Programme notes: | From the Japanese ? (kai) "sea, ocean" combined with ? (to), which refers to the constellation Ursa Major, or ? (to) "soar, fly", this short piece is a kind of moto perpetuo, moving from the submarine depths of the ocean, to the delicate brightness of stars . However, one significant feature of Japanese music is that it rarely has a constant and regular pulse, in the Western sense. Thus it moves in small bursts, with moments of reflection and contemplation, and quick changes of mood. The piece is part of a trilogy, the other works being for violin and piano and for piano solo, also inspired by Japanese themes. |