Senryu

About

Senryu is a Japanese poetic form similar to haiku: 'An inquiry into the nature of man'. Associating a poetic form with this music concerns the regular balanced proportions of section lengths. This strict formal outline is articulated freely and intuitively. A note on the metronome markings: the metronome markings are all defined by an increasing ration of 7:6. There is a 3/4 bar before each metronome change to give the proportional relationship leading to the new tempo. However each new tempo has been given a standard metronome mark which doesn't correspond exactly to the mathematically correct tempo. This means that each new tempo can be rehearsed separately with standard metronome markings. It is also an indication that the metronome markings do not have to be treated too dogmatically. Suggestion for rehearsing: practise each section separately at the correct tempo and later negotiate the tempo modulations to link them together. A matter of balance: in Senyru instrumental balance should be related to the string pizzicatos. In almost all cases the pizz notes need to balance with bowed notes or piano notes. Thus, the whole work will be relatively quiet but must still be intensely energetic!