This piece was composed in 2021 by commission of Tokai University Sugao High School Wind Symphony. It is based on the historical figure, Princess Matsuhime, daughter of Shingen Takeda, a feudal lord of the Warring States period. Her life was full of vicissitudes. When Matsuhime was 7 years old, she was engaged to the then 11-year-old Nobutada Oda, the eldest son of Nobunaga Oda, in a political marriage. The young couple deepened their friendship through correspondence, but their engagement was eventually dissolved when the two families came to blows. However, their feelings for each other remained strong, and they continued to spend their years together without marrying, thinking of the other who lived far away in the sky. When Matsuhime was 21 years old, the Oda clan invaded the Takeda clan's territory and drove the weakened Takeda clan to extinction after the death of Shingen. Matsuhime's residence, Takato Castle (present-day Ina City, Nagano Prefecture), was also attacked by the Oda clan, and Matsuhime fled along a long mountain road to Hachioji in a desperate attempt to escape with her three young daughters entrusted to her by her retainers. She narrowly escaped with the girls, living in seclusion with an acquaintance. One day, a messenger from Nobutada suddenly appeared to Matsuhime and told her that Nobutada wished to officially accept her as his bride. The happy Princess Matsu hurried for Nobutada's place, but en route, the famous Honnoji Incident occurred, and Nobutada died at Honnoji along with his father Nobunaga. Disappointed, Matsuhime returned to Hachioji and became an ordained priestess. She spent her days mourning for Nobutada and the Takeda family, while raising the three daughters of the vassal she had taken in.
This piece was composed in response to the life of Matsuhime, a woman who lived a life of love that was both powerful, modest and unafraid, despite the harsh fate that befell her.
Suitable for a small band with a minimum of 22 members to a medium-sized band, the music dramatically unfolds with richly descriptive scenes, such as the sadness of Princess Matsuhime's feelings for Nobutada and the tension of her desperate escape from an attack by Oda's army. If the number or volume of clarinets is limited, adding an optional soprano saxophone makes it easier to balance the whole band, and if the number of percussionists (minimum of 3 players) is small, Perc. 3 can also play the B. Dr. cue of Perc. 4 (using a foot pedal and set B. Dr.) to create a thicker sound even with a small number of players.
(Hayato Hirose)
