The International Shakuhachi Society
- Recording: Solstice Spirit -
Solstice Spirit
-
"Several honkyoku, a composition by Fukuda Rando, and two of Nyoraku's own including an extended suite for an orchestra of 18 variously-sized shakuhachi."
Schlefer, James Nyoraku
Sparkling Beatnik Records - SBR 0001
1998
| Track | Title | Kanji | Length | Shakuhachi | Shamisen | Koto |
| 1 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 01'25 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| Solstice Spirit is one of only a handful of pieces specifically composed for shakuhachi orchestra - in this case, 18 shakuhachis of differing lengths. The work is made up of ten short sections in widely varying styles, contrasting microtonal tone clusters with lyrical sections played by a featured shakuhachi quartet. Solstice Spirit was first performed at St. Mark's Church in New York City, where each year hundreds of people gather to hear shakuhachi music played at the precise moment of the winter solstice. For this recording Schlefer performs all the music himself by multi-tracking the separate parts in the studio. | ||||||
| 2 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 02'17 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 3 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 00'55 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 4 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 01'20 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 5 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 01'14 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 6 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 00'55 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 7 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 03'25 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 8 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 03'06 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 9 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 01'57 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 10 (Listen) | Solstice Spirit | 01'28 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| 11 (Listen) | Azuma no Kyoku (Kinko Ryu) | 吾妻の曲 | 04'52 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | ||
| When a komuso played before a large crowd, he would sometimes perform this piece. Political hostages were often detained in Azuma, which is perhaps why the music is said to represent the loneliness of a samurai who is far from his family and home. | ||||||
| 12 (Listen) | Miyama Higurashi | 深山ひぐらし | 06'00 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | ||
| This 1928 composition is an example of 20th-century virtuoso shakuhachi music. Fukuda Rando's melodies have a folk-like, melancholy feel. The title refers to the sound of crickets heard deep within the recesses of the mountains. | ||||||
| 13 (Listen) | Tsuru no Sugomori (Don't know which version) | 鶴の巣籠 | 15'34 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | ||
| This honkyoku, which translates as Nesting Cranes, uses specialized techniques in depicting the lives of cranes. One of the few clearly programmatic honkyoku, it describes the cranes' love calls, the mother turning her eggs, and the parents raising their chicks. This particular version of Tsuru no Sugamori, from the Meian temple, is remarkable for its chant-like, almost hypnotic rhythmic pulse. | ||||||
| 14 (Listen) | Matsukaze (Nezasa Ha) | 松風 (根笹) | 07'04 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | ||
| This piece is from the Nezasa-ha (Bamboo Grass Sect) of Aomori, a northern district of Japan where winters are harsh. The repertoire of the Bamboo Grass Sect is known for a blowing technique called Komibuki (crowded breath). This pulsating breath technique is considered an effective method of focusing energy and increasing concentration. The title, Matsukaze, means Wind Through the Pines. | ||||||
| 15 (Listen) | Variations on Amazing Grace | 04'54 | Schlefer, James Nyoraku | |||
| This 1996 composition features modern extended playing techniques for the shakuhachi. It expands the normal palate of flute sounds and brings an old hymn into the 21st century. | ||||||