Yoshihisa TAÏRA

Compositions with flute

"He seeks inspiration within himself, for that is where bis culture lies. Far from an outward symbol or mande, it is bis flesh and spirit. This is why bis music is true, unique and authentic, Taira is not a musician composing lapanese music. He is simply himself, he vvrites the music that lie hears with bis entire being. The test is of no importance".

Pierre-Yves Artaud

More than any other instrument, the flute bas fOLind itself at the heart of Yoshihisa Taïra's work, doubtless because of the musicians who inspired his many compositions, but aiso because of the sound of the western flute. Incleed, since the second world war it has sought tc, open up and shed itself of stereotypes, tc, discover an unprecedented range of timbres and effects. Deemed anecdotal by some, this "opening up" of sound nevertheless provided a means of breaking down barriers between European and non-European cultures. Without strictly imitating each other, instruments as different as the shakuhashi and the Bohm flute could become neighbours, even cousins.

Taira's compositions for flute constitute an impressive achievement, and this recording can in no way claim to feature ail bis work for this instrument. Incleed, he has written no less than 20 pieces, a total of five hours' music, entirely dedicated to the flute. Although compositions for flute are but one aspect of a catalogue of over 70 pieces, the flute bas nevertheless been a constant feature of bis work si nce 1970 (Hiérophonie 1) to the present day, with the creation of bis second duo for alto flute and piano (Zephuros) in February 1997. His work calls upon every member of the flute family, and Taira appears to be living proof that opposites attract, writing for the piccolo, but above al] the alto and the bass flute. The octobass flute (the work of French flute-makers Jacques Lefèvre in 1984 and jean-Yves Roosen in 1988) instantly caught bis imagination, and Prolifération (1985) was dedicated to this instrument. Only four compositions are exclusively for the flute in C, each of which feature on this record. They are Stratus, Synchronie, Filigrane 1 and Cadenza L Furthermore, the flute is teamed with a remarkable variety of partners: various chamber formations, duos with harp or piano, ensembles with percussion, concertos with orchestra (string, symphony or chamber), flute duos and quartets, even a 32 flute orchestra ! Almost ail this music is dedicated to Pierre-Yves Artaud, whom the composer met when he was still a pupil of André Jolivet at the Paris Conservatory in the late 1960s, "in recognition of their friendship".

Naturally, Artaud has almost always been chosen for the creation of Taïra's work, in particular (unless otherwise indicated) for the pieces presented here.

Who has personified such a combination of cultures as successfully as Yoshihisa Taira ?

Is he not one of those unclassifiable composers whose style cannot be confined to the Far Fast or the \Nest ? What mischievous delight he takes in reminding us that he cliscovered Japan in Paris. And that in lapan he is considered a western composer. In reality, his identity lies between the two, in a dialectic that gives his style an inimitable and uniquely personal quality. To quote Pierre-Yves Artaud, "Only now are we beginning to gain awareness of bis contribution, although we have yet to measure its full historical dimension. His work contains a totally new element, authentic music that springs frorn the confrontation of two radically different, even corifficting, cultures. The West does not celebrate the same philosophical, spiritual and social values as Japan. These artistic models have chosen original routes, and music uses its own timbres, rhythms, durations, forms and heights. Any dttempt to fuse these two worlds is a difficuit undertaking. It was, for many decades, that of many Orientai composers, such as Toru Takemitsu, Kazuo Fukushima or the Korean Ysang Yun. However, Taira is the first to achieve this alchemy to such a degree, raising it to tanguage status with its own grammar and syntax, and the first tu base bis entire work on an aesthetic principle which opens up a new and vast field of investigation".

Like Maurice Ohana, Taïra continues tc, resist traditional systems of analysis by developing a series of musical 'gestures' linked to symbolic, pictorial, suggestive or poetic notions. This link with a musical "other worid" is one of the characteristic features of his work, and he takes pleasure in emphasising that "the atmosphere is the theme". Consequently, the following comments do not seek te, identify a veritable logic behind these musical gestures, but rather will attempt to draw out those elements which make up Taïra's style, as weil as certain key factors or guiding principles of his composition. Indeed, Taïra demands much liberty with regard tc, formai constructions, which he believes are indispensable but not essential to expression. The discourse is no longer based around themes which are then developed ; form is no longer considered a priori, but rather is created through proliferation.