Orizuru - Paper Crane (score)

Commissioned by Seiwa Junior High School in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
It has three contrasting sections of varied tempi, and the musical language is imbued with the spirit and colors of wa-the Japanese aesthetic.

In recent years, traditional Japanese origami has rediscovered its value and is increasingly appreciated overseas as well. Among them, the Senbazuru is particularly gorgeous, consisting of a thousand origami cranes strung together one by one on threads. However, Kuwana's "thousand cranes" appear to be somewhat different: they are created using a distinctive technique known as renzuru, in which multiple interconnected cranes are folded from a single sheet of paper.

The history of this renzuru dates back to the Edo period. A monk named Rokoan Gido (1762-1834) of Choenji Temple devised a technique of making a connected series of cranes-from as few as two up to an astonishing 97 cranes from one sheet of paper by making strategic cuts and folds. This art came to be known as the "Kuwana Thousand Cranes" and has been designated an intangible cultural asset of Kuwana City. Gido spent 18 years developing this almost superhuman craft. It can truly be regarded as an extraordinarily refined and sublime art that transcends mere decoration.

Gido devised about 100 different folding forms, and in 1797 the volume Hiden Senbazuru Origata was published, containing 49 of them. From among these, I chose three folding forms-named "Sugomori," "Hyakkaku," and "Seigaiha"-to spotlight, to imagine, and to project into music.

The images for each are as follows:

I. Sugomori - A parent crane cradling its young, like a lullaby.
II. Hyakkaku - A multitude of cranes flying in a brilliant, resplendent dance.
III. Seigaiha - On a clear day, a flock of cranes flying over sparkling waves: a serene, hope-filled, beautiful scene.

It would give me the greatest joy if this piece helps you rediscover a wonder of Japanese beauty through music.

(Yuichi Abe)