Tamayura

Score title

Tamayura

Composer

Akira Nishimura

More about the composer

Date

Instrumentation

Program note

My first work for the guitar is PIPA for three guitars which was composed in 1989 and published by Zen-On. TAMAYURA is my second work for the instrument. This time I wrote for solo guitar, hoping the piece would be premiered by Disuke Suzuki, and excellent guitarist.
The work consists of several components: lines played in tremolo in upper register, stipples played in harmonics with strings divided into halves, one third and one forth, arpeggios with open strings, and melodies accompanied with the continuo like drones.
The title Tamayura is an ancient word which sounds beautiful and means for a while or a subtle existence or sign. The meanings derive from the faint sound of beautiful curved beads (tama) swaying (yura) and touching each other. It can be seen in Japanese traditional literature such as Hojoki (An Account of My Hut) and Manyosyu (Collection of Myriad Leaves).