kodokushi (孤独死)
for pianoforte solo and electronics
10 minutes
Commissioned by Ensemble Mise-En
Kodokushi refers to a Japanese phenomenon of people dying alone and remaining undiscovered for a long period of time; the word literally means ‘lonely death’.
However, the term also refers to the stains (or, metaphorical shadow — think even ‘flash burns’) left behind upon surfaces on which a corpse has naturally decomposed — particularly for quite some time. During this process, especially without any chemical intervention or refrigeration, flesh putrefies and fluids leak, leaving behind a physical representation of the transformation from life to death.
At times, I think this is most akin to a photogram: where a photographic image is produced by placing objects onto light-sensitive materials and exposing it to light.
SCORING:
Piano Solo, Stereo Playback
PREMIERE:
9 October 2015
Ensemble Mise-En
Yumi Suehiro – Piano
Mise-En_Place — Brooklyn, NY
Purchasing:
