After I composed HANA-EN-BU - BRASS OCTET in 2006, it has been performed by many different ensembles. Encouraged by the suggestion that it might also work well for small- to medium-sized wind bands, I chose not simply to arrange it, but to rewrite it in 2008-adding more musical episodes than in the original version.The piece is scored for a standard two-per-part wind ensemble. The unique precision of a smaller ensemble brings out a distinctively different type of development.The music evokes the refreshing and elegant world of a hana-mi-odori - a traditional dance performed while viewing cherry blossoms in spring. It is simple yet rhythmically engaging, driven by catchy syncopated patterns in both rhythm and song. The structure consists of three sections with contrasting tempi. The entire piece is built on two main themes: a lively motif introduced by the trumpets, and a "song" theme carried by the mid-range instruments. In the latter half, the music shifts into a spirited ohayashi (festival music), leading to a brisk and lively coda.May this piece guide you into a world of hanayagi (brilliance) and iki (refined style)!
(Yosuke Fukuda)
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