adorned with raindrops
from the shower, a sparkling
princess Azealia
Den Sutejo
A contemporary of Basho, Den Sutejo was the eldest daughter of a distinguished samurai family living in the mountainous area northwest of Kyoto. After her husband’s death, she became a nun and spent the final years of her life as a Zen devotee.
Adorned With Raindrops was written for Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Bassoon, Vibraphone, Violin, Viola, Cello, and String Bass.
The score is available at https://bit.ly/3KvAa2g
this feeling of loneliness –
he plays with his building blocks
as the snow heaps up
– Kubota Mantarō
Kubota Mantarō (1889 – 1963) was a Japanese author, playwright and Japanese poet. Although he was more interested in novels and plays, Kubota published several haiku collections and for a while was editor of the haiku magazine Shunto.
This piece was written for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Trombone, Violin, Viola, Cello, and String Bass.
The score is available at https://bit.ly/3zTs5j0
This piece was created as a response to Pat Boran’s haiku sequence (or rensaku), which explores the flora and fauna of Dublin Bay’s (North) Bull Island. Boran’s rhyming haiku observe the interplay of bird, human and plant life on the island, and celebrate the delicate balance of a biosphere on the very doorstep of Ireland’s capital city.
An extract of the haiku can be found at https://www.naviarrecords.com/2021/10/14/poetry-in-sounds-bull-island-haiku/
The score is available at http://bit.ly/WavesThemselves
Video available at https://youtu.be/u1rSSRMw1M0
Tewanima was a silver medalist in the 1912 Olympic games. His 10,000 meter run set an American record in that distance that stood for over 50 years. However, as a Hopi Indian, he experienced true Koyaanisqatsi.
In 1906 he was forcibly separated from his parents and community, handcuffed and marched 20 miles to Keams Canyon, where he and other Hopi youths were shackled and made to build a road. Soldiers then marched them another 110 miles where they boarded a train to Pennsylvania, 2,000 miles from home, to stay at Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
His crime was that of being born an American Indian, and the motto of the school’s founder was, “Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” Indeed, many children did die there due to starvation, disease, and physical abuse. He was forbidden to speak his language or practice his religion as he spent his days sewing shirts while he tried to learn English.
In his original community, Hopi males were expected to be runners, which is also a spiritual practice, and Tewanima was one of the best. Distinguishing himself repeatedly, he represented the United States in the 1908 Olympic marathon, coming in ninth. He hoped that that would allow him to go home, but he was forced back to Carlisle where he baled hay and posed for promotional pictures. “Savage Hopi Indians Are Transformed Into Model Students“
In 1911 he won New York City’s 12-mile modified marathon, and in the 1912 Olympic games he won a silver medal in the 10,000 meter event. In no picture of him receiving his awards in these events (or any others I have seen) is he seen smiling. Following six years of virtual captivity, he was allowed to return home, where he tended cornfields and herded sheep. He married a Hopi woman and had one child, who was taken away to a boarding school, became ill, and was returned home to die.
Tewanima is written for Flute, Alto Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello and String Bass. The melody of the second theme is based on Marco Lucchi’s “Incipit“. The piece also includes electronic expansions of the original, as well as the inclusion of the original twice.
The score is available at https://bit.ly/2YjQb7P
I decided to write the haiku for this one.
Night’s edge comes early,
leaves crunching under my feet,
suddenly winter.
Happy Halloween!
Night’s Edge was written for Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, Trombone, Bass Trombine, Bass Drum, Gong, Vibraphone, Violin, Viola, Cello and String Bass
The score is available at https://bit.ly/3kLm6oj
Marco Lucchi has offered a number of piano patterns to remix. I wrote “A Book Of Disquiet” in response to the first of the patterns.
I decided to work on a second pattern, selecting piano patterns #5. I decided that the “remix” in this case should be a set of variations.
My approach was to break his piece into numerous sections, then write a set of variations that each had some basis of origin relating to the section. I asked him to provide me with a set of emotional characteristics he experiences in various circumstances. I suggested that for myself “inquisitive, clueless, caring, wacky, irritated, and calm” might apply.
He offered ten emotions and I selected six, “deep, unfaithful, creative, susceptible, slow, intuitive, and selfish.” Each of the six sections of the piece addresses one emotion.
The idea came to me from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, where each section referenced a person he knew. We do not know the actual piece of music on which the variations were based, and in that spirit I am not sharing the aspect within Marco’s piece I was working the variation upon. Hopefully, this will simply be an interesting 20 or so minutes out of your day.
Six Emotions was written for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Chorus, Triangle, Bowed Vibraphone, Cymbals, Violin, Viola, Cello, and String Bass.
The score is available at https://bit.ly/34Z3k5T
This piece was written in response to Naviarhaiku353 – Coffee Break
coffee break
a crumb
for the sparrow
This haiku is by Bill Kenney, who writing haiku in December 2004, a month before his seventy-second birthday. His haiku and senryu have appeared in leading haiku journals and anthologies. He is the author of two books of haiku/senryu: “the earth pushes back” (2016) and “senior admission” (2018), both published by Red Moon Press.
Coffee Break was written for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Trombone, Violin, Viola, Cello and String Bass.
The score is available at https://bit.ly/2SXPvzn
A Book Of Disquiet was written in response to Marco Lucchi’s piano patterns no 1
Let us absurdify life from east to west.
– Fernando Pessoa from The Book Of Disquiet
Marco Lucchi offered a set of piano patterns and allowed anyone to remix the piece. I saw the first pattern as being organized into seven sections and decided to address each one individually, so these have been used, abused, stretched, repeated, and otherwise altered. I extracted meaning from each and offer accompaniment through traditional instrumental means.
Marco’s offering was accompanied by a picture of Fernando Pessoa, a Portuguese poet. I have not read much of his work but what I have read appears to be quite surrealistic. In that vein the seven sections of the piece are tangentially related but are primarily on their own.
A Book Of Disquiet was written for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Gong, Temple Blocks, Cymbals, Violin, Viola, Cello and String Bass.
The score is available at https://bit.ly/3mUZ3Zk
Come To Me was inspired by the poem of the same name by yaskhan – yassy66.wordpress.com/2020/08/22/come-to-me
It is dedicated to my dear wife, Kathy, who is one of the few capable of putting up with me over a long period of time.
Come To Me
Come to me in the wild blue yonder
Come to me in the azure twilight
Come to me when the stars are bright
Come to me with passions thunder.
Come to me on wings of cupid’s dove
Come to me under a teal canopy
Come to me in a symphonic fantasy
Come to me with a potion of love.
Come to me in this rendezvous
Come to me, my shining knight
Come to me with loves’s allure.
Come to me till dawn flies on wings of colored light
Come to me, walk my destiny through
Come to me, beguile me, light me up like dynamite.
— yaskhan
yaskhan’s poetry blog can be found at yassy66.wordpress.com/.
Come To Me was written for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Trombone, Violin, Viola, Cello and String Bass.
Racket In My Head 