Spirit of Stone 
For Harpsichord and Electronics 
Duration : 9’ Ca. 
Year of composition : 2025 

Commissioned by Bach&now! Festival 

Program notes : 

春の雨

間違いなく出た

石の精

(Haru no ame

Machigai naku deta

Ishi no sei)

In the spring rain,

without a doubt,

the spirit of the stone has emerged.

—Murakami Kijo

In Japanese tradition, it is believed that when a stone becomes wet, its spirit is revealed. Stones hold a deep symbolic presence in Japanese gardens, where they are carefully placed as ornaments, embodying stillness, endurance, and the passage of time.

Spirit of Stone is a programmatic work in three short movements, each inspired by different aspects of the poem. The first movement, employing spectral techniques, evokes the freshness and renewal of spring. The second movement dwells in stillness, portraying the quiet presence of the stone amidst the delicate drizzle. In the final movement, the spirit emerges, its crystalline essence represented through symmetry in the music.

Through the interplay of harpsichord and electronics, this piece gives voice to the hidden life within the inanimate, resonating with the poetic world of Murakami Kijo.