Sanae: Thank you for your response to interview for the introduction of “kare-san-sui”, the first work dedicated to me the other day.
I would appreciate you also sent me the essay “Silence - Disappearance - Corporeality” about your composition. It was made to be impressed me anew about the awareness of fading piano sounds. When I look back, it's common. At first glance, in our dance, the body always looks like "existing". However, that "imagination that arises from the body" is constantly being born and disappearing. It is called “Myoumetsu (明滅)" by Tomoe Shizune, our Butoh company’s Artistic Director. That means a light or image appears and disappears. It could be felt an exquisite esthesia in "the between" that the disappearing image and the appearing image infiltrate each other. I felt intimate with your "the awareness of fading piano sounds" and our "imagination of Myoumetsu that arises from the body".
Eva: Thank you so much, dear Sanae, for these explications. I never knew these parallels before, but now I am really astonished about similar impressions and touch points! In a mysterious way, ideas encounter each other.
Sanae: This time, I wish to express my appreciation that I had a precious time to feel your new composing piano music dedicated to me.
I am filled with bliss through two new works that are dignified and warm your music.
I am pleased to deliver everyone your works with a deep and an infinite view of the universe and full of love.
1. Listening to meditations sur le piano 15
"meditations sur le piano 15" is connected with my deep emotional experience of being with your piano that you played the series of "meditations sur le piano" every morning for 5 days at the KLANGRAUM in Dusseldorf, Germany last summer. When I heard "meditations sur le piano 15", I was guided by the sounds of your piano. It feels like walking through a spiral staircase or a corridor of the sound. It is also like the undulation of the curtain of light that waves in the daylight. The sound becomes sacred light and brings my soul to a deepen and deepen sea and vast universe in dignified sound and tranquillity, and I have existed drifting forever in the moment. I feel the “moment” with your sounds. Unexpectedly, when I turned to the flower and leaf placed in the tokonoma that is alcove in a traditional Japanese my room, flowers and leaves were affirmed and stood up with your music. The sounds were in the "Ma (間 Space) " between flowers and leaves, and the space were conceiving a wind. And your sounds resonated with the mercy of the Kannon Bosatsu (観音菩薩 Guanyin, Kannon Bodhisattva) in the photo was opened. On one occasion, I saw the light in utter darkness, and also on one occasion, I saw various views that it was my memory or the memory I had never seen, whether of the future or the memory of someone. And on one occasion, it was surrounded by an amber world. The music is full of love, sad and warm. And it’s nostalgic. I fully experienced great feeling of bliss.
Eva: Your words deeply touch me. You heard a magic combination of melancholy, hope, sadness, trust, and love. I never thought that music without words could be able to carry messages like this. You describe exactly my feelings and longings!
- The origin of the series "meditations sur le piano"
Sanae: I am honored to have dedicated your work No.15 of "meditations sur le piano" to me. I think the series of "meditations sur le piano" has the works from No.1. If you please, would you like to tell us about the beginning of "meditations sur le piano" and the episode (I heard the story of a person who passed away) during the composition of this series? Also, I would be grateful if you could tell me what inspired you to compose the work “No.15” in this series for me. In addition, I am grad if you let us know that you have any thoughts and feelings regarding the idea of “No.15.”
Eva: The series began in 2017. “meditations sur le piano 1” was dedicated to Johann Jacob Froberger, who often composed a “Lamentation” or a “Meditations” in his works. His explanations often are in French, and one of his meditations has the subtitle: “lamentations et meditations sur ma mort future”. Froberger was a Baroque composer, keyboard virtuoso, and artist. He was born 18. Mai 1616 in Stuttgart, and † 6. (7.) Mai 1667 near Montbeliard, France. Two aspects were very important for me: 1) His compositions for keyboard suggest a very thoughtful, restraint performance. Each attack on the keyboard could be the last one. A piece goes forward step by step. This attentive , musing, and exploring attitude made a great impression on me. 2) Froberger connected events in his daily life with musical ideas and new compositions - as I do. There is a very close connection between music and everyday life. Sometimes he even tells a short story concerning the origin of a new composition.
“meditations sur le piano 5” (2017) includes a section called “carillon for milo” “november 2017”. Milo, an artist in Hamburg, died in June 2017 and was a very good friend of mine. The “meditation” number 5 was a Lamentation for me, a kind of funeral music.
The composition of number 15, dedicated to you, Sanae, has to do with the explanations in the score that tries to suggest a special attitude while performing. Sounds appear and disappear like motions in nature, without any effort. And in my mind were the corporeality of the dance, the fugitive motions and movements, and the fugitive sounds as nearly nothing. The text is:
we hurried into our garden and opened our aeolian harp--somewhat mechanically, and without realizing our aim.
all at once the harmonies flooded our garden: the crescendo, the forte, the decrescendo, and the gentlest pianissimo followed each other irregularly. we listened full of pain, love, sorrow, and hope. we loved listening to the melancholic sounds that sometimes resembled a passionate cry.
then we happened to hear a passionate lamentation, not knowing that we became witnesses of our lives.
