Oshirabe exemplifies the expressive use of intermedia at its minimum. The spectacle begins with only music sounding from behind the curtain. The instruments are heard sequentially, starting with the nohkan followed by the kotsuzumi, the ōtsuzumi, and the taiko, completing the hayashi. There is no singing, and the percussionists do not utter any kakegoe. After a minute or two, the oshirabe concludes as the musicians drop out, one after the other, in reverse order. Music performed invisibly is at its most fleeting. The audience hears a mere ‘ghost’ of it. The absence of other elements intensifies the anticipation. As the viewers fall into silence, they get to appreciate the visual aspects of the stage in the atmosphere evoked by the music. This minimalistic beginning is a perfect starting point for a slow and gradual intermedia development -the essence of a Noh play.