Mehmet Okonsar

The Temples of Kyoto: Three Pieces for the Piano Mehmet Okonsar 1. izdevums

A series of three piano pieces inspired from my visit in Kyoto. Number one is "Kinkakuji": the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. This temple is bound to left a forever lasting impression on any visitor. Unlike many other temples all over the world where gold is generously used, the precious metal's flamboyancy in Kinkakuji does not strike as a display of wealth but as beauty. The size, shape and proportions of the Temple of the Golden Pavilion make for the most beautiful human-made "thing" (which includes everything) I ever saw. The second number is "Tetsugaku no michi": the Philosopher's Walk; a path along Kyoto temples. Unlike any "scenic tour", this pathway turns into an introspective journey to be experienced rather than described. The third number "Ginkakuji": The Temple of the Silver Pavilion actually completes the first one and presents all the symbolism of the Ying-Yang, the sun and the moon, the day and the night. The pieces are not descriptive. The Golden Pavillion (n.1) is more "melody and chordal accompaniment"-type while the Philosopher's Walk (n.2) is more in a "harmonic", somewhat homophonic type. Yet it develops that into some resonance effects (which use the middle - sostenuto - pedal of the piano) and suggest the "Philosopher's" mind during the "Tetsugaku no michi". The Silver Pavillion (n.3) returns to the melodic piano writing but unlike the Golden Pavillion (n.1) here, right from the beginning there are two melodic lines which intersect and multiply.