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9 Haiku for flute and piano

9 Haiku are a set of varied musical reflections on texts by Basho. Haiku pose a paradox in terms of scope, their concise forms revealing an entire world within. In keeping with this, some of the reflections are as long as 3 minutes, others barely 30 seconds. I chose the texts, then arranged them in a specific order based on subject (birds, moon, bells), framing them by two outer texts suggesting the beginning and end of a life journey. The first setting does make use of an actual rice planting song (Ta-ue-uta), which recurs from time to time. The last haiku is significant in that it is Basho’s “death poem” – the last haiku he ever wrote. 9 Haiku was originally composed for Eleonore Pameijier and Marcel Worms as part of their ‘6 Continents Project’.

MF      

1
The beginning of art –
a rice-planting song
in the backcountry.

      
 

2
Midfield,
attached to nothing,
the skylark singing.

   
   

3
Harvest moon –
walking around the pond
all night long.

 
     

4
As the sound fades,
the scent of the flowers comes up –
the evening bell.

 

5
Lightning –
and in the dark
the screech of
a night heron.

   
     

6
Where’s the moon?
As the temple bell is –
sunk in the sea.

   

7
Clouds come from
time to time –
and bring to men
a chance to rest
from looking at the moon.

 
 

8
My eyes following
until the bird was
lost at sea
found a small island.

   

9
Sick on a journey,
my dreams wander
the withered fields.

     

Matsuo Basho  
Translations: Robert Hass  
 
Gideon Gee-Bum Kim, managing/artistic directo
 
Copyright 2014 by Toronto Messiaen Ensemble