In the company of the shadow cast by the blossoms (2024)

In the company of the shadow cast by the blossoms was composed in 2024 for the Norwegian chamber ensemble Ensemble LIME, with the instrumentation 2x violin, viola, violincello, contrabass, saxophone, percussion and melodica.

The piece uses scordatura tuning on the first violin and viola parts, to accomodate seven-limit just intonation harmony by playing primarily on open strings and harmonics. The second movement, in particular, is greatly influenced by a sound experience I had when visiting the Nison-in temple in Kyoto, Japan. While sitting on the porch, facing the temple garden, I could hear a sōzu, which is a type of shishi-odoshi that is featured in many Zen gardens in Japan, which sounded at regular intervals of around 20 seconds. In addition to this sound, I could also hear the temple bell being struck by visitors at seemingly random intervals. The combination of these two sounds can be found in the percussion part of this piece.

The melodica part was composed specifically for the composer/performer Ferdinand Schwarz and the self-built instrument used in his project the rhythms of harmony. In this piece, five of Ferdinands melodicas are used, each playing one of the notes of the melodica part. The keys for these notes are taped down on each respective melodica, and they are all provided with a steady stream of air by a small air compressor controlled by the melodica player, who can control the air sent to each individual melodica using a small system of simple valves.

The title of the piece is a quote from Meredith MicKinney’s English translation of Natsume Sōseki’s novel Kusamakura, originally published in 1906.

By now it’s nearly twelve, but there is still no sign of my meal. I’m beginning to feel distinctly hungry, but I set about mentally identifying myself with the hermit poet in his words “vast empty mountains, no one to be seen,” and manage to induce a state in which I feel not the least regret at having to skimp a little. Drawing a picture feels like too much trouble just now, and as for coming up with a poem, my mind is already immersed in the poetic—to actually compose something would be merely a waste of breath. Nor do I have any inclination to undo the box of two or three books that I’ve brought along, tied to my tripod, and read. I feel perfect happiness simply lolling here on the balcony in the company of the shadow cast by the blossoms, my back toasting in the warm spring sunlight. To think would be to sink into error.

Movement seems perilous. I would cease even to breathe if I could. I want to live like this for a whole fortnight, motionless, like a plant rooted deep in the floor beneath me.

Natsume Sōseki (1906/2008) Kusamakura, Penguin Publishing Group

Premiered during the concert Ensemble LIME: Hållsten, Schomers, Laytom og Hedin, April 11 – 2024. Composed for Ensemble LIME.