Shingetsu (心月) from Samazama (様様) by Markus Guhe
Shingetsu (心月 – Heart Moon)
The poetic title has no simple translation: the two characters 心 ( shin, heart, mind, spirit) and 月 ( getsu, the Moon, representing enlightenment and other-worldliness) are simply juxtaposed. Watazumi Dōso links the title to the words of Chinese Zen master Panshan: ‘The enlightened soul is like the solitary moon, its light engulfing all.’ The piece depicts the clear moon reflected in a pure heart in solitary confinement; it symbolises the true reality underlying all dualistic thinking.
This uncluttered piece is characterised by extremely long phrases. There never seems to be enough breath, no matter how hard one tries. These long one-breath phrases evoke a sense of calm and stillness through a serene, pure sound. Yet there is dynamic movement in the stillness. Both tranquility and dynamism are transcended to embrace the whole of creation. It is the quietest honkyoku piece.
Tracklist
| 8. | Shingetsu (心月) | 6:15 |
Credits
License
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I discovered the shakuhachi in Japan in 2012. Without knowing anything about the instrument I immediately took to the practice of playing because I found it to be a strangely satisfying activity. So I decided I wanted to 'get really good' at it. I received a master’s license in 2016. I play the traditional shakuhachi repertoire ('honkyoku') and combine the shakuhachi with taiko and electronics.