Theory and Notation in Japan

Before the introduction of Western music theory during the Meizi (Meiji) period (1868–1912), there was no single Japanese theoretical system; instead, genres maintained a certain degree of independence, each developing its own body of theory, and these theories ranged widely in terms of elaboration and literacy, depending on the status of the particular genre. For example, prestigious genres such as gagaku and syômyô developed highly complex theories, which—although originally imported from China—over...