風神雷神／Fuujin & Raijin

Date of composition: July - December 2019
Instrumentation: a capella choir (SSAATTBB)
Duration: ca. 9,5’ & 3’50”
Text: haikus by Kobayashi Issa

Fuujin & Raijin is a work in two parts, based on the two Shinto gods of wind and thunder, respectively.

Fuujin and Raijin are siblings born from the divine pair Izanagi and Izanami after Japan was first created. They are often depicted together in Japanese art, the most popular image being by Tawaraya Soutatsu (see below). They seem to often be in conflict, thus creating storms, where strong winds and thunder and lightning collide.

I once again found myself inspired by old haikus, this time coming across Kobayashi Issa (1763 –1828), who is regarded as one of the “Great Four” haiku poets, along Basho, Shiki , and Buson.

For Fuujin, I chose a haiku about kamikaze, the divine wind.

神風や畠の稲穂そよぐ也
Kamikaze ya! Hatake no inaho soyogu nari.

Divine wind!
Heads of rice
Rustling in the field

I wanted to depict the serenity of a large open field, barely moving, but also the unease of a looming, darkening sky overhead. I painted this image using slow-moving notes, starting from a unisono, gradually expanding into larger structures, constantly going back and forth between agreeable, tonal and dissonant, less organised spectra.

Raijin uses a haiku depicting a mountain burned by lightning, soon to be soothed by the rain.

雷に焼かれし山よ秋の雨 
Kaminari ni yakareshi yama yo! Aki no ame.

Oh mountain
Charred by lightning,
It’s autumn rain.

This second part starts off with a lot more chaotic energy, depicting lightning bolts, wailing winds and thunder claps, transitioning into tonal clusters and finally finding harmony again in the soothing rains.