tokeru reibo 溶ける鈴慕 (2018) for four flutes (all doubling piccolo)

Tokeru Reibo 溶ける鈴慕 (trans. "yearning for the molten bell") is an homage to traditional Japanese music, specifically the solo literature of the shakuhachi (end blown bamboo flute) and gagaku (court music). “The word Reibo (Yearning for the Bell) may be found in more titles of pieces in the shakuhachi repertoire than any other word…the legendary ‘father’ of the honkyoku tradition, Fuké (ca. 9th century China), did not play shakuhachi, but rang a [handbell] instead. To his disciples, Fuké’s bell has come to symbolize enlightenment. “Yearning for the Bell” can therefore be defined as ‘yearning for enlightenment.”

The composition begins with the four flutists, playing piccolos, surrounding the audience, a physical manifestation of a ringing bell. As the piece progresses, the bell begins increase in temperature, and sections of the bell begin to fracture and melt. As the deformations become more and more severe, the temperature decreases drastically, and the cracking and melting metal settles, producing a foreign and uneven sound.

Tokeru Reibo 溶ける鈴慕 is approximately 13 to 15 minutes in duration.

Tokeru Reibo 溶ける鈴慕 was commissioned by the Oh My Ears! Festival and was premiered at their 6th annual festival, February 2018.

Tokeru Reibo’s score is published by Tetractys Publishing.

for information on purchasing the score, please contact me

Tokeru Reibo 溶ける鈴慕 single album cover

listen to it on bandcamp -

recorded by Sarah Steranka