This class will introduce participants to gagaku, the ceremonial music of the Japanese court. After a brief overview of Japanese music, including its aesthetic values, methods of transmission, and tonal system, we’ll go over the characteristics of gagaku. In particular, we’ll examine the instruments used, the purpose and circumstances of gagaku performance, and its relationship to Chinese and Korean music. We’ll also talk about the development of gagaku’s various repertoires and discuss the changes in their performance practice from gagaku’s beginnings in the mid-6th century, through its height in the 12th century, until its virtual loss in the mid-15th.