Here you find the same idea: Lamentation (and Affirmation as well!) as a full and conscious inhaling and exhaling of the world such as ours: with all the pain, the sorrow, the tears… - but with all the love, hope, and friendship.
- From the text at the beginning of the score for "meditations sur le piano 15"
Sanae: When I read the opening story of the score for No.15, I feel a joy of witnessing a gathering of gods in a big-hearted mythical world. The Aeolian harp that appears in this story has a legend derive from Aeolus, who god of the wind in the ancient Greek myth. Is your idea of this composition come from mythology? I would be thankful if you could tell us about its origin.
Eva: Yes, ideas of myths and legends are combined as well as events of everyday-life! The Aeolian harp was a real instrument in the 19the century: An instrument like a zither, but it does not need a performer. You put the instrument in the window, and the wind striking the strings, evokes beautiful harmonies. It ressembles the idea of composing without composing.
- At the end of the score text has "following hector berlioz."
Sanae: Does it represent the composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)? Could you tell us what Hector Berlioz is for you, or for this work, and how he is connected with you and this work?
Eva: The Aeolian harp became in Hector Berlioz’ essays (I admire this French composer of the 19th century very much) an important metaphor for composing without composing. A very important word in his scores: “nearly nothing” (scarcely anything), “Presque rien”, “quasi niente”. Nearly nothing: The best we can learn. There is something somewhere sometimes - but we do not know exactly. You cannot capture music and sound--you cannot capture the dance motions! Recordings and videos only show a small section, some moments. You cannot aim at achieving the event of the unknown: You trust in the event, you hope that it might happen ? perhaps, with good luck.
However, I admire Berlioz (a second aspect) because of his full trust in infinite development. Things never end. The protagonist’s first words in Berlioz’s monodrame lyrique “Lelio ou le Retour a la Vie” (“The Return to Life”: “Dieu, je vis encore.” “Heaven, I am still alive!”) He is the artist who experienced his own death in the Symphonie fantastique. “Lelio” is a twin composition, a work like a second part of this symphony. After the (dreamed or imagined?) execution in the Symphonie fantastique (last movement), the artist returns. Berlioz likes the Decrescendo: The decay of the last sound evokes the first sounds of the new symphony! Thoughts like these you may find in his critics and essays. I like to assume those ideas because I admire this attitude: A change does not happen while looking back; a change happens while going on.
2. Listening to "a walk through the bamboo garden"
Sanae: Hereupon, at the beginning of sound of "a walk through the bamboo garden," I was invited by the growing imagination of the bamboo along with the sound of your piano, and I felt the space rising above the skies. I felt the sunlight of the bamboo forest, the wind, the sound of the leaves rustling, and I was in the feeling of listening to the creature’s breath in the silence. I can see the sunlight and greenery shining into the garden from here where I am now. Even the Black Swallowtail butterfly has come in hearing your sounds! The sound of cicadas is echoing. With your sound and silence, creatures are breathing.
Eva: You express a beautiful impression! I never thought that my music could transmit my ideas and thoughts in a way as you are describing!
Sanae: When I listened to this work for the first time, a scene of the white bamboo forest appeared at the moment your music ended. It was a beautiful white world. The white was a scene that felt like light or particles themselves.
Day to day, I enjoy various experiences and deepening a savor with the sound of your work.
- Actually, one day in this year, I noticed that a bamboo began to grow in my garden. I wondered about it and looked forward to its growth every day. I’m really impressed by your gift of this bamboo work, surely, without knowing that the work "a walk through the bamboo garden" had grown.
I would be glad if you could tell me what inspired you to compose the piece "a walk through the bamboo garden" for me.
Eva: It is perhaps the fascination of a coincidence of standstill and going on, simultaneity and succession! The “walk through the bamboo garden” became a metaphor for me: I walk--and I reach a new view on a beautiful section of the garden. I am motionless--and look at the wonderful “still life”. Then I walk again, but I do not reach a special aim. I reach a new “still life” and get lost in the admiration of this new situation. Then I walk again, repeatedly. The piece does not end; it could go on. You are describing the conclusion in a wonderful way. There is no climax in the piece. Each view is as beautiful as the next one, as the previous one.
Sanae: - The opening text of the score for "a walk through the bamboo garden" states that it "recollecting the myths and legends of ancient times”. One of the stories associated with bamboo in Japan is too famous Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo cutter), which has been familiar to me since I was a child. Would you tell me about an ancient myth or legend that you recollect?
