Myth - Moon Reflected on the Lake (score)

In 2016, I was commissioned by Kitami Toryo Junior High School in Hokkaido, Japan (Mr. Shinobu Sato, director) to write this piece, which the school's band premiered in the same year. Previously, I had also composed the piece "Farthest Sea" (published by Brain Co., Ltd.) for the same group. Mr. Sato expressed interest in performing a work that felt like a sequel, which led me to write this companion piece to the earlier composition.

While "Farthest Sea" focused on the sea, this work centers on a lake. Despite the shift in setting, I find that water, like the elements of fire and earth, inspires the imagination as a universal motif found in both ancient Chinese Wu Xing (Five Elements) and Western Four Elements philosophies. Although water is a familiar part of our daily lives, it can transform into a mystical lake that accentuates the moon's reflection or turn into turbulent waves. If "The Distant Ocean" was dynamic, "Myth - Moon Reflected on the Lake" is static. The lake serves as a contrasting and intriguing counterpart to the ocean, prompting me to adopt it as the theme of this piece.

Fortunately, I had many opportunities to visit the mysterious and beautiful lakes scattered across Hokkaido while working on the previous composition. Although my titles and backgrounds rarely refer to specific locations, and despite "Myth - Moon Reflected on the Lake" not being about any particular lake, those experiences might have provided some inspiration. The mythology in this work is not based on existing lore but is instead an imaginary concept meant to serve as an abstract element in the composition. I hope performers will conjure up their own landscapes, myths, and stories while playing the piece and bring them to life through their interpretations.

(Shuhei Tamura)