A Comparison of Music and Chanter in Bunraku and Chorus in Greek Plays

This report provides a comparative analysis of the roles of music and chanter in Bunraku, a traditional Japanese puppet theatre, and the chorus in Greek plays. The report highlights the contrasting functions and significance of these elements in their respective theatrical traditions. In Bunraku, the chanter and shamisen player provide the music, expressing the emotions and personalities of the puppets, acting as narrators and voices for all characters. The report contrasts this with the chorus in Greek plays, which comments on the actions and expresses the fears and hopes of the characters through songs, dances, and recitations. The report delves into the historical context of the chorus and the chanter, their roles in shaping the narrative, and their impact on the overall performance, providing a comprehensive understanding of their contributions to the respective theatrical forms.

Running Head: COMPARISON OF MUSIC AND CHANTER IN BUNRUKU AND
CHORUS IN GREEK PLAYS
Comparison of Music and Chanter in Bunruku and Chorus in Greek plays
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COMPARISON OF MUSIC AND CHANTER IN BUNRUKU AND CHORUS IN GREEK
PLAYS
Chorus in the Greek drama is defined as the group who perform vocals in opposition to
those who give single performances. In the classical Greek drama, the chorus was a group of
actors who were given the responsibility of describing and commenting on the significant actions
that took place in the form of action in the drama (Tracy, and Bacon). This was mainly done with
the help of songs, dances, as well as recitation. Greek tragedy had its beginning in the chorus
performances where a group consisting of fifty men, who performed dances as well as songs of
praises in the form of lyrical hymns in the name of Dionysus. The significance of the chorus lies
in its part participation and part passivity in the entire course of drama. The protagonist of tragic
plays carries out various defiant actions whereas the chorus has the responsibility of expressing
the fear, hope, as well as the judgment of sovereignty. The judgment of the chorus is known to
be the verdict of history (Tracy, and Bacon).
In the Japanese puppet drama, Bunruku, the role of music and chanter is somewhat
different. The major difference between the role of chorus in and chanter is in the number of
people who are playing in role of musicians (Le, and Thi). In the Japanese puppet dramas, the
chanter and the shamisen player are only present who are responsible for providing the essential
music of the traditional Japanese puppet theatre. The music performed by them is usually for an
act. Their contribution is the determining factor that shows the quality of the contribution that is
done in the performance. Tayu expresses the emotions as well as the personality of the puppets
in the drama. He is also the narrator of the play as well as the voices of all the characters. They
use instruments such as flute, shakuhachi, koto and other percussion instruments (Le, and Thi).

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COMPARISON OF MUSIC AND CHANTER IN BUNRUKU AND CHORUS IN GREEK
PLAYS
Work Cited
Bacon, Helen H. “The Chorus in Greek Life and Drama.” Arion: A Journal of Humanities and
the Classics, vol. 3, no. 1, 1994, pp. 6–24. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20163562. Accessed 14
Feb. 2020.
Le, Lu Thi Thanh. "Characteristics of Japanese Puppet Theatre." VNU Journal of Foreign
Studies 32.2 (2016).