History (Yokoyama Katsuya):

Tsuru no Sugomori (Dokyoku) appears on the following albums

	Album	Artist
	Bamboo In Zen	Shakuhachi : Alcvin Ryuzen Ramos
	His Practical Philosophy - 1	Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
	Hotchiku (CD)	Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
Suzuru ("Nesting Cranes") In ancient times, cranes were worshipped as spirit birds. The piece Tsuru so Sugomori, which is one of the last pieces one learns, expresses the joy and love inherent in these birds. There are many versions of Tsuru no Sugomori. That which has the oldest form and is the most succinct is the one learned first, Suzuru. This piece was transmitted in the Kansai region, and is centered around fingering techniques, although some breathing techniques have been introduced as well. Usually a 1.7 or 1.8 shaku hocchiku is used for this piece, but for this recording 2.3 hocchiku is specially used to express the flight of the cranes, their lively stepping, and their cries.
	In Dead Earnest Part 2	Shakuhachi : Ishikawa Toshimitsu
	Japan - Tajima Tadashi, Master of Shakuhachi	Shakuhachi : Tajima Tadashi
Nesting of cranes, D, 1.8 shaku Tsuru no sugomori depicts various aspects of the life cycle of the crane, a bird symbolizing longevity in Oriental thought. A pair of cranes build a nest, lay an egg, raise a fledgling and rear it to maturity before bidding it farewell as it flies away and they are left to live out their allotted life span. Although the whole piece can be appreciated as a piece of absolute music, it is equally interesting to note the variety of programmatic playing techniques used in describing the wing flutters (trill-like fluttering effects, heard between 1:00 and 3:00 minutes), the cries (another trill-like technique, heard between 4:00 and 7:00), and even the fledgling's departure from its parents (a simple melodic line heard at around 7:50). As a whole, this piece is thought to emphasize Buddhistic values of affection between family members.
	Japanese Traditional Shakuhachi	Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Sendai district origin. Tsuru (crane) has been esteemed as a sacred bird. It is also a symbol of perfect mercy since parent crane protects its fledgling children at the risk of its life. Music opens with a picturesque image" of daybreak and gives a vivid description of flying crane.
	Japon	Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Crane's Nest All the technical resources of the Shakuhachi (tremolos, glissandi, flutterzung, etc.) are exploited in this piece in order to evoke the lives of these birds, symbols of longevity.
	Japon L'art du shakuhachi	Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Tsuru no sugomori (Crane Nest) This piece depicts the life of the cranes, from their arrival through the North of Japan (laying of eggs, brooding, joyful hatching, feeding, flight training, etc.), through to their departure with the newborn birds. These migrating birds symbolise the love of parents for their offspring, the cycle of life, and longevity. All the instruments resources of the shakuhachi (tremolos, glissandi, flutter tonguing, irregular vibratos) are used to their full potential in this captivating piece.
	Katsuya Yokoyama Plays Shakuhachi - 1	Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
Sendai district origin. Tsuru (crane) has been esteemed as a sacred bird. It is also a symbol of perfect mercy since parent crane protects its fledgling children at the risk of its life. Music opens with a picturesque image of daybreak and gives a vivid description of flying crane.
	Mountain Valley	Shakuhachi : Riley Kōho Lee
Suzuru - Nesting of the Cranes There are many versions of the "Crane Pieces" .This piece, also known as "Koden Tsuru no Sugomori" (Old Transmission of the Nesting of the Cranes), is believed to have been one of the earliest versions. A different version is the title track of the CD Nesting of the Cranes, also by Riley Lee. The crane is revered in Japan for its beauty and its mating and nesting habits. The Japanese cranes mate for life and are exceptionally attentive as parents. Performed on a 1.8 shaku flute.
	Shika no Tone Shakuhachi Koten Meikyoku Shusei - 1	Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
(The Cranes nesting) Here the family life of the cranes is depicted by various specialized techniques of Shakuhachi playing. As in the case of Shike no Tone, the origins of the piece are not religious.
	Spirit of Wind, The	Shakuhachi : Iwamoto Yoshikazu
Joys and sorrows of life are evoked in this piece through the depiction of the various movements of the crane, the sacred bird; its nesting, calling, crying for joy, walking (with some faulty steps by chicks), flying, and so forth. A sorrow must come when the chicks have matured enough, after long and deep parental care, to fly into the sky leaving the nest behind. Among some ten pieces of shakuhachi music known today with this or with a similar title, the present "Tsuru no Sugomori" (A Crane on the Nest) must be one of the most daring in its use of unconventional tremolos and other techniques. The piece originated in northern Japan.
	Tajima Tadashi Shakuhachi no Sekai II	Shakuhachi : Tajima Tadashi
	Tradition and Beyond	Shakuhachi : Michael Chikuzen Gould
Michael "Chikuzen" Gould is attempting to express the cries of the beautiful Siberian cranes that migrate by the thousands every year to Japan.
	Traditional Japanese Music	Shakuhachi : Iwamoto Yoshikazu
Tsuru no Sugomori - a crane on the nest The crane (tsuru) has always been admired in Japan for its elegant movements and for its deep parental affection; it has therefore become an important artistic motif. Tsuru no Sugomori (A crane on the nest) is one of the most celebrated shakuhachi pieces, although some ten pieces are known today with this or with a similar title. They all make frequent use of complex traditional tremolo and flutter-tongue techniques to depict the various movements of the crane-its walking, flying, calling, nesting and so forth. The present piece is in the form of an introduction and seven sections.
	Watazumido-so Roshi	Shakuhachi : Watazumi Dōso Roshi
	When the Brightness Comes	Shakuhachi : Iwamoto Yoshikazu
The crane (tsuru) has always been admired in Japan for its elegant movements and for its deep parental affection. It has therefore become an important artistic motif. Tsuru no Sugomori (A crane on the nest) is one of the most celebrated shakuhachi pieces, although some ten pieces are known today with this or with a similar title. They all make frequent use of complex traditional tremolo and flutter-tongue techniques to depict the various movements of the crane-its walking, flying, calling, nesting and so forth. The present piece is in the form of an introduction and seven sections.
	Zen - Katsuya Yokoyama - 01	Shakuhachi : Yokoyama Katsuya
(The Cranes nesting) Here the family life of the cranes is depicted by various specialized techniques of Shakuhachi playing. As in the case of Shike no Tone, the origins of the piece are not religious.