmony: Its Structure and Approach to Composition and Arrangement. Ongaku no Tomo Sha, 1996.
小山清茂・中西覚. 日本和声－その仕組みと編・作曲へのアプローチ－. 音楽の友社, 1996.
*Correction: The publication year is 1996, not 1998.
~Overall impression~
While the chorale style of Western music harmonization is applied, the melody is derived from Japanese music, resulting in inconsistencies. As a result, there are forced harmonic progressions and even violations of prohibitions, making it difficult to analyze it from a functional harmony perspective. However, this unique and indescribable harmony creates a distinct atmosphere and is also a charm of "Kimigayo."
[Supplement]
After this video was circulated, we received various opinions from experts about the harmony of "Kimigayo." Among them, there was an interesting and persuasive opinion, which I would like to supplement:
- The purpose of the monophonic melody at the beginning and end was to create a loop structure that represents the reincarnation, while also showing respect for Japanese traditional music that focuses on monophonic melodies. It was not simply because Eckert couldn't think of harmony.
- Regarding the prohibition of weak progression like "V→IV" and the church mode resolution, it is the disadvantage of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music harmony, and there are more flexible and practical functional harmony theories.
- Since there is no basic harmonic progression of "V→I" in the entire piece, Eckert intended to harmonize the entire piece in Dorian mode.
Please understand that my opinion presented in this video and the opinions presented here are just one of many theories. My arrangement presented in the video, which I introduced as "correct," is correct according to "Japanese Harmony" by Kiyoshi Koyama, but it may not be absolutely correct from all perspectives. Music, unlike natural science, does not have an absolute answer, which is why I believe it is profound and appeals to beauty. We aim to deliver not only the strict and only "correctness," but also the "interest" that prompts further consideration, taking into account everyone's opinions, and we will continue to share explanatory videos.
Composer Toydora→ https://tomita-haruki.studio.site/
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