Slow Haiku

02022-10-05 | Music, Slow | 3 comments

I was asked why the pieces called “Haiku 1” through “Haiku 4”, which can be found on the album slow, are so short. It’s a good question. I often assume the listener will understand my thoughts, however obscure they can be, and in my mind it was completely clear why the pieces were very short. :-)

The four pieces named “Haiku” are patterned after short Japanese poems called Haiku. This is a pretty good introduction to Haiku, but perhaps Yumiko will have a better suggestion.

Haiku (hy-koo) is a traditional Japanese verse form, notable for its compression and suggestiveness. In three lines totaling seventeen syllables measuring 5-7-5, a great haiku presents, through imagery drawn from intensely careful observation, a web of associated ideas (renso) requiring an active mind on the part of the listener.

My Haiku series from the album slow uses the same form as the poems. There are five sounds, followed by seven sounds, and then another five sounds. Between those lines are two brief pauses.

I should record more of these little Haiku pieces.

3 Comments

  1. Ken Conaway

    Thank you so much for your quick response to Haiku. Very educational. I was not aware of the poetry and the number of notes being the answer.

    Reply
    • ottmar

      You are welcome. As far as I know nobody has done something like this. Haiku music is not a thing. It’s just something I decided to try. I am glad you like it.

      Reply
  2. Y.

    There are subtle references to the lunar calendar. The atmosphere and direction of each poem are marked by the seasons.

    Reply

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