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Selections from the NDL Collection
Ashihara Collection - on performing arts
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Eiryo Ashihara (1907-1981) is widely remembered in Japan as one who has
played a leading role in the introduction of ballet and chanson in particular,
and Western culture in general, to the people of Japan through his activities
as a critic and commentator. Likewise, his 'Ashihara Collection' won him
fame as a collector specializing in the performing arts of the West.
His collection contains 5,400 Western-language books, 9,300 phonographic
record, 5,200 sheets of chanson scores, 200 reels of recorded tape, 200
posters, 220 volumes of his personal notes, in addition to quite number
of photographs, theater programs, and paper clippings - mostly on such
subjects as ballet, chanson, drama and circus. Indeed, the collection impresses
with its overwhelming excellence as a record tracing the modern development
of the arts in question.
Mr.Ashihara was captivated by the performing arts when as a boy he saw
Anna Pavlova dance. Among the pictorial materials from his collection are
limited editions in luxury binding about the Ballet Russe including La
Belle au bois Dormant by Leon Bakst (1922), Esquisses pour de
ballet Chout (Le Bouffon) by Mikhail Larionov (1913), Vaslav Nijinsky
by Robert Montenegro (1913), Ballet Russe by Ludwig Kainer (1913),
and others.
While strongest in twentieth-century publications, the collection includes
beautiful older works such as Giovanni Andrea Gallini's A
Treatise on the art of dancing (London: 1762), Maurice Sand's Masquess
et bouffons comedie italienne (Paris: 1860) and many books on theater
and circus such as Les
jeux de cirque et la vie foraine (Paris: 1889).
He majored in French literature at university and his main interest
was always in French popular culture. His collection includes a great number
of chanson
scores, and records.
The Ashihara Collection is available at the Special Materials Room of
the NDL.
Catalog of the Ashihara Collection in the
National Diet Library
| Vol. I: Books in European Languages |
Part 1 Dancing |
1982 |
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Part 2 Chansons, Theater, Circuses |
1983 |
| Vol. II: Music (musical scores) |
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1985 |
| Vol. III: Records |
Part 1-3 Chansons (A-F), (G-O), (P-Z) |
1990 |
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Part 4 Index list of titles translated into Japanese |
1990 |
| Vol. IV: Records |
Instrumental music and others (Except Chansons) |
1995 |
to the index
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National Diet Library
