In March, 1960, a Tokyo television station commissioned a musical tribute to the Moss Temple in Kyoto-Koke Dera-to be entitled Koke No Niwa. The music is scored for English horn, harp, and two percussion players performing on timpani, tamtam, glockenspiel, and marimba.
It is a tribute to all the Buddhist temples of Kyoto as well as to Koke Dera. The first phrase is sounded by English horn over harp, timpani, tamtam, and glockenspiel. A series of scattered sounds follows on timpani, tamtam, glockenspiel, and harp-the latter snapping the finger against a bass string. A new phrase is sounded by English horn against the continuing scattered sounds. A dialogue between marimba and harp leads to English horn accompanied by harp harmonics and timpani. Then a free rhythm interlude for marimba, harp and timpani leads to the final phrase, sung by English horn over murmuring harp and marimba in free rhythm. The music is a garden of sounds and silences.
--Alan Hovhaness, reprinted with permission of CRI Recordings
Koke No Niwa [Moss Garden], Op. 181
Alan Hovhaness
Edition Peters
(1960)
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