Eva: There is no special memory, no special single myth. The rustling of the bamboo suggests memories: promises of a magic world, voices of a mysterious universe. A similar impression could perhaps evoke a group of oaks for me, or a wildly foaming ocean. This corresponds perhaps with the fact that I often experience synesthetic perceptions. But it is interesting that you as well recollect a tale that could come near my impressions--without exchanging messages with a special semantic background.
Another point of view: As the short text in the score describes the performer (as well as the listeners) could fall into a special kind of feeling. The past and the future flow together in a circling. Only the presence counts, the past and the future are involved in the unique experience of the presence.
Sanae: - The score of this work has one line on each page. As I follow the pages numbered I to XIV, it seems to walk one path in a bamboo garden. If you have any thoughts on the idea of this music score, would you tell us it?
Eva: Perhaps I already answered your question in the chapter before this one. However: I could compare this work with a famous work of Modest Mussorgsky: “Pictures of an Exhibition”. The visitor follows a path from picture to picture; this movement is called “promenade” and is characterized by a special music. Nevertheless, the composition “a walk through the bamboo garden” does not have a promenade between the single “pictures” or situations. There is only a long decay, and the next “picture” emerges. However, I did not think about works like this while composing, this idea of the possibility to compare both works arises only now while I am answering your question.
3. About the piano
Sanae: - When you compose "kare-san-sui" in 2019, first of all you sent me the sound source you recorded with the upright piano. I heard that the CD of "kare-san-sui" was recorded the performance with a "Bechstein" grand piano, which has a wonderful decaying sound.
By the way, could you tell me here anew, what was the grand piano you played the “meditations sur le piano” series I heard at the venue of KLANGRAUM in 2019?
Eva: I think this is a Steinway grand piano.
Sanae: Also, I thankful that you could tell us about the piano that you played “meditations sur le piano15”, “a walk through the bamboo garden” for the new CD in 2020.
Eva: This is the same Bechstein grand piano which I used for the recording of “kare-san-sui”. It is now about 30 years old. I bought it because of the amazing decay of the low bass sounds. Each sound releases a wealth of partials; each sound has its own life from the beginning to its full decay. We touch the same question as before: The decay opens the wide space for the new upcoming sound anytime and anywhere. As Berlioz would say: The sound or the fragment of music has gone; now the next one might emerge.
4. Concerning the diafani label
Sanae: - I heard that your label "diafani" comes from the name of a port town in Karpathos, Greece. I imagine that it is a very beautiful place you love, where you will come there on vacation and overlook the sea. I would be happy to how do you spend your holidays in these places. Also, if you compose in the meantime, how do you compose during your trip? During your holidays, do you bring any musical instruments with you? I would be grateful if you could tell me how you compose on your trip, for example, such as whether it is written by hand on a staff notation, or whether you are growing your work in your imagination.
Eva: I do not compose at a worktable waiting for ideas. I am always composing--always during my everyday life. This is the same way during my holidays, when I am ? for example - in Greece. I inhale the world--and I exhale the world, at home, in foreign countries. Moreover, the compositions arise for themselves; they emerge. I have notices as fragments of words, sounds, signs… and at home, I work on the score. However, the main work is already done by the experiences before. Composing is like breathing, like living.
“diafani” is the name of the small town on the isle of Karpathos (Greece), but in addition it has a certain meaning: “transparent”, “transparency”. “Translucent”, “transparent”, “diaphanous” have the similar meaning. We are sometimes looking through a transparent curtain.
I feel such a great connection with your dance that fascinated me when I could watch you in a live performance, also looking at the dvds you sent me. Music and dance deeply come in touch by their great traditions, by their connections to myths and legends, and by their openness for the future: Works will never be finished; works remain unfinished. What we do does not find an end. We are going on--accompanied by our hopes, our longings, our trust in friendship.
5. Finally, with thanks:
Sanae: Now, I feel blessed to be able to create every day with your gift of music. And at the same time, though now under the influence of COVID-19, I am grateful for the birth of your beautiful music, and I sincerely hope that it will be a light in people's hearts and a deep silence. And I dream of the day in the future when we will be able to share “one” space and I can listen to your live performance, and I hope that we will be able to perform together and bring the work to the world.
Eva: I am also looking forward to our performances: Your dance and my piano music will be an amazing combination. A form of art could arise that brings into being common myths, feelings, hopes, and longings--and a deep trust in our common world and nature.
Sanae: Thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed. I express my gratitude for your friendship and for your great love and generous acceptance of everything you do at any time, no matter what.
Eva: Thank you so much, dear Sanae, for your work and for your wonderful art! |
Go to JAPANESE