The soundscape of nō – a combination of chant and instrumental music – can be haunting, plaintive, melodic, delicate, strident, or energetic. The words stand at the center, offering not only meaning, but also poetic metrics that inform the drumming. The spoken, chanted, or sung words are carried by melody, and the flute enhances the atmosphere or leads a dance. Drums and flute set the scene in entrance passages announcing the character’s appearance. As with the dance, music is never improvised, but follows specific rules that nevertheless allow for onstage adjustment among performers.
Contributor: Monica Bethe