Introduction
Inspired by the life of the great haiku poet Basho, I wanted to try to translate the form of the haiku into music for piano. These 36 miniature piano pieces are not based on any particular haiku - there is no program for these pieces - they are instead an attempt to create a form that is to music what the haiku is to poetry.
In each of these pieces there are three phrases. The first phrase uses a five note scale and is limited to five sonic events, whether a chord, a melodic note, or both (ornaments, arpeggiation, trills etc. count as one). In the next phrase a seven note scale and seven sonic events are used. In the third phrase a five note scale and five sonic events are used. The scale in this phrase must be different to the scale used in the first phrase. On a few occasions I made an exception in the third phrase where I used a note from the scale used in the second phrase to start the third phrase. In these cases this starting note serves as an anacrusis.
A version for for solo guitar, transcribed by James Beneteau, is also available.