蒼翠幻想 ～千の想いとともに～

Spirits Reunion was composed in 2024 on commission from the Wind Band of Obama Junior High School in Unzen City and was premiered as the school’s free-choice piece for the All Japan Band Competition. I composed it so that the individuality of each player could shine. The Japanese title, Sōsui Gensō, is a coined expression representing the richly natural surroundings of Obama. The piece evokes many things, including nature and inner landscapes, but one of its main inspirations is Shōrō Nagashi, an event held around the time of the Bon festival. In this event, families walk through the streets pulling handmade boats to honor the spirits of deceased loved ones and send them off to the Pure Land. It also has a colorful, festive side, with calls and firecrackers, and I incorporated this aspect into the ideas for the latter half of the piece.

The work consists of three movements, entitled I. 緑 (Green), II. 想 (Thoughts), and III. 魂 (Soul), performed without a break. The music proceeds through changing scenes in these three movements of contrasting character. I. 緑 evokes the nature of Nagasaki Prefecture, the geothermal energy of Obama, famous for its hot springs, and its beautiful scenery. II. 想 is like a journey through memories. In Shōrō Nagashi, families recall the days they spent with the deceased as they process through the streets; this movement has a gentle musical character that expresses those individual memories and feelings. III. 魂 is colorful and festive music. At Shōrō Nagashi, the deceased are honored with loud sounds and calls, and this movement takes its inspiration from that custom. I wanted to create music that moves toward the future without stopping. These are the composer’s intentions, but beyond them I hope performers and listeners will freely imagine their own scenes.

My earlier works commissioned by the Wind Band of Obama Junior High School in Unzen City are Murasame (2022) and Azalea (2023). Spirits Reunion is the third work to follow those two.