The Gei of Geisha: Music, Identity and Meaning (Soas Musicology)

Average Customer Rating: List Price: $89.95 Asia Trips Trips Price: $89.95 Subject To Change Without Notice Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: Ashgate
Binding: Hardcover Dewey Decimal Number: 792.70280952 EAN: 9780754658573 ISBN: 0754658570 Label: Ashgate Manufacturer: Ashgate Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 158 Publication Date: 2008-02-21 Publisher: Ashgate Studio: Ashgate
Editorial Reviews: The Japanese geisha is an international icon, known almost universally as a symbol of traditional Japan. Numerous books exist on the topic, yet this is the first to focus on the 'gei' of geisha - the art that constitutes their title (gei translates as fine art, sha refers to person). Dr Kelly Foreman brings together ethnomusicological field research, including studying and performing the shamisen among geisha in Tokyo, with historical research. The book elaborates how musical art is an essential part of the identity of the Japanese geisha rather than a secondary feature, and locates current practice within a tradition of two and half centuries.The book opens by deconstructing the idea of 'geisha' as it functions in Western societies in order to understand why gei has been and continues to be neglected in geisha studies. Subsequent chapters detail the myriad of musical genres and traditions with which geisha have been involved during their artistic history, as well as their position within the traditional arts society. Considering the current situation more closely, the final chapters explore actual dedication to art today by geisha, and analyse how they create impromptu performances at evening banquets. An important issue here is geisha-patron artistic collaboration, which leads to consideration of what Foreman argues to be the unique and essential nexus of identity, eroticism and aesthetics within the geisha world.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Excellent Geisha Study Comment: I've been reading books on geisha for the past ten years, literally reading everything I found in English from Victorian novels to academic studies. Kelly Foreman's excellent study of the "gei" or "art" of the geisha is one of the most significant contributions to the study of geisha to date. First of all, the book is based on her extensive research as an ethnomusicologist who worked in Japan, taking music lessons and performing alongside geisha. Foreman was also able to meet and interview geisha in several sites in Japan. Foreman's focus on the arts takes the reader through the geisha's arduous training, her involvement in the social practices of the classical arts world of Japan, her desire to pursue a career as a classical dancer and musician. As Foreman clarifies, the performances at parties known as ozasshiki, while an important part of the geisha's repertoire and often a source of pleasure, are geared toward providing funds for her arts lessons and major yearly performances onstage, which she must pay for her from her own pocket. Unlike other classical artists in Japan, the geisha does not receive government subsidy, something that may become necessary if this artistic career is to survive. Foreman's accessible, expertly researched and analyzed book is a pleasure to read, and a "must" read for everyone seriously interested in geisha history and performance traditions. More Reviews