Question

Sawari is a Japanese aesthetic concept that refers to the important or distinctive characteristic of something. It can refer to an instrument's characteristic timbre, and specifically to the noise element that defines that sound (intentional buzzing, sympathetic overtones, or other "interference"). It reflects the Japanese idea that, as in sounds of nature, there can be inherent beauty in a particular sound or "noise." What is Sawari?

(A) A Japanese aesthetic concept that refers to the important or distinctive characteristic of something.
(B) A type of Japanese flute.
(C) A Japanese martial art.
(D) A Japanese dish.

Answer 1

Sawari is a Japanese aesthetic concept that refers to the unique and distinctive characteristic of a sound or noise, particularly associated with the timbre of musical instruments. The correct option is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sawari is indeed a Japanese aesthetic concept that can be understood as an important or distinctive characteristic of something, especially in the context of sound and musical instruments. The term is related to the unique resonance or timbre of instruments.

Different musical instruments playing the same note at the same loudness will have distinct sounds, a phenomenon attributed to the timbre of the sound. Timbre is influenced by the complex interplay of frequency, amplitude, and timing of sound waves, and this variable component encompasses the character of the instrument's sound.

An example is the shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument that has a distinctive sound partially due to its sawari. This concept shows that, much like the noises of nature, there is inherent beauty in the unique sounds or 'noises' that contribute to an instrument's characteristic. The correct option is A.