| Daiko, or Taiko*, literally means "fat
drum", in Japanese. A taiko drum has a wooden body and
heads made of stretched cow or horse skin, and is struck with
sticks. The result is an unique brand of music with evocative
rhythms and heart-thumping power.
The art of Taiko dates back a few centuries
-- usually performed in various occasions such as gods' birthdays,
harvest festivals and as accompaniment to Noh and Kabuki.
However the art was popularised after the
Second World War by groups in Japan and North America. One
of such group is KODO.
*The word "daiko" is used as a
suffix to indicate a type of drum, a taiko group, or a style
of taiko playing, in a compound word. When used in a compound
word, the "T" sound in "taiko" changes
to a "D" sound. For example, the small drum is called
"shime-daiko".
Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. |
