Kobe, Japan (Wind Quintet)
Kobe, Japan is a three-movement work for wind quintet, dedicated to my visit to Kobe in the summer of 2023. It was commissioned by Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble of Oklahoma as part of their 2024 summer festival "The Art of Creation". The piece depicts three scenes, a Jazz Kissa (Jazz Café), Nunobiki Herb Gardens and Falls, and a day of shopping at Motomachi and Harborland.
Movements:
I: Jazz Kissa (Jazz Café)
II: Nunobiki Herb Gardens and Falls
III: Shopping, Motomachi to Harborland; Sunset at Kobe Port Tower
Duration: ~13 min.
Premiered on June 20th, 2024 by Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble
Flute: Parthena Owens
Oboe: Lisa Harvey-Reed
Clarinet: Chad Burrow
Horn: Kate Pritchett
Bassoon: Rod Ackmann
Program Note:
Growing up, one of my favorite parts of summer was going to Japan. Every few years, my family would take the 14-hour flight to Kobe, where my mom grew up. My most recent visit was in June and July of 2023. I find that I fall more and more in love with Kobe each time I visit it. The rich history and the blend of Japanese and Western culture make me feel deeply connected to the city.
The piece is in three movements, each depicting a particular scene in Kobe.
The first movement, Jazz Kissa (Jazz Café), is a tune reminiscent of a jazz standard if it were arranged for a wind quintet. In Japan, a jazz kissa would typically have someone playing jazz from a record, usually deep cuts from overseas, or they would feature an ensemble playing live jazz. I picked jazz as a genre because Kobe happens to be the jazz capital of Japan, and my mom has always had an affinity for the genre (especially the slower stuff). Jazz became popular because it was the music played on cruises for upper-class Japanese people. It’s interesting to note that in Japan, jazz is associated with high-class living, a direct opposition to its oppressed roots in the United States.
The second movement, Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Falls, depicts the Bavarian-inspired herb gardens on top of the Mount Rokkō mountain range and the Nunobiki Falls which can be accessed by a long walk down from the gardens. Kobe was a prominent port city in the 1800s when Japan reopened to the West for trade. Many traders even built homes in Kobe, creating the Kitano-chō District. An artistic movement during this time was Impressionism, which was greatly influenced by Japanese woodblock printing. I chose to paint the Nunobiki Falls with musically impressionist colors and textures. By borrowing from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Impressionist musical aesthetics, I pay homage to this blend of Japanese and European culture found in Kobe.
The third movement, Shopping, Motomachi to Harborland; Sunset at Kobe Port Tower, is inspired by Japanese ‘80s city pop and fusion jazz by artists such as T-Square, Anri, and Casiopea. Kobe is a fashion-centered city. Because of this, it has many impressive shopping districts that feature high-end fashion and wonderful food (including places selling world-famous Kobe beef). I wanted this movement to show off the busy streets full of people walking with their bags full of goodies they’ve purchased on a long day of shopping. Walking miles and taking trains to get to every spot on a long to-do list. Eventually, it leads to a great view of Kobe Port Tower in Harborland as the sun sets (I like to imagine sitting in a restaurant where there’s Napolitan spaghetti, hamburger steak, Omurice, or katsu curry involved).