performed by Bill Solomon

In 1645, Miyamoto Musashi, arguably the greatest Japanese duelist of his time, wrote his treatise on strategy applicable to one-on-one swordsmanship, one-against-many conflict, and large-scale battle.  The text contained the basics of Musashi’s own “Two Heavens” school of the sword.  Divided into five scrolls (or “rings”) named after the five elements, his text is the inspiration for this set of short pieces for solo timpanist.

The First Scroll (Earth) serves as an introduction within both the Musashi text and this set of pieces.  Influenced by Takemitsu’s percussion writing for the score to Kurosawa’s Ran, this scroll serves to prepare the listener for a solo timpanist’s performance.  Musashi uses the Second Scroll (Water) to comment on the basics of swordsmanship, and so this piece is based on simple iaido forms, with a particular focus on independence of limbs.

The Third and Fourth Scrolls (Fire and Wind) are heavily influenced by two significantly different ensembles from traditional Japanese music: the taiko and gagaku, respectively.  The aggressive qualities of taiko performance combined with the final duel of Hiroshi Inagaki’s Samurai Trilogy to inspire and shape “Fire,” representative of Musashi’s scroll on conflict.  Contrastingly, the gagaku’s ethereal melodies guided the creation of the fourth piece in this set, where the timpani sing a hushed, airy tune.

Finally, the Fifth Scroll (Void) is Musashi’s take on the Zen concept of No Mind.  The timpanist performs an ostinato pattern on the four drums but the focus lies in the tuning of the drums.  Ideally performed without tuning gauges, this piece forces the player into a state of No Mind.

Five Scrolls of Musashi: Fifth Scroll - Void

Five Scrolls of Musashi: Third Scroll - Fire

Five Scrolls of Musashi: Second Scroll - Water

Five Scrolls of Musashi: First Scroll - Earth

for solo piano
live performance by Kari Johnson

“I read an article about a fascinating creature. I don't think it has a common name, but its scientific name is Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica and it is a giant, tropical, colorful moth that drinks the tears of sleeping birds. As far as anyone knows, the moth is only found in Madagascar.

“A moth that drinks the tears of birds as they sleep. Doesn't that seem enchantingly beautiful?

“There's another variety of moth, Pionea damastesalis, that drinks the tears of humans.”

Nocturne for the Hieroglyphica

composed by richard johnson

painting by Tony La Salle

Painting sunflower fields

for oboe, viola, and piano

What voice what song, spider, in the autumn wind?

Summer grass - all that’s left of warrior’s dreams

Two haiku by Basho dealing with two seasons, when death is recalled in the season of living, when life silently deals with the season of dying, when the two intertwine in their passing.

Summer grass, autumn wind

water meditation on Etenraku - Timothy Eshing, viola

water meditation on Etenraku - Charles Huang, oboe

water meditation on Etenraku - Kimberly Reighley, flute

Over Fields at Churchville was composed for the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra in celebration of the 250th anniversary of Harford County, Maryland.  It was premiered by the SSO on March 18, 2023 in the town of Bel Air, conducted by Sheldon Bair.

Program Notes: You open your eyes to gaze over fields at Churchville, just before dawn.  At first, you sense the field more than see it.  As the slightest glow of twilight emerges, you feel the rhythm of branches in the trees on every border.  Slowly you become aware of the haze, the fog, the mist.  Vast and endless, you swear you can feel it moving in its stillness.  You become aware of another layer above that, carrying the scent of someone’s morning fire.   Behind the clouds the sky grows brighter, and it’s not until the sun appears that you feel the fog burning off, slowly evaporating to nothingness.

This moment, filled with moving stillness, that had felt eternal, has passed today.

Over Fields At Churchville - Premiere by the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra

from the score to "PaiGow School," an app by Riddhiman Das

This and "PaiGow School" both feature a Chinese drinking song as their source materials, played on traditional instruments such as pipa and guqin.

PaiGow School (VG Soundtrack): The PaiGow Parlor

Richard Johnson is a multimedia artist and composer whose interest in music was piqued during a childhood heavily impacted by film.  Equal parts Kurosawa and Spielberg combined to create his ongoing interest in culture and history, the music of Takemitsu and Williams, and an obsession with mystery, adventure, and storytelling. This blend of interests is most clearly present in his set of pieces for soloists, electronics, and video entitled Quaerere Sententias.

Richard’s music has been performed throughout the United States and internationally, and has been presented at events such as SEAMUS, Electronic Music Midwest, Electro-Acoustic Barn Dance, SCI conferences, Thailand International Composers’ Festival, and the Festival Internacional Punto de Ecuentro in Spain.

In 2012, Richard received his DMA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he studied with Chen Yi, James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, and Zhou Long.  He also holds degrees from the Hartt School at University of Hartford (MM) and West Chester University of Pennsylvania (BM). 

Richard currently resides in southern California, where he is (finally) pursuing that interest in film score composition that drew him to music as a youth.


composerjohnson

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