Prayer on the seashore

Prayer on the seashore. In memoriam of victims of earthquake and nuclear reactors.Op.121
for Bassoon Solo.
World Premiere by Mr.Robert Rønnes.in Norway
PDF of　this composition is available from the list of my works or IMSLP(Versions for Bassoon, Cello, Clarinet in A, Violin, Viola, Piano with left hand are available)

This composition was written after the earthquake and tsunami and the
accident of nuclear accident in Japan ,11th March 2011.
Tohoku area is the north-east part of Japan. Very beatiful area.
Tsunami assailed the towns on the seashore. People were living with
the sea. Ohe of the most important fishing ground in Japan.
The accident of Fukushima nuclear accident is serious.Many people in
Fukushima are losing their native land. Japanese people are afraid of
the influence of radioactivity especially for children.
Main product of Fukushima area is fruits and milk. Now fruit and milk
from Fukushima can not be delivered to consumers, because of
radioactivity.
Nuclear reactors made by men can not be perfectly safe. Man can not be
perfect.Even if the purpose of the nuclear reactor were not for
weapon, the nuclear power destroys the life and the land. If we live
using enegy abandantly on nuclear power, we are to leave radioactivity
as heritage for children.
This composition remind me of some feature of folk songs in
north-east part of Japan.
But, there are no concrete model. This composition is original.
Only a fragmentary element of a folk song of Fukushima(So-ma
Dotsuki-uta) passes.

Please listen to some sample of folk songs in north-east area in Japan.
Perhaps, you will notice the character of the folksongs.

So-ma Dotsuki-uta ( Folk Song of Fukushima, Soma, near nuclear reactors)
http://www.ongen.net/search_detail_track/track_id/tr0000223703/
You may notice the characteristic short descending movement of 4 notes
in the tune,

Many folk songs in north-east area in Japan, especially near the coast
have juxtaposition of long, connected phrases.
Occatinaly the end of the each phases are stressed or with the short
responce(ai-no-te) from the partner.
The double staccato short notes may be suggesting them.

Sample of these folk songs.

Esashi-Oiwake (Hokkaido,Esashi)
http://youtu.be/KOYa2CRLIZA

Soma-Nagareyama (Fukushima,Soma)
http://youtu.be/fyF8xpBTjGE

Hoppo-Nihengaeshi (Fukushma,Soma)
http://youtu.be/-_tAgOeabwQ

Soma-KIbiki-Bushi (Fukushima, Soma)
http://youtu.be/dg7M06w-i18

Iso-Bushi (Ibaraki)
http://youtu.be/9G6ReIai03I

Naga-Mochi-Uta (Miyagi)
http://youtu.be/rMtOhXMUSGw

Ecchu-Owara-Bush (Toyama)
http://youtu.be/aK41eqpf5io