Melodia
solo accordion
by Toshio Hosokawa [1979]

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"Melodia" by the Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa [born 1955] refers to the Japanese traditional playing techniques of the sho. The sound of this 3000 year-old wind instrument that plays an important role in "gagaku", the traditional music of the Japanese Imperial Court, is produced in much the same way as that of an accordion. "Sho-Aitake" are vaguely related to the European concept of harmonies, but in contrast to European music, they do not so much follow one after the other as blend into each other. The little interruption of the air stream caused by the players breathing is supposed to be heard, but should not create a gap. Transferred to the accordion, "Melodia" is played on a single, never-ending breath, a melodic line gathering energy, picking up particles, discarding them, experiencing changing harmonic shades.

[sh, 1997]

duration: 10'00