A-hun 阿吽
| Title | A-hun 阿吽 |
| Year | 2008 |
| Composer | Takashi Koto |
| Instrument/s | koto, shakuhachi |
| Commission | Written for: Afternoon of Shakuhachi and Koto Music #10 |
| First Performance (date, performers, venue) | September 7, 2008, Afternoon of Shakuhachi and Koto Music Concerts #10, Marco Lienhard and Ryuko Mizutani, Public Library of Brookline, Brookline, Massachusetts |
| Contact for Sheets | https://japanese-music.com/profile/takashi-koto/ |
| CD, Digital Audio | https://japanese-music.com/profile/takashi-koto/ |
| Contact Info | https://www.facebook.com/takashi.koto.10/ |
| Notes | A-hun (阿吽): The title of this composition derives from the original Sanskrit word ‘A-hum.’ The ‘a’ is an open mouth vowel and the first character of the Japanese alphabet and ‘hum’ a closed mouth sound and the last character of the Japanese alphabet. These sounds represent the beginning and ending of the universe and have inspired numerous artists. Like this word, the piece is made of two contrasting sections: A and Hum. I transformed the ‘a-hum’ concept into staccato and punctuated notes versus legato and melismatic lines. My intention is not to revive the ethnic thoughts but rather to focus on the contrast of two extremes. [Koto] |