ink, colours and gold on paper I

ensemble

fl, clar(Bflat), perc, pno, 2v, vc

(2004)
11 min
comissioned by Kanagawa Prefectur Cultur Hall
Edition Juliane Klein

performances

  • world premiere: Ensemble Nomad Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture Cultur Hall, Yokohama, Japan 2004
  • additional performers: Ensemble Insomnio, Utrecht
  • additional performances: Gaudeamus International Music Week 2007

grants

  1. 26th Irino Prize, international composition prize for chamber music

recordings

  1. live recording, Ensemble Nomad Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture Public Hall 2004

Ensemble Nomade © Satoshi Aoyagi 2004

programme note

This piece is inspired both by Paul Gaugin's paintings and many Japanese paintings, including the famous raku-chu/raku-gai works, the genji-monigatari e-maki, and works by Sotatsu. Vibrating areas on a golden background, sometimes partly covered in golden clouds, have a strong energy, without forcing the observer into special thoughts or emotions. The golden background gives the colours an intensive illumination. There is no perspective to lead us somewhere, the flat background dematerializes itself towards the unseen space behind. This kind of Japanese paintings is described in art catalogues as „ink, colours and gold on paper“, wich became the title of this piece. The technique of overlaying two layers of mixed colours was used to create strong deep colours as in Gaugin's paintings. These two layers are represented by the group clarinet/piano and the group flute/violoncello/percussion, wich more or less simultaneously play the same music but in a different realisation. The listener can choose wich group he concentrates on, or perhaps concentrate on the golden background/foreground by the violins, or go to the invisible/inaudible space behind the music.
(Peter Gahn)