Slowly Toward the North

bass koto and shou (2011)

(excerpt) Premiere: May 10, 2012, Tokyo; performed by Reiko Kamata, bass koto, and Yuji Nishihara, shou

duration: 12:35

---

program note

Slowly Toward the North (2011), for bass koto and shou, is inspired by the surrealist landscapes of YvesTanguy (1900-1955), particularly by the loneliness and beauty of the blue landscapes. It is written for Reiko Kamata, with whom I had the privilege of studying Sankyoku just as I was beginning to write music.

There are three movements:

1. quietly breathing
2. relentlessly moving forward
3. slowly toward the north