Eva-Maria Houben Interview
by Sanae Kagaya, TOMOE SHIZUNE & HAKUTOBO
2020.8.8

I would like to thank you for letting us know your story as we introduce the CD works that contain your new compositions on the website of TOMOE SHIZUNE & HAKUTOBO.

1. Sanae: First of all, would you like to tell us when and in what way did you come to play and compose through the piano and organ?

   Eva: I played piano since the age of five years, the organ five years later at the age of ten years. But I did not compose. I studied music education at “Folkwang” Music High School in Essen-Werden (Germany), with both instruments as my main instruments. My first compositions are pieces that were created since about 1980. Then I met Antoine Beuger and wandelweiser, and in 2000 began my composing as it is now.

2. Sanae: You and I met in the summer of 2019 at KLANGRAUM organized by the edition wandelweiser in Germany. (KLANGRAUM was held in Dusseldorf, Germany, and was a program called "day by day" in which participating artists performed trial performances every day for 5 days.)
   I was touched at the moment when I heard the first one note of your piano performance, and I was in deeply moved by your daily piano works. One day my tears continued to fall while your music was playing.

   Eva: Thank you much for your very kind words!!

   Sanae: I am very pleased that the work called “kare-san-sui piano eva-maria houben 2019 for sanae kagaya,” was born. It is an irreplaceable gift for me.
   
   At first, the music score of this work and the recorded sound source arrived to me, and I listened to the work. When I tried to taste it with my body, an unexpected expression full of light appeared. And I felt that I was touching a profound world beyond life and death. Infinite life was alive in the sound and space (間MA) that Eva-Maria appeared.

   Could you tell me what inspired you to compose this piece?

   Eva: This was without doubt your dancing Butoh. I wept watching you for the first time in KLANGRAUM. And I deeply felt that there were intense connections between your dance and my music. The same “profound world beyond life and death” (as you just mentioned) appeared in my vision watching your dance!!! It is incredible! I cannot find the appropriate words. When I composed the piece “kare-san-sui” I saw you dancing, dancing through a beautiful garden! And my heart was full of love for life, for all beings, for the existence! It was a big “YES”. That’s what I felt. And I felt a close affinity to you, dear Sanae!

3. Sanae: Also, could you explain us about the ideas and constitution contained in this composition work?

   Eva: I tried to compose a piece without beginning and without conclusion. We listen to an endless stream of beauty that allows all piano sounds: there are no dissonances, no consonances - each tone is welcome! I imagined a repeal of all opposites: birth and death seemed to belong together. And I learned to accept. In the moments of watching your dance and composing my piece I lost my fear!

4. Sanae: In the process of your composing, I heard that you were first sketching the composition. Would you please teach us the process of your composition?

   Eva: I began anywhere - and then I allowed myself to skip some pages and to have some poor sounds alone for themselves at another place. At a special moment I listened to the incomplete piece and I had the wish to leave some gaps incomplete and to fill other gaps with new sounds. There is no development in the piece, no climax: it goes on an on - and could go on even longer as it really does.

5. Sanae: Many years ago, I met and had a large book about Japanese gardens in English. I received the news that you were composing new work “kare-asn-sui” and I opened the book after a long time. Then, I was surprised that the sticky note was just attached to the page of Karesansui. I thought it was waiting for your work to arrive. What inspired you to come across Karesansui of Japan?

   Eva: The fact that this garden can be very small. It inspires me to meditate. And, perhaps very important for a connection between the piece and the garden: The walk through a garden as a specific motion and the standstill by looking at the garden were combined in an incredible way! Nearly the same with my new piece for you: “a walk through the bamboo garden”. Walking during the silences - and then a standstill an admiring look at the place where I am now. Another kind of combination: motion and standstill are melting!!

6. Sanae: Is there any place you imagined about the location of the performance of this work?

   Eva: Oh yes: I would love to perform together with you in Tokyo or at other places in Japan, also in Germany - perhaps in the Eco-House, Dusseldorf, in the KLANGRAUM, other places we surely can find out; then in the whole world!

7. Sanae: Could you tell us about the day and place you played and what kind of piano you played about the work on the CD? Also, if you had a premiere of this work with a piano performance, could you tell us when, where, and how it was at that time?

   Eva: “kare-san-sui” did not have a First performance at all. For the cd I played a “Bechstein” grand piano with wonderful decaying sounds.

8. Sanae: Now, with the spread of COVID-19, we are unable to move between countries. However, I receive this wonderful gift from you and create it with your sound and music every day. How does the spread of COVID-19 affect the German art scene, and how are you currently living?

   Eva: We have many restrictions, all my concerts were cancelled since March! I stay in touch with my friends by facebook and emails - and I am still composing. Composing saves my soul in these times. And I imagine how it could be when we can move again and meet each other again - and can perform together: In my visions, I am sitting at a grand piano - and you are on the stage dancing. This is my dream! And we both are dressed in a specific way: complementary or similar - I don’t know. But the vision includes a certain outfit. And then I am dreaming!

9. Sanae: And finally, in this situation, could you tell us the message about our future interaction?

   Eva: Oh, I just told you so much details that stream in my brain!! That’s exactly my vision. And it is the message about our future interaction. We will always stay in touch, and in the right moment we will meet each other and perform! COVID-19 will not last forever, and I am sure there will be times in future, when we are allowed to do what we desire!!