Guitar and Mandolin Orchestra 'Het Consort'

Samples - Yasuo Kuwahara

Yasuo Kuwahara (1946)
6 The Song of the Japanese Autumn
(solo-cadens played by: Paul Liklikuwata)

The Japanese musician Yasuo Kuwahara was born in Kobe in 1946. His European debut took place in 1982 and he has received universal recognition since then. He alternates his activities as a mandolin player and composer with several teaching posts, for example at the "Nara Nat. Women's College'. He also leads the Kuwahara Mandolin Institute' and is the chairman of the 'Japan Association of Music Exchange'. His composition 'The Song of the Japanese Autumn' can be considered as a narrative piece of music. The composition reflects the approaching autumn, the farmers' battle against time, and the forces of nature that are coming on.The piece can be described more detailed: the peace of a beautiful Japanese landscape can be felt in the opening movement. There are moments that simply could be associated with a misty shower. In other moments, a light breeze is depicted by tremolo passages. The beginning of the second movement is stormy; an accentuated rhythm is combined with an agitated melody. From this, a broad tremolo melody which ends in stagnating trills comes into being. For a moment, the atmosphere of the first movement reappears in the second mandolins. However, the power of the accompanying parts is so strong that the peace felt before is overshadowed now. This could refer to what autumn might have in store. In the next movements the compelling and restless character of nature can be noticed in the guitars and mandolins and the haste of the harvesting farmers can be heard in the restlessness of the bass. Melodic and rhythmic patterns that have been used before come together and turn into a great crescendo of music. Only one mandolin is left after the climax. It suddenly finds itself in the time vacuum of a fermata - but recovers. A cadence in which the quiet and peace are restored follows. After that, the ensemble reflects the intensity of the landscape one more time - and it is as if a star can be recognized at a clear night sky.

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