Chapter 13 Concert
(With some help from Perplexity AI)
浜辺の歌 (はまべのうた)
Content & Style:
“浜辺の歌” (“Song of the Seashore”) is a nostalgic Japanese art song (唱歌, shōka) that poetically depicts the emotions evoked by walking along the beach in the morning and evening. The lyrics reflect on memories of the past, inspired by the sights and sounds of the seashore—waves, shells, wind, and the moon. The song is known for its gentle, melodic style, evoking both tranquility and wistfulness, and is often sung in schools and by choirs.
Source:
Lyrics by 林古渓 (Kokei Hayashi), music by 成田為三 (Tamezō Narita). It was composed in 1916 and has become a classic in Japanese music education.
Recommended YouTube Recording:
浜辺の歌 - 東京レディース・シンガーズ
砂屋の小人 (すなやのこびと)
Content & Style:
“砂屋の小人” (“The Little People of the Sand Shop”) is a Japanese adaptation of the German lullaby “Sandmännchen” (“The Little Sandman”), whose first line is “Die Blümelein, sie schlafen.” The song is a gentle lullaby describing how flowers and birds fall asleep under the moonlight, and how the Sandman—a mythical figure in European folklore—visits children at night, sprinkling sand in their eyes to bring sleep and beautiful dreams. The Japanese version retains the soothing, dreamlike quality of the original, making it popular as a bedtime song for children.
Source:
The original German song was collected by Anton Wilhelm von Zuccalmaglio in 1840, with a melody based on an older French tune. Johannes Brahms later arranged it as part of his “15 Volkskinderlieder” (WoO 31). The Japanese adaptation likely entered the school or children’s song repertoire as a translated or arranged version of this European lullaby.
Recommended YouTube Recording:
While a direct Japanese version may be rare, you can listen to the original German lullaby, which closely matches the Japanese adaptation:
Die Blümelein, sie schlafen (Sandmännchen) - Brahms Lullaby
This looks like a Japanese version
流浪の民 (るろうのたみ)
Content & Style:
“流浪の民” (“The Wandering People”) is the Japanese title for Schumann’s “Zigeunerleben” (Gypsy Life), a German Lied that became popular in Japan through translation and adaptation. The song describes the free-spirited, nomadic lifestyle of a wandering people, celebrating their connection to nature and their independence. In Japan, it is often performed as a choral piece, with a dramatic and expressive style.
Source:
Originally composed by Robert Schumann (music) with lyrics by Emanuel Geibel (German), the song was translated and adapted into Japanese for educational and performance purposes.
Recommended YouTube Recording:
Not directly found in the search results, but searching “流浪の民 合唱” on YouTube yields many choir performances.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biMONGDCoZg)
荒城の月 (こうじょうのつき)
Content & Style:
“荒城の月” (“The Moon over the Ruined Castle”) is a famous Japanese art song (唱歌) composed in 1901. Its lyrics evoke the image of a once-glorious castle now in ruins, illuminated by the unchanging moon. The song is renowned for its melancholic beauty, reflecting on the impermanence of worldly glory and the passage of time. Musically, it blends Western classical influences with Japanese melodic sensibilities, and is often performed solo or by choirs.
Source:
Lyrics by 土井晩翠 (Bansui Doi), music by 滝廉太郎 (Rentarō Taki). It remains a staple of Japanese music education and cultural heritage.
YouTube Recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3hzdx1HhO4
Chapter 13 thoughts
Couple of interesting hints this chapter, though still no answers
It seems as though 叔父さん has been travelling overseas. But interesting that there didn’t seem to be either any excuse offered by him for his absence, nor none asked of him. Also - I thought it unusual that he didn’t bring back any お土産 after a month’s absence. Yes, he arranged this big feast. But it seems very atypical in a Japanese family to omit this (even a ハーフ family).
Interesting to see more of the closeness of 米田さん and おばあさん. Tomoko seems to be speculating that おばあさん would have originally sung these songs with her twin. Is 米田さん a substitute for the missing sister?
Tomoko notices, but doesn’t seem to make much of 叔父さん apparently sleeping in his study. Do you think that he has been sent out because 叔母さん is grumpy with him? Or has he rejected his (alcoholic? depressive?) wife? Or is there a simpler explanation - such as him being an insomniac, wanting to work on his 壊れ物?
What is your theory?
)
C11 done, and I too was intrigued by the library-counter exchange, especially the line まるで目の前の感じのよい図書館司書から、君は美女だと告白されたかのように、動揺してしまった。
