Certain Noble Plays of Japan: From the Manuscripts of Ernest Fenollosa, Chosen and Finished by Ezra Pound, with an Introduction by William Butler Yeats

by Ernest Fenollosa (Translator), Ezra Pound (Translator), Kiichi Hirata (Translator)

350 numbered copies published by Yeats's sister's press in Dundrum. Gallup A12. Wade 269.

Genres: Plays, The United States Of America, Japan

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1916

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally have a copy at hand, #61 of 350, which saw me through a long Faculty meeting today. First book publication of Ezra Pound's work with Ernest Fenollosa's Nō manuscripts, the 'Irish lilt' versions. Published late in 1916 at Yeats's request and with Pound's blessings by Yeats's sister's press in Dundrum. Includes Nishikigi, Hagoromo, Kumasaka, and Kagekiyo in versions which vary both from earlier periodical publications of 1914-15 and also the versions of 'Noh', or Accomplishment of 1917. Includes the first appearance of Yeats's Introduction to the plays, left out of 'Noh', which did not appear in a readily-available edition until New Directions revived it as an appendix to the 1959 Classic Noh Theatre of Japan . Something like bliss (for me) to hold and reread, even whilst competing with din into unneeded microphones in the background.

Beware of certain modern print-on-demand editions: the title is not Certain Moble Plays of Japan.