Commissioned by Les Percussions de Strasbourg with the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.
Musicians : 6 percussionists
With the participation of Rin Otsuka Factory.
This piece was composed for Les Percussions de Strasbourg, and it is my first piece for the percussion ensemble.“Regentanz” means a ritual to pray for rain in German. “Rain-making” which have been handed down at various places around the world are rituals to pray for “rain” as God’s grace when droughts continues. In many cultural regions around the world, people have a sense that “rain is a gift from God, if the rain stops, it is the punishment of God.” The ritual with performing music and dancing is held to gain the interest of God, to entertain God and to win God’s sympathy.This piece is my imaginary rain-making ritual music. It consists of descriptions of various forms of rain with percussion instruments (raindrops, quiet rain, heavy rain, rain showers, a roll of thunder and thunderstorm, etc.), then the final part based on the rhythm of the American Indians’ rain-making dance appears, it evolves into the music which brings excitement and intoxication.
Toshio Hosokawa