Way Ravel’s Boléro is the perfect classical musical representation of Kendo and budo martial arts

If you had to pick a music piece that in one go could describe your whole life journey through your Japanese martial art, from beginning to end, what would that be?! European classical music would probably not be the first place you would look.

Budo is Japanese so clearly it would be a Taiko or Shamisen music piece. It has all the right traditions and authentic feel, right?!.

Yes it has!

But to challenge your perception a bit, in this blog post I will argue that Ravels Boléro is in fact the best musical representation of any budo matial arts achievement. In it’s music, Boléro perfectly describes the slow grind to greatness of daily practice.

What is Boléro?

The first piece of classical music I can remember hearing as a kid was Boléro. It has always had a magical effect on me.

It was written by the French composer Maurice Ravel at the end of the 1920s for a ballet.

It has a simple theme that loops all through the music piece. The drums has a military like rhythm and through the loops the instruments changes slightly. It gets louder more confidence and with more complexity and nuance for every loop.   

The way of the sword

I have been practicing kendo for the last 21 years. I have seen many kendoka at different stages in their kendo journey. Kids at the age of 5 and old men at 92 years of hard experience.

Every day it is an honor to se kendoka develop.   

Every beginner I have ever seen, starts their kendo journey slowly and with little confidence or real power. As you age in your martial art, your confidence and self-worth grows, you become stronger and faster. In time your body starts to weaken because for age, your kendo has to become more nuanced and complex, to compete with the younger kendoka. Your mind opens and your experience helps you on the way.      

So way Boléro?!

Many years ago I remember talking with a japanese kendo sensei in Misawa, Aomori. We were drinking sake and beer after practice with friends. He said that people in Japan and Denmark (the west) have our strengths and weakness. We can learn alot from each other and that building a bridge is important.

I see Boléro is a bridge that can give inspiration to other cultures just like kendo can. If you let your self be inspired by both it can lift your understanding of life. Like kendo Boléro starts out with little confidence or power. It works its way through the loop and when it starts over on a new loop a little stronger and with a slight shift in focus and complexity. Both learn and grow.

This is much like in kendo when you realize that i order to become better, you need to change something basic in your technique and that starts a new loop. In the new loop to relearn all the stuff you just have been through.

In time both kendo and Boléro, the spirit becomes stronger and more refined with age.

Likewise, both for kendo and Boléro, the loops are necessary on the slow grind to greatness.

—

Remember not to turn the volume op to much! let it roll over you slowly.

And please comment your music piece, in the comment section were ever you see this post.

If you like the content help out and drop a like at the bottom of this page.    

Boléro de Ravel (Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France / Lionel Bringuier) - YouTube

Written by Jens Møllgaard Jensen, Thy Kendo RENSHIKAN