Four Reflections on

Japanese Tanka Poemsfor two flutes

Jens Klimek

2

Annotations:

The texts originate from a collection of 100 specimens of Japanese Tanka poetry collected in the 13th Century C.E.,

with some of the poems dating back to the 7th Centry translated by William N. Porter. Tanka is a 31 syllable format in the pattern

5-7-5-7-7. Most of these poems were written about the time of the Norman Conquest and display a sophistication that western

literature would not achieve for a long time thereafter. These little gems are on themes such as nature, the round of the seasons,

the impermanence of life, and the vicissitudes of love. There are obvious Buddhist and Shinto influences throughout.

Porter's notes put the poems into a cultural and historical context.

Duration: 8min.

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Jens Klimek

Four Reflections on Japanese Tanka Poemsfor two flutes

1

Haru sugite THE spring has gone, the summer's come,

Natsu ki ni kerashi And I can just descry

Shirotae no The peak of Ama-no-kagu,

Koromo hosu teu Where angels of the sky

Ama-no-kagu yama Spread their white robes to dry.

6 6 6

6 6 6

6

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6 6 6

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rit. 8

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Murasame no THE rain, which fell from passing showers,

Tsuyu mo mada hinu Like drops of dew, still lies

Maki no ha ni Upon the fir-tree needles, and

Kiri tachi-noboru The mists of evening rise

ki no yūgure. Up to the autumn skies.

Jens Klimek

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Flute I

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Tago no ura ni I started off along the shore,

Uchi-idete mireba The sea shore at Tago,

Shirotae no And saw the white and glist’ning peak

Fuji no takane ni Of Fuji all aglow

Yuki wa furi-tsutsu. Through falling flakes of snow.

33 3

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Jens Klimek

Hana sasou THIS snow is not from blossoms white

Arashi no niwa no Wind-scattered, here and there,

Yuki narade That whiten all my garden paths

Furi yuku mono wa And leave the branches bare;

Waga mi nari keri. ’Tis age that snows my hair!

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32

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6 6 6

Jens Klimek

Four Reflections on Japanese Tanka Poemsfor two flutes

1

Haru sugite THE spring has gone, the summer's come,

Natsu ki ni kerashi And I can just descry

Shirotae no The peak of Ama-no-kagu,

Koromo hosu teu Where angels of the sky

Ama-no-kagu yama Spread their white robes to dry.

6 6 6 6

6 6 6 6

3 3

6

3 3

6 6 6

3

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22

26

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q. = 70agile but contemplatively

7

13

p

19

34

44

68

6 6 6

3

3

Murasame no THE rain, which fell from passing showers,

Tsuyu mo mada hinu Like drops of dew, still lies

Maki no ha ni Upon the fir-tree needles, and

Kiri tachi-noboru The mists of evening rise

ki no yūgure. Up to the autumn skies.

Jens Klimek

2

Flute I2

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36

39

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Flute I 3

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3

Tago no ura ni I started off along the shore,

Uchi-idete mireba The sea shore at Tago,

Shirotae no And saw the white and glist’ning peak

Fuji no takane ni Of Fuji all aglow

Yuki wa furi-tsutsu. Through falling flakes of snow.

33 3

33

3

3 3 5

3 3 3 3

�U3 3 3 3 3 5

3 7 3 3

3

Flute I4

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q = 50

3

4

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6

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11

16

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34

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24

34

floating

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Jens Klimek

Hana sasou THIS snow is not from blossoms white

Arashi no niwa no Wind-scattered, here and there,

Yuki narade That whiten all my garden paths

Furi yuku mono wa And leave the branches bare;

Waga mi nari keri. ’Tis age that snows my hair!

Flute I 5

p

20

23

25

26

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28

24

44

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Flute I6

Flute II

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q = 70

4

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rit. 8

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A tempo11

p

15

mp

18

44

32

44

44

6 6 6

Jens Klimek

Four Reflections on Japanese Tanka Poemsfor two flutes

1Haru sugite THE spring has gone, the summer's come,

Natsu ki ni kerashi And I can just descry

Shirotae no The peak of Ama-no-kagu,

Koromo hosu teu Where angels of the sky

Ama-no-kagu yama Spread their white robes to dry.

6

6 6 6

6 6 6

6 6

3 3 3

6

6

6

mp f

22

26

29

p

q. = 70agile but contemplatively

7

13

p

19

34

44

44

68

6 6 6

33 6

3

Murasame no THE rain, which fell from passing showers,

Tsuyu mo mada hinu Like drops of dew, still lies

Maki no ha ni Upon the fir-tree needles, and

Kiri tachi-noboru The mists of evening rise

ki no yūgure. Up to the autumn skies.

Jens Klimek

2

Flute II2

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36

39

42

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3Tago no ura ni I started off along the shore,

Uchi-idete mireba The sea shore at Tago,

Shirotae no And saw the white and glist’ning peak

Fuji no takane ni Of Fuji all aglow

Yuki wa furi-tsutsu. Through falling flakes of snow.

3 3 3 33

3

3 3

3 3

7 3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3 3

53

Flute II4

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q = 50

3

p

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Jens Klimek

Hana sasou THIS snow is not from blossoms white

Arashi no niwa no Wind-scattered, here and there,

Yuki narade That whiten all my garden paths

Furi yuku mono wa And leave the branches bare;

Waga mi nari keri. ’Tis age that snows my hair!

3

Flute II 5

p

22

24

25

26

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27

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3

Flute II6