Shō (笙) is a Japanese free reed musical instrument that was introduced from China during the Nara period. It consists of 17 bamboo pipes, two of which are silent, although research suggests that they were used in some music during the Heian period. The instrument's sound is said to imitate the call of a Phoenix, and it is for this reason that the two silent pipes of the Sho are kept - as an aesthetic element, making two "wings". Like the Sheng, the pipes are tuned carefully with a drop of wax. As moisture collected in the Sho's pipes prevents it from sounding, performers can be seen warming the instrument over a small charcoal brazier when they are not playing. The instrument is one of the three primary woodwind instruments used in gagaku, Japan's imperial court music. A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument where sound is produced as air passes a reed in a chamber, causing the reed to vibrate. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... The Nara period (Japanese: 奈良時代, Nara-jidai) of the History of Japan covers the years from about AD 710 to 794. ... Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ... A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument in which sound is produced by blowing through a mouthpiece against an edge or by a vibrating reed, and in which the pitch is varied by opening or closing holes in the body of the instrument. ... Gagaku (雅楽, literally elegant enjoyment) is a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial court for several centuries. ...

It was introduced onto the mainstream music scene in 2005 by Icelandic artist Björk, who used it as the primary instrument in three songs for the soundtrack album to Drawing Restraint 9, a film by her contemporary media artist boyfriend Matthew Barney, about Japanese culture and whaling. The three songs were performed by Mayumi Miyata, one of Japan's foremost performers of the instrument. American composer John Cage (1912-1992) also created a number of works for Mayumi Miyata just before his death. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Björk Guðmundsdóttir IPA: , (born November 21, 1965 in Reykjavík, Iceland) is an Icelandic singer/songwriter and composer (formerly the lead singer of post-punk band The Sugarcubes), with a great expressive range and an interest in many kinds of music including pop, trip hop, alternative rock... Drawing Restraint 9 is a music album created by Björk in collaboration with her boyfriend Matthew Barney for his film of the same title. ... Drawing Restraint 9 is an art film by American artist Matthew Barney, dealing with the relationship between creativity and self-imposed resistance. ... Matthew Barney (born March 25, 1967 in San Francisco, California) is a contemporary media artist working with film, video installations, sculpture, photography and drawing. ... Japanese culture and language Japans isolation until the arrival of the Black Ships and the Meiji era produced a culture distinctively different from any other, and echoes of this uniqueness persist today. ... The crew of the oceanographic research vessel Princesse Alice, of Albert Grimaldi (later Prince Albert I of Monaco) pose while flensing a catch Whaling refers to the practice, history and industries associated with the hunting and killing of whales. ... John Cage For the character of John Cage from the TV show Ally McBeal see: John Cage (Character) John Milton Cage (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American experimental music composer, writer and visual artist. ...

See also

Sheng (instrument) Saenghwang The Chinese sheng (Chinese: 笙, Pinyin shēng) is a mouth-blown free reed instrument (the first) consisting essentially of vertical tubes, in the Chinese orchestra. ... The saenghwang (hanja: 笙簧) is a Korean wind instrument. ...