Im Frühlingsgarten

This work was co-commissioned by Lucerne Festival, and KAJIMOTO, and was composed in spring, 2002 for Wiener Ring-Ensemble.

“At first, I felt the great difficulty to create something that would fit well with this concert program consisting heavily of elegant and festive music such as waltz and polka, however, using the word “festive” as the key, I was able to compose Im Fruelingsgarten while I imagined the elegant and traditional Bugaku (Gagaku) music often played at festive occasions and ceremonies in Japan.

A rhythmic feel completely different than that of Viennese waltz, and smooth lines of the Mai (traditional Japanese dance) are performed by Western instruments, while the Uguisu birds (Japanese bush warblers) are imitated mainly by the flute and the clarinet in the background. The music gradually shifts into harmony, and the music comes to an end with a quiet resonance of a major triad.” Toshio Hosokawa