Follow Me - Brass & Percussion Octet

Commissioned by Tokai University Sugao Senior High School and premiered at the 2012 Ensemble Contest.
This piece comprises the theme of Akita Magouta and an original melody. Akita Magouta is also known as "Abeya" because of the opening lyrics "Haa Abeya". "Abeya" is Akita dialect meaning "Let's go". A horse-man and his horse crossed a pass usually at night. This was because they tried not to surprise the horse that was sensitive to sound and not to obstruct other travelers. They used to sing this Magouta to conceal their loneliness on dark mountain roads.

The title "Follow Me" was the first word that came to my mind when I thought about translating "Abeya" into English. I imagined a young road-horse man (Mago in Japanese) gently talking to his beloved horse, which accompanied him in the dark night, "Don't be afraid, come along with me."

The young man might have dreamed of riding around the magnificent land on his beloved horse, visiting an unknown place and falling in love, or becoming a brave samurai running around the battlefield.

(Tadashi Adachi)