Time-into-Music

Composed to celebrate the 80th birthday of Mr. Timothy Reynish. The age of 80 reminded me of Verdi who was still in his musical enthusiasm at that age and wrote his last opera, Falstaff. Well, there was an association in my mind the stout title role with Tim. It was my intention to celebrate the occasion with this little lucid (like the opera) piece in C major.

The eighth-note phrases at the beginning gets longer as they are repeated. It is to mimic the form of a verse by emperor Yuryaku in Manyoshu, an 8th century anthology of Japanese poetry: "Komoyo, Mikomochi, Fukushimoyo, Miukushimochi". In the verse, syllables are added one by one, in a manner that is said to symbolize auspice and bliss.

Quoted in the middle is the beginning of the fugue at the closing of Falstaff: "Tutto nel mondo e burla" (All the world is a joke).
The title implies musical moments. This little piece is filled with gentle melodies and is slightly less than 5 minutes in duration. You may notice the name "Tim" hidden in the title.

The world premiere is on 17 June 2018 by Timothy Reynish conducting Philharmonic Winds in Singapore. The Japan premiere is on 1 July by the same conductor with Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Green-Tie Wind Ensemble.