Haïkus for Solo instruments

4 Haïkus for Percussion, Op. 24 (2008)

Creation date: October 18, 2008
→Percussion

Duration: 08:00
Level: Grade 4-5

Haïku for Alto Saxophone, Op. 24b (2012)

Creation date: June 12, 2012
→Alto Saxophone

Duration: 02:30
Level: Grade 4-5

4 Haikus for Percussion : Spring 2:08
4 Haikus for Percussion : Summer 2:54
4 Haikus for Percussion : Fall 1:38
4 Haikus for Percussion : Winter 2:29

Cycle of haïkus for solo instruments

4 Haïkus for Percussion, Op.24 (2008)

composed for a Concert by l’Ensemble Instrumental de l’Ariège
with invited Japanese composer/conductor (and friend) Hayato Hirose
Soleil Levant sur les Cimes d’Ariège

aki fukaki     tonari wa nani o     suru hito zo
Autumn deep —     the neighbor,     what is it he does?

natsukusa ya     tsuwamanodomo ga     yume no ato
The summer grass     ‘Tis all that’s left     of ancient warrior’s dreams

kogarashi ya     take ni kakurete     shizumarinu
The winter tempest.     Hid itself in the bamboos     and grew still

furu ika ya     kawaku tobikomu     mizu no oto
The ancient pond.     A frog leaps in.     The sound of the water

Haïku for Alto Saxophone, Op. 24b (2011)

premiered by Alexandre Souillart

nomi shirami uma no shito suru makura-moto
Plagued by fleas and lice, I hear the horses stalling right by my pillow!

Haïkus for Bass Trombone, Op. 39 (2014) et Op. 39b (2016)

for Jonathan Warburton

tera ni nete     makoto gao naru     tsukimi kana
Staying at the temple     I find my own true face     gazing at the moon

sumadera ya     fukanu fue kiku     koshitayami
Temple of Suma     hearing the unblown flute     in the deep shape of trees

Haïku for Bass Flute, Op. 43

oki yo oki yo waga tomo ni sen neru kochōh
Wake up! Wake up! — I will make thee my comrade, thou sleeping butterfly

Haïku for Alto Flute, Op. 43b

tombō ya toritsuki kaneshi kusa no ue
This dragonfly — it tries so hard to hold on to a blade of grass!

Haïku for Contrabass Clarinet, Op. 45

kareeda ni karasu no tomarikeri aki no kure
A lone crow sits on a dead branch — Autumn’s eve

Haïku for Baritone Saxophone, Op. 45b

waga yado wa ka no chiisaki o chisō kana
My hut: that the mosquitoes are small is all I can offer!

Haïku for Harp, Op. 44b

hyakunen no keshiki o niwa no o chiba kana
A hundred-year-old landscape — in the garden fallen leaves!

Haïku for Celesta, Op. 44

hatsuyuki ya suisen no ha no tawamu made
The first snow — daffodil leaves bend under the weight

Haïku for Percussion, Op. 24c

samidare ni tsuru no ashi mijika nareri
In the summer rains cranes’ legs are shorter — or so they seem to be!