Sange 散華
Commissioned by the French State and the Percussions de Strasbourg, for six percussionists. Tribute for the 10th anniversary of the death of Yoshihisa TAIRA
Creation : 2016, Teatro comunale, Vicenza, IT
Duration : 15′
Among the many Buddhist ceremonies, there is one in which priests walk around the ceremonial space reciting the Sutra, while spreading petals to bless the dead spirits. Originally, during “Sange” – 散華 , whose literal translation from Japanese means “spreading of petals” (San – 散 = spreading; Ge – 華 = petals), fresh lotus flowers and petals were used. During the ceremony, these are now replaced by coloured papers in the shape of lotus petals and are scattered in the main hall. The combination of the solemn recitation, the dance of the petals and, originally, the smell of fresh lotus, appeals to the hearts of the people through their auditory, visual and olfactory senses and transports them to a fantastic and magical atmosphere at the climax of the ceremony. Yoshihisa TAIRA used to say “that a masterpiece was like a polyhedron that always appeared to us differently depending on the angle from which we looked at it and whose state was constantly and progressively changing”.
With few materials, chosen very carefully, he transports us into a deep, rich and living musical universe, through the magic of the sounds of his fascinating piece, “Hierophony V”, written for the percussions of Strasbourg.10 years after the death of my first composition teacher, “Sange” is my own polyhedron, based on, a definition of the form of “Hierophony V”, the addition of the olfactory dimension representing the fragrance by the volatile emanation of the sounds produced by the six musicians, and an evolution of the sound materials. “Sange” mainly uses the instrumentarium and the implementation of “Hierophony V”, and is inspired by its two strong musical ideas. The ostinato of the wooden drum at the end of the piece is one of the materials considered as a starting point for the creation of the sound space of “Sange”. The striking energy of the gesture is here restored without the use of the voice. The many new modes of play and their combinations, as well as the creation of various sound layers using several trajectories in space by setting the sounds in motion, inspire an electroacoustic dimension to the piece. The composition is a very intellectual work but must also nourish the heart and the mind. “A piece must be very instinctive” and “Sange” is an organism, coming to life thanks to the sound energies produced by the Percussions de Strasbourg, whose desire is to lead us to the magic moment of infinite joy. Malika KISHINO